MIL doesn't understand basic food safety

[Anonymous]

Some meats need to dry out.

As long as items are fully boiled or baked all is pretty safe. Older people like me never had thermometers.

I’d be very careful with ground meat, eggs, fresh fruits and vegetables and poultry.

[Anonymous]

I saw an add for a cutting board once and the story they were telling is that their family got sick because someone cut strawberries on the same cutting board that was used for chicken. It was a wood cutting board and they were lamenting that the bacteria and germs just stay in the grains and it’s impossible to clean.

They were advertising some type of metal cutting board and I all could think is these people cut meat and fruit on the same surface. 🤢 It’s like advertising underwear for people who never wipe.

This is so disgusting and I’m shocked that people would admit to being this gross around food.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anyone else that can relate?

Refuses to temperature check a turkey
Takes cake out of the oven when checked & middle is raw / under done
Has raw beef in the fridge and putting other raw-consumed items on top of it.

...I've been going here for a decade and don't think I've seen her this bad before.

Given I'm in her home, do I just not eat?

Yes. Do not eat at her home. Next time, stay in a hotel.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yup. Both in-laws grew up in the 3rd world with no refrigeration. *They* never get sick so *they* don’t care to learn.

Interesting. Most people I know who grew up without refrigeration practice excellent food safety, because they aren’t used to relying on refrigeration to keep food safe.

[Anonymous]

FYI, I ate half of a moldy blueberry tart Christmas Eve. Nothing happened. No visions, no violent illness.

And yes, green and blue look similar to me.

[Anonymous]

Maybe she’s just a better cook than you. Experienced cookss learn how to appropriately cook meats and to know when they are done by look, feel and time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:FYI, I ate half of a moldy blueberry tart Christmas Eve. Nothing happened. No visions, no violent illness.

And yes, green and blue look similar to me.

Apparently even sniffing moldy food is not recommended!

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/molds-food-are-they-dangerous

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FYI, I ate half of a moldy blueberry tart Christmas Eve. Nothing happened. No visions, no violent illness.

And yes, green and blue look similar to me.

Apparently even sniffing moldy food is not recommended!

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/molds-food-are-they-dangerous

I have been craving brains over the past few hours, but I am sure it will pass.

[Anonymous]

My in-laws are like this too. I eat food right when it comes out of the oven or fridge. I stick to chips or crackers or cookies after a few hours have passed and the mayo based salads, dips, meat, etc. have been sitting out. And I definitely don't eat it the next day when they haul it out again. They don't seem to get sick from it. I have a more sensitive stomach (ibs with family history of ibd) so I am more careful. So for example today they had grape leaves and pita and hummus that was all out for about 6 hours yesterday. I had the pita that had been in the fridge yesterday plus an apple and some peanut butter i brought with me.

[Anonymous]

[/quote wrote:

We have a relative by marriage that creates problems. Eat prepackaged/takeout and food like roasted veggies or mashed potatoes straight from the cooking pot or tray. Skip fresh produce if they rinse berries and leave in colander in sink used for handwashing and dirty dishes. ie washes raw egg hands in the sink over the berries. Cuts cantelope with a knife that was out for hours sitting on a cutting board that also was used including for charcuterie.

People got sick one year from large undercooked turkey - followed time frames - thermometer. Most passed on eating it - saw pink etc.

In all seriousness, if berries are in colander on one side of sink, and you wash hands on other side of sink with a faucet that swivels, what’s the problem?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

[/quote wrote:

We have a relative by marriage that creates problems. Eat prepackaged/takeout and food like roasted veggies or mashed potatoes straight from the cooking pot or tray. Skip fresh produce if they rinse berries and leave in colander in sink used for handwashing and dirty dishes. ie washes raw egg hands in the sink over the berries. Cuts cantelope with a knife that was out for hours sitting on a cutting board that also was used including for charcuterie.

People got sick one year from large undercooked turkey - followed time frames - thermometer. Most passed on eating it - saw pink etc.

In all seriousness, if berries are in colander on one side of sink, and you wash hands on other side of sink with a faucet that swivels, what’s the problem?

I was sadly not referring to a just rinsed colander with legs holding berries in a sink. We've done various swivels. No one wants to eat the fresh produce that sits in the sink for hours with any standing water or rinse offs of raw meat/fish /poultry utensils.

[Anonymous]

You need to check all the condiments in her fridge OP. From what youre describing I bet all their salad dressings expired in 2010

[Anonymous]

My mom is so bad with this. She will use the same cutting board for raw meat and other stuff, or the same knife. She will serve a roast that looks barely cooked through or a chili that never came to a simmer on the crockpot. It grosses me out to the point that I do not eat her food anymore. But to have to say, she has been like this a lonnnng time and to my knowledge, has never had food poisoning. So, maybe the jokes on me being so anal about food safety!

My MIL is nowhere near as bad, but she will do stuff like thaw meat on the counter for hours, or leave cold cuts out all morning to be bred at lunch. I can’t eat it when know it’s been out! Again, maybe I am the crazy one but I am a total stickler for anything related to food prep and storage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My mom is so bad with this. She will use the same cutting board for raw meat and other stuff, or the same knife. She will serve a roast that looks barely cooked through or a chili that never came to a simmer on the crockpot. It grosses me out to the point that I do not eat her food anymore. But to have to say, she has been like this a lonnnng time and to my knowledge, has never had food poisoning. So, maybe the jokes on me being so anal about food safety!

My MIL is nowhere near as bad, but she will do stuff like thaw meat on the counter for hours, or leave cold cuts out all morning to be bred at lunch. I can’t eat it when know it’s been out! Again, maybe I am the crazy one but I am a total stickler for anything related to food prep and storage.

Leaving cold cuts out for a few hours (assuming this isn’t in the middle of summer) is gross but doesn’t seem that bad considering most are cured and/or very salty.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My mom is so bad with this. She will use the same cutting board for raw meat and other stuff, or the same knife. She will serve a roast that looks barely cooked through or a chili that never came to a simmer on the crockpot. It grosses me out to the point that I do not eat her food anymore. But to have to say, she has been like this a lonnnng time and to my knowledge, has never had food poisoning. So, maybe the jokes on me being so anal about food safety!

My MIL is nowhere near as bad, but she will do stuff like thaw meat on the counter for hours, or leave cold cuts out all morning to be bred at lunch. I can’t eat it when know it’s been out! Again, maybe I am the crazy one but I am a total stickler for anything related to food prep and storage.

Leaving cold cuts out for a few hours (assuming this isn’t in the middle of summer) is gross but doesn’t seem that bad considering most are cured and/or very salty.

Pretty much every Cafe in Italy has a unrefrigerated case filled with sandwiches with cold cuts (and tuna) that sit out and everyone seems ok.