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!

I'd make it out to be my problem and ask her to help.

"MIL, I have a bit of a problem and I'd be so grateful if you could help me.

I recently read about the dangers of plastic getting into our food when we heat up the food in plastic, and I can't get it out of my head. It's really bothering me.

Would you mind awfully if when I'm here I took the meat out of the packet before it goes in the microwave?

I know most people wouldn't care and it probably sounds like I'm being paranoid. And I know you're already being kind in cooking for us and it's a bit of a cheeky request. But I can't get it out of my head and I'd feel so much more relaxed if you could bring yourself to indulge me in this"

It’s not just microplastics that are the problem here. Microwaving plastic containers, especially those that aren’t microwave safe, can accelerate the release of harmful chemicals like BPA and phthalates.

It takes seconds to take your mince/meat out of its packet and put it on a plate or Pyrex dish to defrost it in the microwave.

I absolutely would not let my kids eat meat that had been defrosted the way you describe. However, it would be my husband’s responsibility to explain the issue to his mother.

I think I'd rather eat at someone's house who defrosted the meat in the microwave, rather then someone who leaves it out on the side all day.

OP says she gets her meat out in the morning and lets it defrost naturally, that's the reason I ask, in fairness it could just be our fridge but it takes a good 24 hours to defrost most meat in our fridge, so we have to decide the day before what we're having, not the same morning.

Not worth it. Pick your battles. No one wants to be told how to prepare food by their dil. It won't end well.

This would make me uncomfortable, too. It's up to her how she cooks her own food but it's up to you to speak up for your kids - if you don't advocate for them, who will?

I didn't think there were BPAs in most cling films (it should state on the box), but general meat packaging is likely to have it, I'd think. Obviously the issue is the heating, not the general use of meat in that packaging.

I'm no expert but yes, that would worry me, especially for little ones who have a long life of carrying around those leached plastics in their bodies ahead of them.

I guess it's a case of what you find more worrying - upsetting MIL or your kids ingesting leached plastic? One sounds way worse but that depends on the MIL 😁

My MIL is a bit like yours in that her food is largely unhealthy crap (she always says 'what's wrong with sugar, it's natural, isn't it?" She's sensitive and would not like me questioning her ways at all - she clearly dislikes some things I do but has always kept schtum. My dc are now grown up and I decided early it was better to have a good relationship with her than to quibble about these things. So leave it, the odd plastic-wrapped defrosted meal is not going to do you or your dc any serious long-term damage, family strife is much more harmful to everyone's wellbeing

It takes seconds to take your mince/meat out of its packet and put it on a plate or Pyrex dish to defrost it in the microwave.

This would be the solution for me. It's not the microwave, it's the heating of the cheap plastics.

Bless your confusion!

Smoking doesn't normally kill people immediately.

Eating lots of sugar doesn't normally kill people immediately.

Drinking many units of alcohol a day only usually kills people almost immediately if they then drive a car, or do anything that can have dangerous consequences if they are not fully compos mentis because of their alcohol intake.

Eating food that has had microscopical fragments of plastic leached into it will not usually kill you straight away, although you might choke to death on your food for other reasons.

But all of the above when partaken of in excess, are more likely to lead to a person contracting cancer eventually.

Whether @Ohhbaby and her children visit her MiL frequently or not, will not stop them, us, or the environment (particularly the sea, the fish, saltwater mammals, other sea creatures that are too many to classify - even if I knew about them - and even sea plants) from being overwhelmed and eventually smothered by/in the minutest particles of plastic.

I actually think that that consideration makes it even more important that the OP (and all of us) does/do not expose herself/ourselves and her/our loved ones to even the slightest amount of extra plastic whether, it is a toxic type or not.

Hopefully as this is Mumsnet most of you know about choosing BPA free plastic for your children's lunch boxes and beakers etc. Well the plastic that most supermarket sausages etc are sold in is not - yet - BPA free. So not only should meat not be defrosted whilst still in it's original plastic coverings, it should be transferred to a glass, or at least a BPA free, container, as soon as one gets home.

I am in my 60's (and a dreaded MiL to wives and Fiancées) and as I know at least a little about the dangers of plastics, I am rather surprised by the number of Mumsnetters who apparently don't, on this thread today.

I’m surprised that so many people here don’t know the risks of using plastic, especially heating it to a high temperature.

Those asking if it has made the OP ill, well no, it’s not an instant reaction. But over time, the micro plastics leached in to the food can cause all sorts of problems such as cancer and fertility issues. Not really what you want for your kids.

Ask your H to speak to her.

@Ohhbaby why do you think pesticide and micro plastics are going to come from cling wrap?

This thread feels familiar.

Just be polite ,say you are not keen on defrosting like this ,you have heard stories and they are not good (esp for DC) and if she could possibly just defrost in the bowl only in future .I dont think she will be upset ,after all her DGC!

Just don't let your kids eat there ? I doubt mil will listen to anything tbf if she's micro defrosting food in 2024 she gives 0 crap about studies and health

Yes, you're going to die. But not from plastic 🤣

Is it an issue, yes and I’d definitely avoid doing it myself. Is there going to be any impact on the long term health of OP’s family from the occasional visit to MIL’s, no. Do what you can about the things that you are in control of and don’t sweat situations like this IMO.

@Itwasafterallallaboutme you don’t mention the BPA in can linings, receipts, toiletry bottles etc which are likely to be a much bigger source of exposure. I’ve just bought a BPA-free kettle but I’m not going to reject every cup of tea from other people’s kettles or ask them to boil water in a pan instead because it would be a ridiculously disproportionate response to potentially damage relationships over such a small percentage of time/exposure.

I think I'll ask hubby to say a quick, kind sentence 2morrow when she does it. I mean maybe she genuinely does not know about plastic, I know she wouldn't want to feed the children something harmful.
So I guess it's up to whether she believes in the research or not. Because as this thread showed, many people think I'm being pretty by saying it's bad for our health .
If it doesn't work /she persists or is unhappy about it I'll do as pps have suggested and maybe bring meat 'as my treat' when we come next time.

I've taken to popping into the kitchen when she's not looking and transferring the meat to a glass bowl and popping it back, but don't want to seem passive aggressive.

So does eating fish, and drinking from plastic bottles

The visions of sneaking into the kitchen and swapping out for glass bowls has me giggling.

Never said that, I said I realise we get microplastic in form other sources too, not just heated plastic .
I wanted to stop the people from saying "if you think heating up plastic in your main health concern, think again. Do you know about all the pesticides om your veggies?" Or some such

I don't understand why she's feeding your children frozen meat, let alone wrapped in plastic. Couldn't you take your own fresh meat and fish if she doesn't buy it?

I wouldn't give two hoots about her feelings versus my children's health - no contest!

https://www.wcrf-uk.org/preventing-cancer/what-can-increase-your-risk-of-cancer/myths-and-controversies-about-what-causes-cancer/

Exactly, which is why we only have glass /stainless steel bottles.
I know we can't get away from all the problems, but surely we can try not to increase our exposure by something so easy as to not pop our plastic in the microwave

You're going to die like flies.