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!

No, even high end places use microwaves for melting stuff. It’s really not worth the space on a hob in a restaurant kitchen for melting chocolate or butter when you can do it so easily in the microwave. Often desserts will be made earlier in the day and reheated in the microwave for serving as well.

I’d say an establishment serving Warburton’s would quite likely to microwave everything.

I might be slightly missing the point here, but how on earth is she taking 20-30 minutes to defrost something in the microwave and why on earth is the container coming out hot?!

I use the microwave to defrost all the time. I use the defrost setting. When I am finished, the food is still cold, completely raw, but also defrosted and the container it is in is also still cold.

So I'd be more concerned about her defrosting technique than anything else. If you mean she's defrosting pre-cooked food and then heating it up, all in one go in the microwave, then yes, the containers do get quite hot I guess but I can't say I've ever noticed the cling wrap on top getting that hot. To be honest, I seldom use cling wrap in this way as it's a waste but do tend to stick a piece of kitchen towel over a bowl - eg I'm about to go microwave some soup I made earlier this week and will place a piece of kitchen towel over the top to stop it splattering too much.

Reheating a dessert in a microwave is not “high end.”

Of course not!

YANBU.
I am generally pretty easy going e.g. cant get excited about DM /MIL giving a 1 a lick of ice cream etc but I am very particular about this kind of thing.
I wouldn’t be happy with the defrosting method or the plastic (it’s a known carcinogen that’s easily avoidable)

I’d have no problem making “a thing” about this and either refusing to eat it/ have it fed to my children or bringing my own prepared food.

I’m assuming the split vote is due lack of awareness / education?

I’ve tried green tea. Not worth it even with those odds!

If you want to keep the good relationship with your MIL for your DC, then I think you need to pick your battles. This isn’t a hill I would die on, frankly. You could, if you wanted, mention that the meat will defrost quicker if it’s out of the packaging and in a dish, but other than that, I think keeping the peace for the limited time you’re eating there would work out better in the long run.

When you order a slice of pie, tart, cake, brownie etc it is not coming to you straight from the oven.

Why is she so disorganised that she is defrosting meat in a microwave anyway?

Why isn't she taking it out of the freezer the day before?

Yes patronise a grown woman because you've read articles on the Internet that say the way she's lived and prepared food for a large portion of her adult life is slowly killing everyone and horribly dangerous for DC

Sometimes I wish she was happy to accept a differing opinion.

As I am sure you would be happy to accept a differing opinion from your MIL in your own home! MN exists on the premise that you won't but she has to accept your's?

Reheating a dessert in a microwave is not “high end.”

Bless the naivety !

UK. I routinely defrost meat in microwave (defrost setting) generally still in its plastic wrappings, pierced naturally, unless I have unpacked it prior to freezing in the first place (don't buy frozen meat very often). It's fine afaik and it would not worry me to feed it to anyone. UK meat contains far fewer additives than US meat, I know, as well as not being chlorine washed etc. and I would not e.g. wash chicken before I cooked it (salmonella - all chicken in the UK has warnings not to wash) but otherwise I wash and pat dry other meat whether I have just bought it fresh or I have frozen and then defrosted. I think your children are ok, but if you do not like this method then gently suggest to MIL not to do it, leaning on the possibility of getting bits of plastic in the meat which may harm her grandchildren. I am sure she will respond.

I would just be honest and polite. I would say, I really hope that you don't mind me saying this, but a recent study has found that it's not safe to defrost or heat food in plastic bags or wrap as it causes plastic particles to melt into the food which can be poisonous. It's made me worried so I've stopped doing it myself and was just wondering if you would also mind defrosting in a dish, if it's not too much trouble.

If it’s just meat she’s doing it with tell her as a family you’re eating less meat so prefer your meals without it. Problem solved!

I'm just adding my comment to support you that, yes, heating plastic is bad for your health and people should research the effects of plastic more instead of sneering and asking if they are going to die soon because they microwave plastic.

Could you tell her you are all vegetarians? Then you won't have to eat the defrosted meat.

@Sherrystrull the heat causes chemicals from the plastic to leech into the food

just out of interest have you tried loose leaf green tea rather than the stuff in bags?

there are hundreds of types of 'green tea', maybe the one you tried wasn't to your taste...

I buy mine from yumcha's online store or from chinese supermarkets. most of the offerings in regular supermarkets is awful...

Why is that disorganised? I do it routinely and I make a menu for every meal of the week and take my shopping list from it. I do not routinely leave raw meat in my fridge, and prefer not to defrost meat too long before I cook it. I use the defrost setting.

I tried Twinings if I recall, and it was horrendous! I have a taste for Earl Grey tea, and used to have that as loose leaf and it really was lovely, such a difference. Alas these days I have to avoid caffein, so stick to rooibos. Sigh 😞

You could get her one of those metal defrosting plates. They’re supposed to be really good.

I don’t defrost in the microwave as it goes all rubbery flubbery.

But I do vac pac all my meat and lob it in a sink of water to defrost.

Friends husband is a food quality manager and raised an eyebrow, but said as long as I wasn’t plunging it into boiling water I’d be grand.

I would think the split vote is because making the fuss you suggest will probably end in an acrimonious family breach. Not worth it.