Lack of Hygeine

chhii chhii..you i got chills reading this

 

what can one really do about it???? I am literally scratching my head. There are few people who have such habits but the moment we tell them, they would understand. But in cases like yours, forget about understanding us, they wouldn't even listen to us. EGO, you see.

Does your MIL watch TV? Or youtube videos?? May be you can google for some videos or documentaries which specifies a lot about hygiene esp in India. Ypu need not specifically tell her to watch it but may be you can indirectly ask her to watch it. She might get uncomfortable while watching those, and she might utter something... but atleast there is a chance that she might get the point. #TryYourLuck

 

Yukky!!

Move to different ingredients for yourself, dh and ds like brown rice or quinoa. They will not like either and stay with rice for themselves. Get low fat yogurt for your family. They will not like low fat and let them stick to plain yogurt. Same with milk etc.

See if you can serve her instead of her serving herself. Use smaller serving spoons.

Just throwing some ideas. not sure which will work.

About putting hands in spices and using hands to taste food, i have seen that of some of my guests visiting here. i totally hate it. They insists on cooking. Eventually, i tell my DH and he will take them out during the cooking time.

 

Ewww..... That's disgusting!

 

Be the extra nice DIL and serve her foods until she is with you. I hope it is not so long...
Do the cleaning, and packing so that she doesn't get to handle the dabbas.

By little cups of yogurt for everyone, so that no one needs to share.

Dont bring the rice cooker to the dining table. Put the rice to a bowl and let her manage. If she put rice back to the bowl, then serve it to FIL or anyone, but not for you/DH/DS. Leave your portions in the rice cooker and take them only when you eat.

Have separate spoons at reachable place. So that she uses them instead of hand.

Also, casually tell her it is not right. Make sure you tell that infront of DH and FIL. Repeat your advice whenever she repeats the same yukky act

 

My God... I am lucky ( touch wood!!!) my MIL is very very neat.

In fact I cant keep upto her when it comes to hygiene. She takes bath three times a day.......... ya three times. she changes clothes also each and every time. She has kept 3-4 different towels in kitchen for each purpose and they should not be interchanged.

Also there is a workarea nearby kitchen to watch vessels. There is a separate cloth to wipe water from that area after washing vessels. It have to neat and dry always....Witsend

If something spills from my hand, I ran and take tissues and clean them soon so that I can dispose the tissues. I often get confused which cloth to use thinkingsmiley

 

Its ok. We Indians use our hands for everything. Have you ever eaten rice with hands? I don't think these issues are so big!

 

By the way I have seen a lot of contestants in Masterchef Australia using their hands to taste the food they cook. NO one raises an eyebrow! We Indians are known for not using spoons so what is the big deal...yes scratching is a problem. Your mil could be having some skin problem...take her to the dr. Please show some sympathy!

 

Hi DKI,
It was surprise and great to hear that u understood the problem, so now wanna workout solution the advantage is taht this problem is not permanent bcoz she is not going to stay with u long time.
Try to prepare in small quantities, try dont allow her to kitchen tell whatever she want will be done to satsify her which will sure solve few issues.
it is great that she dont like the same rice what u people eat so that is solved.

keep doing the great work

 

Consider your MIL ur greatest weight loss motivator/buddy.

Another motivation from mil for you to visit the weight loss thread here called indian lunch ideas sans rice. Tag ur mil as ur weight loss buddy i say.

Hey all good suggestions have been already covered by other posters here so just thought to cheer u up.