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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Please help.. Mum and nanny difference in opinion

46 replies

nannyof3 · 03/04/2013 07:55

Ok, im a nanny... Parent has told me today for lunch, to give her 10 month old baby, a annabel karmel beef pie that has been frozen, but the date is Feb 2009, she knows the date on it and says its fine..

Now i know shes the babies mum but this meal is over 4 years out of date.. Iv decided that im not going to give it to him but i know the mum isnt going to be happy...

Please tell me im right... and help me feel better by telling me ur opinions , and what im going to say to the mother tonight... thank you

OP posts:
somewhatavoidant · 03/04/2013 08:09

Why not say you say you gave it? A little white lie that saves baby from possible food poisoning & saves face for Mummy. I think you're right, imagine baby gets sick, you couldn't forgive yourself. At the same time you probably don't want to lose your job over it either? Good luck!

TrinityRhino · 03/04/2013 08:10

It's been frozen....

Freddiemisagreatshag · 03/04/2013 08:10

As I said on your other thread, cook, smell, if ok, feed. It'll more than likely be fine. It's been frozen.

ImTooHecsyForYourParty · 03/04/2013 08:11

I've had stuff lurking in the back of my freezer for years. I have always thought that if something has been deep frozen since it was bought, then the use by dates didn't matter. Frozen = frozen in time Grin

is that not the case?

ClaraOswald · 03/04/2013 08:14

I think you are only meant to freeze things for a maximum of a year.

Theicingontop · 03/04/2013 08:16

Freezing slows down the rate of decomposition, it doesn't stop it completely.

I've eaten food out of date by a year or so, but four? Yanbu.

CSIJanner · 03/04/2013 08:16

What Clara said. It probably has freezer burn as well

ImTooHecsyForYourParty · 03/04/2013 08:24

oh dear. whoops Grin

Freddiemisagreatshag · 03/04/2013 08:31

Whoops here too hecsy. Do you think it'll be ok if I cook and eat it all this weekend? Grin

doublecakeplease · 03/04/2013 08:35

I wouldn't feed her it - but I wouldn't say I had either. The Mum will take that as a green light to do it again - thus risking food poisoning in the future. Just say it goes against your professional training and feed her something else. Food isn't meant to be frozen fo rthat long - and I'm a non worrying Mum who usually throws out the 'oh, he'll be fine with it...' line.

LindyHemming · 03/04/2013 08:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

coffeewineandchocolate · 03/04/2013 08:44

Say you tried to freeze it but it defrosted and looked odd/ had a funny smell

wannaBe · 03/04/2013 08:47

defrost it and say it didn't look right.

Four years is way too far out of date and even I wouldn't risk it.

Maggie111 · 03/04/2013 09:05

Burn it, keep it as proof you accidentally overcooked it. Feed soemthing else. No way would I feed a baby something I felt uncomfortable with - whether I was right or wrong.

IndridCold · 03/04/2013 09:06

You can keep food frozen at below zero degrees indefinitely and it will still be safe to eat. It will probably lose some taste and texture and be a bit yuck though, especially in this case as it is a ready meal rather than a raw ingredient.

Defrost and see...

MajaBiene · 03/04/2013 09:07

Defrost it and say it smelled bad.

I couldn't give someone else's child something I thought was bad for them/wouldn't give to my own.

DoctorAnge · 03/04/2013 09:08

Don't give it to her. Just say it smelt off and bin it!
Is she mad?

KobayashiMaru · 03/04/2013 09:16

The date is for if its fresh,not frozen. Do as she says, its not up to you.

Yamyoid · 03/04/2013 09:35

What Euphemia said.
Yanbu.

Haggischucker · 03/04/2013 10:17

I have the environmental food advanced food safety qualification and would recommend not feeding the meal to the baby. During freezing the food still deteriorates and any bacteria that are in there will multiply when re-heat unless you go to a very high temperature (85 degrees for over 2 minutes) which will generally spoil the food. I feel, that especially with meat, I stick to the food standards agency guidelines, more so with a little one that will not have a strong immune system to fight any bacteria. Serious food poisoning can cause death in the vulnerable groups so not worth the risk!

Also (not sure how nanny insurance works) if I sold that meal to a paying customer I would be breaking the law, if the customer then got sick and died (worst case scenario) I would be held liable and as I knowingly sold it would be guilty of not following due dilligence and could be tried for manslaughter.

I would tell her I'm very sorry but double checked food hygiene regulations (1990) and feel that I would have broke the law regarding food fit for consumption and just could not run the risk of harming baby (and being liable for it) The food safety regulations can be a bit much sometimes and err on the side of caution but we're talking 4 years, meat and a baby!

Good luck! :)

McNewPants2013 · 03/04/2013 10:23

I wouldn't feed it to her.

Fleecyslippers · 03/04/2013 10:26

That is GRIM. 4 years out of date ? Stick to your guns OP. She sounds odd. I wouldn't lie to her.

forevergreek · 03/04/2013 10:26

I would simply say it was 4 years out of date. I wouldn't feed my own children that so I def wouldn't feed someone else's. I try and use frozen food 6 months from date

Feminine · 03/04/2013 10:30

What a strange Mum.

How on earth can she be alright with that?

Surely she could have organized something to eat that had a more recent sell-by date? Confused

I have heard it all now ...I think

McNewPants2013 · 03/04/2013 10:31

how has she even got an AK meal from 4 years ago. when was the last time she cleaned her freezer and checked dates.