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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask the nanny if she would like her own fridge / cuboard and seperate food

260 replies

mpje · 05/02/2016 08:51

Hello,

We have had the same nanny for about two months. Its all going pretty well (third time lucky) and she is lovley and the our three children get on really well with her.

We eat a unprocessed / organic diet that is very healthy but I understand it is alien to most people who eat a "normal diet". I know that she has a normal diet and I don't judge her for that but she may be unconfortable with some of the food in our house and although we've said to just help herself to anything I dont think she realises that some of it is very expensive (she ate two packets of crackers that cost 8 pounds as a snack!).

Would it be offensive to get her her own fridge and cuboard space? She is not live in.

thanks

M

OP posts:
Gobbolinothewitchscat · 05/02/2016 09:31

Help herself by grabbing an apple?

She's a nanny who's entitled to eat lunch at a bare minimum at the OP's house. An apple is really not sufficient

Actually, I would just give her an allowance. Let her buy her usual foods. Give her a space in the fridge or whatever but be prepared for your children to want to taste her food and for the subsequent complaints when they can't

IHopeYouStepOnALegoPiece · 05/02/2016 09:33

You can't bloody tell her to help herself then be annoyed when she does...don't say it if you don't mean it.

For those shocked about the amount of crackers eaten...the natural, organic, joyless ones have about 8 crackers in a pack

Lweji · 05/02/2016 09:34

I think you've lost most of MN sympathy with this
We eat a unprocessed / organic diet that is very healthy but I understand it is alien to most people who eat a "normal diet".
and
but she may be uncomfortable with some of the food in our house
Grin

As others have pointed out, crackers are processed. You should be having unprocessed grain, preferably whole grain. Even better whole wheat plants.

And why would she be uncomfortable with your food?

Stumbletrip40 · 05/02/2016 09:34

I've got a nanny and an expensive somewhat organic diet too Op and I think you're being precious, both about what she ate and wanting a separate food cupboard for the hoi polloi. Do your children love her? Mine love their nanny, and trivial things like a misunderstanding over £8 crackers or food you don't like in your cupboards is so not worth the time you're spending thinking about it. Let it go...you could keep expensive items high up/indicate that those are pricey but I agree, don't say help yourself if you mean 'help yourself to cheap stuff'. Big picture, always - if this is your only issue you're lucky.

molyholy · 05/02/2016 09:35

We eat a unprocessed / organic diet that is very healthy but I understand it is alien to most people who eat a "normal diet"

'scuze me guvnor, wot is or-gan-ic? I don't av a clue, it's like samfin I ain't never 'erd ov not nor naffin, wot wive me avin a "normal" diet". Fanx for not judgin me abaht it.

mouldycheesefan · 05/02/2016 09:36

She may be uncomfortable with some of th food in our house? Like what? Am trying to imagine what food wpuld discomfort me?! Peacock on a bed of swan?
You told her to help herself so she did, and she may have given the gold plated crackers to the kids. If she is a good nanny I would not make a fuss about a cracker. Buy some normal cream crackers so she can eat those of she wants, tesco do them for 25 p per pack!

Cerseirys · 05/02/2016 09:37

£8 crackers and a nanny? This is a stealth boast, right?

OneMagnumisneverenough · 05/02/2016 09:39

I'll be thinking of this thread next time I buy 6 packs of Quavers for a £1.

Behooven · 05/02/2016 09:39

Blimmin hired help, coming over here, eating our food Wink
Aren't crackers eaten with cheese or similar? and why are they £4 a packet?
Anyway, I have a dizzying feeling of déjà vu with this subject.

Lweji · 05/02/2016 09:41

As a biologist, I also hate that food that has been grown without pesticides and non-organic fertilisers is called "organic".
All food is organic. It's grown and made of organic molecules.
Even highly processed sugar is organic. In fact, crude oil is organic... Grin

As for healthy, "organic" food is more likely to harbour parasites. Check the Winnie thread for perspective.

BarbaraofSeville · 05/02/2016 09:44

I need to know - are these crackers £8 for 2 packs or £8 per pack, because the OP is unclear on this. either way they are fucking extortionate especially now someone else has said there are only about 8 crackers in the pack.

YANBU to think that your Nanny may be uncomfortable with your superior diet and that she is only worthy of what you see as cheap processed rubbish.

Doesn't she cook for the children and eat with them and wouldn't they all eat the same food? But if there is something that you do not want her to eat, you should store it separately and eat it as a family when she is not there.

8angle · 05/02/2016 09:44

i went onto Occado and the most expensive crackers i could find were £3.99....
anyway i think if you say to your nanny help yourself to anything and she does then you can't be annoyed by that!
For some people the nanny does the shopping for the whole family for others the nanny is given a certain budget to buy her own food just for herself/himself. I don't think it really matters what you do as long as you find a system that works for everyone - communication i.e. a conversation, is probably the easiest way to sort this out

Stillunexpected · 05/02/2016 09:45

I think I need some examples of "uncomfortable" food before commenting

londonrach · 05/02/2016 09:45

(Settles down with her 34p package of crackers )

PurpleHairAndPearls · 05/02/2016 09:46

I've mentioned this on here before but it seems a good opportunity to tell people that I once knew a family who bought their food at Marks and Spencer and their nanny's food from Kwik Save

They genuinely didn't see anything wrong with this. They were knobs though.

PurpleHairAndPearls · 05/02/2016 09:47

I'm eating iced gems right now by the way Grin

Oysterbabe · 05/02/2016 09:47

I just have visions of pot noodles and rustlers burgers in a separate cupboard so as not to offend your eyes or contaminate the special food.

BoffinMum · 05/02/2016 09:47

Me too IgnoreMe
Best First World Problem EVAH

Pantone363 · 05/02/2016 09:48

i fucking love MN

£8 crackers. They saw you coming

Stumbletrip40 · 05/02/2016 09:48

go to planetorganic - you can pay £5.65 for RawLicious raw italian herb crackers! You'd definitely need to hide those!

BoffinMum · 05/02/2016 09:49

I am having a craving for a Crunchie now

BoffinMum · 05/02/2016 09:50

Frankly if you have found a good nanny you should be beardy feeding her lark's tongues

BoffinMum · 05/02/2016 09:53

blardy

PitPatKitKat · 05/02/2016 09:55

Was it these ones?

DH and I used to squabble over them all the time when we were Paleo.

If you kids love the nanny and you trust her with your kids, then I'd count your blessings that the odd packet of crackers is the only stumbling block.

Word to the wise, little bit of rice never hurt anyone, even Robb Wolf and Mark Sissons eat sushi rolls sometimes. It'll stop you going crazy and keep the food bills down a bit so you can still afford a nanny.

Pantone363 · 05/02/2016 09:55

Why are they £8 though? Surely if they are unprocessed and have got fewer ingredients in them they should cost less? How does that work?!

Its the chav tax though isn't it...price it up high enough and people will buy it as a little badge of their social standing. I'm not surprised you don't want her eating your aspirational crackers. Fucking pleb should be happy with her Jacobs. Its not her fault OP. She didn't know they were £8. We don't learn that stuff in our schools. No time between shank class and 'A lecture in fractions: explained by the use of cannabis. Titled "would you like an eighth (or a Henry)". Its history too!