A salad bar presents two chief dilemmas: How fresh is the food, and how fresh are you for skipping past the lady who’s art-directing her baby beets? As for the food, be sure the items are cold enough not to be a breeding ground for bacteria, says Steven Goode, the environmental health manager for buffet central, Las Vegas. Cold-temperature requirements vary among states but usually hover between 40 and 45 degrees Fahrenheit. Don’t carry a thermometer; just don’t take anything that’s discolored or has formed a crust (like tuna salad), and avoid taking food from trays that are mounded, since the food above the container isn’t at the proper temperature. Don’t eat anything that doesn’t seem cold enough. And beware of melon, Goode says, because “E. coli and salmonella live in the ground, where melons grow, and if the melon isn’t properly washed, a knife can transfer bacteria from the skin to the flesh.” As for your own freshness, “never cut in line,” says etiquette expert Peggy Post. The only exception: if you’re skipping to the end for croutons or dressing.