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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To be surprised at this?

89 replies

TinaTeaspoons · 07/06/2023 15:13

I work at a place where we provide functions for young families and provide snacks etc. Today we had kids in of 3 and 4 years old. Asked the lady at work (around my age, so late thirties) to cut up some cucumber, cherry tomatoes and carrot and put them into a bowl.
She chopped the carrots up into too thick pieces, same with the cucumber and she was slicing the mini cherry tomatoes down the middle and was getting sprayed.
It looked a complete mess and because she had done it all so thick cut, there wasn't enough to go around.
I don't like to judge but shouldn't cutting up fruit and vegetables be a simple task for an adult ?

OP posts:
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gggrrrargh · 08/06/2023 09:03

I’m in the ‘I don’t think my cherry tomato cutting technique is sophisticated enough’ camp too…

knittingaddict · 08/06/2023 09:01

How odd.

I've been cooking good meals for 45 years and almost considered it as a career when I left school. (I hate being hot, so that was the decision made for me).

I cut cherry tomatoes in half. I also had no idea that there is an optimum size for carrots and cucumber. I would probably do batons (spelling?). Is that wrong?

You do sound judgey op, and wrong about the tomatoes. Give a child a tomato and there will ALWAYS be mess.

CrazyArmadilloLady · 08/06/2023 08:56

The things that move people to come on MN and offload get more and more boggling with every passing day.

Seeline · 08/06/2023 08:53

I often cut my cherry tomatoes in half across the middle rather than down the centre and haven't drowned yet.
I do use a sharp knife though.....

brunettemic · 08/06/2023 08:50

Do it yourself, or ask someone to do it. Don’t ask someone to do it your way.

Kingdedede · 08/06/2023 08:45

Maybe if you’d asked her for crudités she would have known what you meant?

Agapornis · 08/06/2023 01:47

I'd like to join the other 13+ people who have asked for instructions on cherry tomato cutting.

Horizontal?! Quartered?

(I use a serrated knife and an educated guess on where the seed cavity walls join, based on identations at the top)

squidgybits · 08/06/2023 01:11

Could you not just have said " can you cut them a bit smaller please"? Or shown her how to cut the tomatoes without the spray?

Hawkins0001 · 08/06/2023 00:49

TinaTeaspoons · 07/06/2023 15:43

I'm just surprised as thought it was a basic thing

Depends on the training, some would know that you need lean slices, others would just slice and dice, etc

saltinesandcoffeecups · 08/06/2023 00:42

Cherchezlafemme77 · 08/06/2023 00:32

How do we know @saltinesandcoffeecups hasn't moved to the US SPECIFICALLY for the purpose of chopping illicit midnight tomatoes with impunity?

Oh shit I was too outing with my talk of my niche hobby of tomato chopping!

Dammit! I have to name change now so you don’t connect this with my regular posts as Doris from Surrey. 🤣🍅🍅🍅🍅🍅🍅🍅

Cherchezlafemme77 · 08/06/2023 00:32

How do we know @saltinesandcoffeecups hasn't moved to the US SPECIFICALLY for the purpose of chopping illicit midnight tomatoes with impunity?

Cherchezlafemme77 · 08/06/2023 00:30

saltinesandcoffeecups · 08/06/2023 00:15

I’m in the US it’s a perfectly acceptable time for cherry tomatoes thankyouverymuch

Anyone could say that. Anyone.

UsingChangeofName · 08/06/2023 00:21

Hellocatshome · 07/06/2023 15:54

Chopping vegetables is a basic thing which she accomplished. Being a mind reader is not a basic skill hence why she didn't chop them to your exact standards without you telling her what those standards were.

This

I'm with the 85% who think YABU (and am quite surprised there are 15% who don't)

Bu do please explain how she was supposed to cut the tomatoes. I mean the volume of a cherry tomato can't give that many options, can it ?

saltinesandcoffeecups · 08/06/2023 00:15

Cherchezlafemme77 · 08/06/2023 00:11

At this time of night?! You sicko.

I’m in the US it’s a perfectly acceptable time for cherry tomatoes thankyouverymuch

Cherchezlafemme77 · 08/06/2023 00:11

saltinesandcoffeecups · 08/06/2023 00:10

I have cherry tomatoes…. I could cut some for science

At this time of night?! You sicko.

Cherchezlafemme77 · 08/06/2023 00:11

saltinesandcoffeecups · 08/06/2023 00:10

I have cherry tomatoes…. I could cut some for science

At this time of night?! You sicko.

saltinesandcoffeecups · 08/06/2023 00:10

I have cherry tomatoes…. I could cut some for science

ShouldGoToBed · 08/06/2023 00:09

Ha I’m with you op, this would annoy me too and I would judge the person. Obviously carrot and cucumber for kids should be in thin shortish batons, and if you’re going to cut cherry tomatoes, do it neatly. I think it’s a bit weird for a parent to not know this.

Dazedandbemused0 · 08/06/2023 00:09

Also I have never cut a cherry tomato in any way that doesn’t result in juice squirting out. I cut and eat them almost daily. Does this mean I ‘don’t know’ how to cut them either? Perhaps you could prepare a manual with instructions so we can learn how to cut to your standard 😂

Cherchezlafemme77 · 08/06/2023 00:08

Could you call the police non-emergency number and report her for crimes against cucumbers?

saltinesandcoffeecups · 08/06/2023 00:08

Did the 3-4 year olds complain about the presentation?

I mean it’s been awhile since I’ve spent time with that age group, but aren’t they still being reminded not to pick their nose or lick the table?

Dazedandbemused0 · 08/06/2023 00:07

I HATE it when people criticise how others do something and say they ‘don’t know how’ simply because they do it differently. Your way isn’t the only way, you know? Your idea of a ‘complete mess’ is subjective! Don’t be so judgey!

Kingdedede · 08/06/2023 00:04

TimeForTeaAndG · 08/06/2023 00:01

Imagine the stalk is the north pole. If you cut the tomato round the equator all the juice comes out. If you cut it pole to pole less juice comes out. I think. That's what I'm imagining.

I've never bothered to care enough, if I'm halfing cherry tomatoes they get cut off centre, tilted axis, whichever way the tomato lands on my chopping board.

Ahh thank you, adds cherry tomatoes to Tesco list to test this.

TimeForTeaAndG · 08/06/2023 00:01

Kingdedede · 07/06/2023 23:58

Can someone explain the tomato thing please?

Imagine the stalk is the north pole. If you cut the tomato round the equator all the juice comes out. If you cut it pole to pole less juice comes out. I think. That's what I'm imagining.

I've never bothered to care enough, if I'm halfing cherry tomatoes they get cut off centre, tilted axis, whichever way the tomato lands on my chopping board.

Kingdedede · 07/06/2023 23:58

Can someone explain the tomato thing please?

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