What's a reasonable lunch for the cleaning lady?

amother

Linen

Mon, Oct 26 2015, 11:35 am

I always prepare a good, full sandwich and a hearty salad, which is a typical lunch for myself as well. She also usually helps herself to fruit and yogurt. She's been complaining that it's not enough and she expects a hot, multi course lunch. This is not really doable for me and I think she's being out of line. If I'm going to have to patchke lunch the way I have to patchke dinner for the kids, then I'm not being helped, and frankly, I hire help for a reason. Am I wrong here? Is she out of line, should I be providing the kind of lunch she's asking for?

Fabulous

Mon, Oct 26 2015, 11:40 am

Most jobs don't come with lunch, just a lunch break. If it's not enough food for her, she can bring from home and eat somewhere that you don't care like on coffee table over newspaper or something.

That being said, I often give my cleaning lady leftover dinner from night before when I have, is that an option?

amother

Lawngreen

Mon, Oct 26 2015, 11:44 am

I know what you mean. As long as it is what you eat, then it is fine. The cleaning lady is there for your convenience.

My problem is I eat fish for my diet. My cleaning lady wants fish which is expensive. I don't feel like spending twelve dollars on a portion off sea bass for her. This isn't what she eats at home. I also don't feel like spending the money to cook her a make a portion like I make for the family at night. DH wants steak, lambchops, etc every night. My budget is out of control.

LittleDucky

Mon, Oct 26 2015, 11:45 am

amother wrote:

Culturally, what is the norm? If you are in Israel, society expect lunch to be the main meal of the day (ie:hot, fleishigs) but in the USA sandwich, fruit/yogurt, salad is quite normal IMHO. I am talking about your average person, not a housekeeper, as I don't what to feed a housekeeper.

How long is she working each day?
Is she replaceable?

Have you tried approaching her to say a hot lunch isn't doable but do you want X instead? (Come up with what is doable for you).

HelloG

Mon, Oct 26 2015, 11:50 am

I was admiring the fact that you cut up a salad for her. I wouldn't go through the pains. Ok I barely do it for myself. (like just cut up veg)
How many hours does she work by u that she can have such demands?

LittleDucky

Mon, Oct 26 2015, 11:52 am

amother wrote:

So don't eat it in front of her. Eat the salad part of your lunch with her. It might be a spin off But is there a reason your food budget is "out of control"? I found that when the people who wanted the fancier foods did the grocery shopping for or with me and saw the cost--- their minds suddenly changed. Discuss with him why you cannot spend that, especially when steak costs X a pound and each person eats Y amount so every dinner costs us Z. Is the fish medically necessary? Can you cook 2 dinners, one for you and one for DH and the rest? Sea bass is expensive. Can you substitute other fishes? If meat is medically needed, there is ground beef which is much cheaper (not cheap though...).

Amarante

Mon, Oct 26 2015, 11:57 am

My goodness but she is a greedy entitled employee. While lunch isn't a requirement for any employee, in my experience, most cleaning ladies who work most of the day are given a lunch by their employer and a sandwich is certainly sufficient - especially since she is able to help herself to fruit and you supplement with a salad.

In the real world, I know very few people who have a multi course hot lunch - let alone one supplied by their employer LOL. At work most people are bringing sandwiches, nuking frozen meals or eating leftovers. Of course, some people go out to eat with their co-workers but most of the time they are having fast food or the equivalent and not having multi course expensive lunches unless they are on an expense account and it's part of a business meeting.

Tablepoetry

Mon, Oct 26 2015, 11:58 am

If I had to cook for the cleaning lady, I wouldn't hire one.
That said, its all cultural. I dont know anyone in Israel who cooks for the ozeret. Where are you located? (Eta I see you already answered that).

sky

Mon, Oct 26 2015, 12:08 pm

If doing laborious work like cleaning I think a person may need more then a yogurt or fruit or salad
What about 2 sandwiches, peanut butter, melted cheese, frozen pizza, etc.
Those may be more filling because of the carbs and are quick to put together.

I also would not eat a fancier lunch in front of her then what you are serving. It doesn't seem right.

