To tell MIL to stop cooking food like that

[Ohhbaby]

My mother in law defrosts food, especially meat in the plastic packages / clingwrap that it comes in, in the mocrowave. Or sometime she will pop it in one of those ziplock bags and take it out of the freezer and pop it in the microwave for 10 or 20 minutes to defrost.

When it comes out that plastic is sooo hot. And it's so bad for our health. And it is not like she just pops it in plastic Tupperware(which is bad enough), it is literally clingwrap.

I know we can not side step every health hazard, I mean there is pesticide and microplastic in probably all our food, but I feel like we should try and sidestep those that we can.

I have 2 small children, 18 months and 3 years and pregnant with our 3rd. I really really dislike the thought of my children eating that meat .

Would you say something to your MIL or not?
How would you say it?
With my own mom I feel very comfortable to say something. "Ooh mom did you know it's really bad for our health if you do xyz"
But I feel like my MIL is sensitive. My husband grew up drinking hot chocolate in his bottle, and eating lost of sugar and processed food. So I'm already always saying, "aw mom thank you but we prefer them not to have sweets every half an hour etc.
We have different ways of doing things, especially health wise. I don't want her to continuesly feel like I know better and am questioning her decisions, but man, it's bugging me so much!

How often is this an issue, do you only have the occasional meal there or is it a few times a week?

I'd just time visits outwith meal times.

That's the thing, I want her to have a good relationship with my kids.
But I compromise a lot(as she probably does too)
Sometimes I wish she was happy to accept a differing opinion. But I feel like with her, she feel personally affronted, if that makes any sense

Also do you just rock up to MIL’s OP needing to be fed. It sounds like she is caught on the hop and doesn’t have any food ready for you and the children. This then leads to the defrosting of items in the microwave? I defrost items in the fridge prior to use because I know in advance what I want to cook. I do defrost them in the packaging they came in though so probably also doomed😂.

I don’t eat microwaved food whoever makes it. Certainly not food defrosted/cooked in plastic.

So I would just take your own meals.

Eventually, yes!

@Ohhbaby

I totally agree with you about cooking meat 🍖 with plastic wrapping,

What on earth's up with her,

I wonder whether cognitive faculties are starting to wane or something 🤔

isn't there an issue with carcinogenic fumes aswell with this issue of your mother cooking .

Ask her to humour your with this preference while you're visiting and make sure you're washing up the extra containers that get used for this.
Make it easy for her to say yes and not feel like her normal practice is a health hazard. "I know I'm being a fussy mum".

Not a bad idea , I guess in the end of I don't want her being offended I should minimize our mealtimes.
But it is rather difficult since people mostly invite you over for a meal.
Do want to come over for dinner? Etc.
And as mentioned, we live a good few hours away so normally visit for a full weekend at least

Products packed in plastic (and microwavable clingfilm) designed for microwave or oven heating are fine providing manufactures instructions are followed, however, heating plastic packaging and more so the thin film, used any foodstuffs not designed to be heated, leads to something called plasticer migration, as the molecular structure is a lot less stable at high temperatures and leads to leaking of microscopic plastic molecules into the food.

So no, unless the packaging states it can be used in microwaves/ovens then it's unsafe to heat.

Go veggie?

No good will come of you saying that to her. DH needs to express what he's not happy for his children to eat.

No, she just always decides an hour before dinner!
I don't know why!
I decide which meat we are going to have in the morning and let it defrost naturally during the day

Tell her your concerns and then buy fresh meats for dinner. She can save her frozen meat for when you're not there.

My MIL was like that. She lived till 90. The odd one won't kill you.

So you don’t go to cafes or restaurants then?

Yes I have one like this. Honestly - pick the battles. If this is especially important to you then by all means say something but I personally wouldn’t worry about it. Everyone’s different though!

You can’t tell someone how to cook in their own home, no.

Me too, I haven't died, thrown up or shit myself yet... Presumably you haven't either, we must be superhuman

I wonder whether cognitive faculties are starting to wane or something

That didn't take long did it?
Maybe she just hates cooking or can't see an issue with something she's always done.

Ah I see @Ohhbaby she’s deciding last minute what’s for dinner.

Not the kind that use a microwave.

Surprised so many people have said the OP is being unreasonable. When I started IVF the doctor told us in preparation for IVF to not consume food heated or cooked in plastic. My friend who is a scientist looked into it as she was curious and she sent me off a load of peer reviewed studies on the effects of this on reproductive health and a plethora of other health issues it causes.

I think people are becoming more aware of the damage of plastics and micro plastics, but probably not quick enough.

I would stop eating there if it she isn’t keen to change her habits and if she is your childcare send her to a nursery where you can find one that can cater to your preferences. My mil is the same as yours and I wouldn’t trust her with my child (or even a dog) so my child along with many other reasons will be in a nursery.

Now got Bob Mortimer’s ‘pocket meat’ going through my head😂

I don't do it- but if the cling wrap is microwave safe I don't see the problem. Happy to be enlightened!