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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think this policy is stupid

65 replies

Naffpolicy · 29/04/2018 16:06

Was at a cafe zest for lunch. Asked a member of staff if they could heat my infants meal up in the microwave for 30 seconds only to be told it's against their policy to heat infants food up in the microwave.

So instead I was given a bowl of boiling water to try to awkwardly heat up her trayed meal in.

AIBU to think this policy is stupid? I assume it came about because some thicko parents have burnt their DC mouths having failed to properly check the temp then blamed the cafe.

Would a better compromise not be to have a microwave for parents to heat up the meals themselves like most other cafes? There was definitely space in this cafe for that to be an option.

If I hadn't already the rest of the family meals I would've tried somewhere else, but DC was getting restless. Should've checked first i suppose.

OP posts:
Twickerhun · 29/04/2018 16:08

I’d have thought handing over boiling water would have been more dangerous?

KnittinKitten · 29/04/2018 16:08

It’ll be for insurance purposes.

Belindabauer · 29/04/2018 16:09

Yes it will be so you can't sue them.

Socrates73 · 29/04/2018 16:09

Microwaving food is quite unreliable as food can end up burning in parts and freezing in others. If they heat your food and then the baby gets burnt you could sue them so they're just protecting themselves.

topcat2014 · 29/04/2018 16:10

Or some random food hygiene rule..

Remember - the general public is very thick..

KnittinKitten · 29/04/2018 16:10

You know you can buy pot flasks for exactly this purpose? Heat it up before you leave the house and it stays warm until you need to feed baby.

happypoobum · 29/04/2018 16:11

I have never been in a cafe where there is a microwave for people to heat up their own food Shock Is this a thing????

Socrates73 · 29/04/2018 16:11

There are a lot of "stupid" rules that have come about because people expect compensation for everyday occurances.

teamclean · 29/04/2018 16:11

Agree with pps.

Perhaps you could use a Thermos for your baby's food in future?

Some cafes won't even let you take other food in, so they are not as bad as some.

LemonyFresh · 29/04/2018 16:11

Just take a sandwich when you eat out with your child?

happypoobum · 29/04/2018 16:14

A sandwich? People would go into a cafe and bring out their own sandwiches to eat?

I have led a very sheltered life it seems Grin

Original poster
Naffpolicy · 29/04/2018 16:14

Agree the boiling bowl of water was way more dangerous.

Disagree with the unreliable 'hot and cold spots' microwave explanation. That's what spoons are for. Stir to get a mixture of uniform temp then check temp is adequate. Not hard really.

OP posts:
Nectarines · 29/04/2018 16:15

I think the sandwich would be for the baby!

porcupinepine · 29/04/2018 16:16

Have never seen a microwave for customers in a cafe. Why would they have this? Only for baby food?

happypoobum · 29/04/2018 16:17

Don't cafes sell bread/sandwiches etc?

I wouldn't take food into a cafe at all, other than milk for a FF baby. It smacks of cheekyfuckery to me.

happypoobum · 29/04/2018 16:18

porcupine THANK YOU!!

I was beginning to think it was just me!! Seriously never seen this and frequent cafes a lot

Theknacktoflying · 29/04/2018 16:19

but don’t Ikea have microwaves for parents to use in their food hall? how do they manage if h&s reasons?

The cafe was doing lunch service ... unless advertised as baby friendly I wouldn’t be miffed that the staff were unable/unwilling to help you ...

AnnieOH1 · 29/04/2018 16:20

Maybe I'm too old but I've always understood it and as far as I have just googled most HCPs would say the same that you shouldn't microwave food for babies and young children. If you do you're only supposed to do it in 15 second increments and check the temperature is safe.

I'm surprised they didn't offer to heat it in water for you but I'm not surprised they refused to heat it in the microwave.

underneaththeash · 29/04/2018 16:23

I've only ever seen microwaves in JL and in motorway services stations before.

I just used to bring packaged baby food that didn't need heating up, or cold finger food.

Iceweasel · 29/04/2018 16:23

I would bring finger food for the baby or yogurt or similar.

Loraline · 29/04/2018 16:25

Disagree with the unreliable 'hot and cold spots' microwave explanation

This will definitely be the explanation. Same reason you always see warnings about heating baby milk or formula in microwave

PetulantPolecat · 29/04/2018 16:30

“Disagree with the unreliable 'hot and cold spots' microwave explanation. That's what spoons are for. Stir to get a mixture of uniform temp then check temp is adequate. Not hard really.”

You can disagree with reality all you want, but that’s physics for you. Hot and warm spots. Otherwise, there would be no need to stir.

Pebblespony · 29/04/2018 16:31

Microwaves heat food unevenly and ones in commercial kitchens can be very powerful. Some people can be a bit stupid and also very litigious. It's a combination that means other people, like you OP, have to be inconvenienced. I think its a sensible policy.

ShutUpBaz · 29/04/2018 16:31

I'm a Kitchen Manager and you will indeed be refused in my pub for insurance purposes. The microwaves used in a lot of business kitchens are actually more powerful than home use ones so heating baby food or bottles is risky. The 'hot spots' thing is a real risk, and I don't want to be sued by some idiot parent (not saying thats you) who burns their childs mouth then tries to blame me for not checking the temperature of the food.

porcupinepine · 29/04/2018 16:34

Happypoobum I'm with you, surely infant can just eat something else. Would never expect a cafe to heat anything for me.