To be twitchy about this hygiene?

[cinnamongirl1976]

We are at MIL's house for Easter. She's lovely, but has odd food hygiene. Yesterday, she went to the fishmonger to get fish for tea. First thing. The fish did not go into the fridge - it sat on the side until it was cooked just before 7pm. There was some smoked haddock that went into a pan of water, intended for 3yo DD. That also sat on the side all day. I managed to make up an excuse for her not to have it, but it is still out there now (did not go into the fridge). MIL says DD can have it tonight. AIBU to just cook her some pasta instead? There is no way in the world I would want her to eat fish that will have been unrefrigerated for about 36 hours by teatime. Mentioned this to DH and his reaction was "it'll be cooked, what's the problem?". Am I missing something here? I was quite shocked.

I wouldn't let her eat it either

I wouldn't let her eat it or anything much else she makes either. She sounds very dodgy about hygiene I wouldn't chance it.

Ugh. Depends on temperature in kitchen I guess. Probably back in the day it would have sat in an unheated kitchen or larder and she's just never changed her ways

I've emcountered this with ex inlaws. Delusional beliefs about food safety. Absolutely stick to your guns 100%. And prepare your incredulous face for when they all have vomitting and diarrhoea and you don't.

Why didn't you put it in the fridge? I wouldn't want to eat anything there.

I would have just put it into the fridge. But yanbu to be wary

I don't think I'd want to eat anything she'd cooked tbh and there's no way my child would be eating that fish.

I would have put it in the fridge. No way would I or dds eat it now.

I'd of put in the fridge or asked why she didn't. But YANBU not to eat it.

Eurgh, YANBU. Fish needs to kept refrigerated!

I wouldn't be bothered about fish that had been out through the day but 36 hours is pushing it

That is odd, did the fish not smell, left out all day ?

Thanks for your replies. That reassures me that I'm not being OTT! I've always been twitchy about MIL's food hygiene - she is from an older generation than my parents and one Christmas, the turkey Sat out for 3 days. I was horrified and also amazed nobody got ill.

There is no way DD will be eating that fish. Mentioned it to DH this morning and he still didn't get it. He just said "you don't know the full story" (I do, because she told me all about her trip to the market!). As I said, she is lovely and very kind to us, but this sort of thing makes me really twitchy especially as I am also emetophobic. That's why I posted on here - to make sure I wasn't being unreasonable. I really don't think I am, though.

Tonight we are having chicken, which I am dreading! Very funny about chicken at the best of times (even though I really like it), but in this house......

PS I didn't put it into the fridge because I feel I can't really interfere!

I'm quite lax by some standards about foods & fridges & happily leave meat out for ages to come up to room temperature before cooking, or indeed before eating, but fish FFS? - never out for more than 20 minutes or so before I cook it. I hardly ever buy it unless it can be eaten the same day. What she's doing is unacceptable.

I'd've put it into the fridge.

No way. Also I wouldn't be eating any meat in her house. And your DH sounds equally as irresponsible as her.

You need to say sorry my dd is not having fish tonight. Thanks anyway.

Tonight's chicken out to be alright if it's freshly cooked but don't have the leftovers tomorrow

Putting it into the fridge would have been helpful rather than interfering...

My Mil does this with turkey at Christmas, it sits in the garage, then cooked then left on side or shut in microwave (this apparently has magic germ stopping properties). How they all survive is beyond me, what with well it's already been cooked so we can just warm it up a little rather than to hot. Urgh!

Google scrombotoxic food poisoning. It's happened to 3 people I know. Luckily transient, but pretty awful if it happens to your or your Dc

^^cooking doesn't destroy the toxin, so no way would I eat fish that's been out all day

Oh I could have written your post OP, I'm emetophobic too - and my DM has some really weird practices with meat and food which would make you shudder with horror.

I have made up loads of excuses in the past. Steer clear of the fish!

Dontcall - is your mil my mother! My mum would put turkey in garage, but that's partly. A cause it wouldn't fit in the fridge, and the garage is a cool place.

My dh rarely eats at my parents house due to mum's cooking and food storage. We found some Nutella that was seven years out of date once!

My 3yo is a human dustbin and would probably baulk at boiled smoked haddock, what the fuck?!