DEAR MISS MANNERS: My husband and I were houseguests of some friends for a few days. One day, we watched as the host returned a partially eaten piece of chicken to the pot of stew he was preparing.

Two days later, we were served the stew again as a leftover. This situation was repeated two more times during our stay: The host’s uneaten portions were jettisoned back into a bowl, refrigerated, and served for another meal.

We found what our host did to be unsanitary and repulsive. Although we did not want to eat these leftovers, we felt we had no alternative. Should we have spoken up and expressed our negative views of what our host had done, not just once but three times? Should we have just refused to eat the food we had enjoyed the first time it was served?

GENTLE READER: As guests in the house, you were essentially captives, Miss Manners realizes, but even were that not the case, she could not sanction telling a host you find his repotting the leftovers repulsive even once, much less three times. She says this whether it is the chicken or the complaints coming around one time or three.

While you cannot denounce the food, you can push it to the side and instead concentrate on the less well-pedigreed items.

Please send your questions to Miss Manners at her website, www.missmanners.com; to her email, [email protected]; or through postal mail to Miss Manners, Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.