Last edited by sky on Mon, Oct 26 2015, 12:08 pm; edited 1 time in total

octopus

Mon, Oct 26 2015, 12:12 pm

I personally wouldn't want a cleaning lady bringing nonkosher food into my kosher home. The hot meal demand is outrageous. I do try to give my person enough food that she shouldn't feel the need to sneak any food into my home.I would skip the salad. If she is doing heavy duty cleaning, just give her two sandwiches instead. I give my help two sandwiches (two different types, but if I buy bagels, then it is one bagel). A sandwich is typically tuna fish and sliced cucumbers inside and/or cream cheese with sliced tomato. I also give a yogurt, and a fruit. I also tell her that if she is still hungry, she is always welcome to take cereal and milk (she knows where the plastic bowls and spoons are.)

Iymnok

Mon, Oct 26 2015, 12:18 pm

I have never had cleaning help. If I would, it would be because I can't run everything myself. It would mean that my family's meals are already suffering.
Tuna, pb&j, eggs, or cheese on a sandwich with sliced veggies is what's available lunchtime.
I am a housewife, not a restaurant.

Amarante

Mon, Oct 26 2015, 12:23 pm

I think the norm in the US is a sandwich and certainly no one begrudges the woman having two sandwiches if she wants. My mother would have deli sliced for the cleaning lady and she would make her own lunch. Or she would prepare a bowl of tuna and the lady would make her own.

However, I probably personally wouldn't feel comfortable sitting down to a fancy lunch and feeding the help cheaper food. But that's probably because I am hopelessly middle class. The wealthy feel no compunction s about living the good life in front of the help. So I would probably not eat such a fancy lunch on the day she cleans. Surely there is food for your lunch on one day that fits your diet.

amother

Burgundy

Mon, Oct 26 2015, 12:27 pm

Totally unreasonable!! I don't even eat such gourmet lunches.....I always prepare my lady a nice sandwich (tuna,cream cheese with sliced cheese etc...depending on their tastes) with sliced vegetables ....cookies ...a coffee... and sometimes a yogurt (for ex if the bread slices are on the smaller side)

When they leave I offer a fruit to go.....

HonesttoGod

Mon, Oct 26 2015, 12:29 pm

I don't even offer her lunch and this sounds insane.
My lady usually brings her own fruit and/or water and takes a lunch break I believe by the stairs which I am fine with.
Often if I remember when I am dashing out my house I leave her some cake or cookies.

Its only 4 hours that she is at my house she can easily eat lunch at 1 pm when she leaves.

My mil has a lady at her house for most of the day and she gives her whatever she is cooking (on Friday) so soup, kugel, fish etc.

Rosemarie

Mon, Oct 26 2015, 12:36 pm

OP said she prepares the same lunch for herself as for the cleaning lady. She doesn't eat fancy lunches, thats a different another.

I offer my cleaning woman either a pizza or fresh bread/rolls with whatever I have in the fridge, like cream cheese, tuna, butter, cheese, vegetables... And she can make herself a sandwich. I also offer yogurt, fruit, and coffee. I never had anyone complain that a pizza or sandwich with coffee is not enough for them.

amother

Linen

Mon, Oct 26 2015, 12:46 pm

Thanks for the feedback. I am not eating fancy lunches while feeding her gruel, we eat the same thing. I always make myself salad and a sandwich, so on the days she comes, I just make the salad bigger and an extra sandwich. I suppose I could make another sandwich, but I'm not sure she's actually hungry, I think she just wants a fresh hot meal for whatever reason. FWIW, I'm pretty sure providing lunch is a frum thing, done for kashrus reasons. My parents aren't frum and their cleaning lady brings her own lunch, which is something that I (and most frum people) would have a problem with. I will offer an extra sandwich and if the lunch thing continues to be an issue, I guess I'll find someone new. The point of hiring help is to make less work for myself, not more.

sky

Mon, Oct 26 2015, 1:39 pm

I'm sorry, I thought it said she wanted fish because you had fish on your diet, I must have misunderstood.

If you really want you can buy the packages of pre-breaded tilapia or flounder and cook in the toaster oven.

Not sure were she would get the idea that would serve her sea bass.