<![CDATA[My Maid Said Instant Noodle Is A Snack to Them]]>My Phi maid of 5 years:


Breakfast: Bread with jam or butter, sometimes Mac breakfast whenever I bring my kids for a treat.

Lunch: Instant noodles or packed fried vermicilli, noodle, nasi lemak etc from market on alternate days

Dinner: A proper dinner with soup and 3 dishes and she eats whatever we eat

In-between meals: She is free to eat whatever snacks or biscuits etc. we have. Sometimes when we buy ‘old chang kee’, donuts or whatever snacks, we will always get her share.

* Sometimes, when we are going out without her, I will give her money to buy her own lunch or dinner which is usually ‘mix vegetable rice’. Weekends after our marketing, we will buy her fried vermicilli or noodle for her.

1) Recently, we had a conversation and she told me that instant noodles is considered a snack for them. I got a shock cos though we don’t eat instant noodles on a daily basis, but it is usually a very convenient meal to cook especially for lunch. Personally, I am fine to eat instant noodle for lunch cos I find it a hassle to cook extensively for lunch. I usually put emphasis for the dinner at night.

2) She dislikes porridge too as it is not a proper meal to them. But we do cook a porridge dish on certain weekdays (porridge with side dishes) and she does eat with us. Recently, I gave her money to buy her own dinner as we were going out. My MIL called to inform that she had cooked porridge for dinner with our share. My Hub informed my maid to pick up the porridge from MIL and bring it home and told her to eat it. While we were having the convo earlier, she told me her displeasure about the dinner issue. I then told her that what sir did was not wrong. Since MIL had cooked dinner, then there was no need for her to buy dinner. She kept quiet.

From that conversation with her, I felt that she was unhappy and she told me that among maids they are always discussing about food and they always feel that they are not being fed well.

In my mind, I was thinking that she should feel lucky that I did not ask her to eat instant noodle everyday. Am I not being good enough or is she not being appreciative? We are not cooking porridge everyday and once a while, we will cook a porridge dish and she is unhappy and shows a black face? We don’t cook everyday too. Sometimes when I ask her to cook, she will show a black face.

I cannot help but wonder if she is too pampered? Or am I not treating her nice enough? What do you let your maid eat?

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/topic/26337/my-maid-said-instant-noodle-is-a-snack-to-themRSS for NodeTue, 05 May 2026 09:55:18 GMTTue, 27 Sep 2011 07:17:32 GMT60<![CDATA[Reply to My Maid Said Instant Noodle Is A Snack to Them on Thu, 10 Nov 2011 09:11:42 GMT]]>My helper is on diet craze now, she will skip dinner for only bread, she better not :faint:

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/631962https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/631962Thu, 10 Nov 2011 09:11:42 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to My Maid Said Instant Noodle Is A Snack to Them on Thu, 10 Nov 2011 08:30:14 GMT]]>once in a while, my maids had this diet craze and my sis’s maid went on diet last year and lost about 10 kg (i think).

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/631894https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/631894Thu, 10 Nov 2011 08:30:14 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to My Maid Said Instant Noodle Is A Snack to Them on Thu, 10 Nov 2011 08:17:27 GMT]]>

genmai:
Same goes for Burmese maids. Their appetite for rice is twice of ours. My maid told me she was still hungry after a plate of chicken rice which I was struggling to finish!

Can't agree more. I've employed maids from Phil, Indo and Burma and the one thing they all have in common is their huge appetite for rice and they wd love to eat rice for all 3 meals!

But my current Phil maid has gotten used to bread with kaya, jam and/or butter for breakfast.

She eats whatever I cook but I'll usually set aside a reasonable portion of dishes for her rather than let her help herself to them.

If we are out for dinner without her, she'll either cook fried rice(with extra rice I prepared the evening before) with luncheon meat, ham or bacon with egg and frozen mixed vege, or buy mixed rice(<$3) from the stall near home. If there are leftover dishes from dinner, she'll have them with rice for lunch the following day. I don't limit the amount of rice she eats as I feel that doing housework for a family of 6 consumes alot of energy but my maid quite 'zi dong' so far. Whenever there's leftover rice, she'll keep them in the fridge for lunch the next day.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/631887https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/631887Thu, 10 Nov 2011 08:17:27 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to My Maid Said Instant Noodle Is A Snack to Them on Mon, 31 Oct 2011 12:00:19 GMT]]>Same goes for Burmese maids. Their appetite for rice is twice of ours. My maid told me she was still hungry after a plate of chicken rice which I was struggling to finish!

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/623355https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/623355Mon, 31 Oct 2011 12:00:19 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to My Maid Said Instant Noodle Is A Snack to Them on Thu, 27 Oct 2011 11:32:48 GMT]]>Indonesians and Filipinos would cook rice and dishes for breakfast, lunch, dinner. That’s probably why they are not used to not eating rice for a meal.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/620805https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/620805Thu, 27 Oct 2011 11:32:48 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to My Maid Said Instant Noodle Is A Snack to Them on Wed, 26 Oct 2011 23:40:49 GMT]]>I used to have a Indon maid who eats very little rice, but goes for the meat dishes. Later, she complained to our neighbours in the same level of my block that she was hungry. She does not eat cheap fishes like kuning and only eats more expensive fish such as promfret. I was so furious because she made the neighbours think that we were starving her at home. I think she was trying to get some pocket money from my neighbours. I sent this maid back to the agency very soon after this incident.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/620069https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/620069Wed, 26 Oct 2011 23:40:49 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to My Maid Said Instant Noodle Is A Snack to Them on Thu, 29 Sep 2011 08:44:19 GMT]]>

Funz:
jnj0910:

Gooby:

Funz: wah... your maid is very lucky.. get to eat bird's nest!!:P

😉

Well it is not as if we go out of our way to let her have bird's nest soup. Just that when we prepare any such stuff, she will get her share as well.

For me, I don't believe in making the maid eat differently from the family. If it is something that she really cannot eat, like pork, then she can choose to cook a separate dish for herself.

I stopped her from eating too much instant noodles as this is not proper food and unhealthy. I had to advise her to cut back on the amount of sugar and processed foods that she eats as well. If she eats like that and is unhealthy, we the employers are the ones who will have to pay the medical bills and pick up the slack while they are recovering. So I make sure she eats well, rests well and takes her vitamins. 😂


:goodpost:

I second to that. that's why my MIL cannot stand me why I ask my helper to eat well. When we eat out, she can choose from the menu and does not have to share with my 2 children. The whole family, including her, eats healthily and please don't stinge on food. My helper ( filipino ) says back home, S'poreans are well-known for stinging on food....

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/597477https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/597477Thu, 29 Sep 2011 08:44:19 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to My Maid Said Instant Noodle Is A Snack to Them on Thu, 29 Sep 2011 03:34:05 GMT]]>My maid pretty much manages our menu for the week so if she is cooking something for lunch or dinner that she doesn’t like then she will keep leftovers from another meal to eat instead. I wouldn’t expect her to live on instant noodles for a meal as her job is very physical but, on the other hand, she doesn’t really eat many snacks unless I specifically buy her a cake or bun when I buy for the rest ofd the family.


I think we have to find a way to accommodate their preferences. They aren’t in prison; they are part of our families for at least 2 years. I cannot stand porridge and would rather just eat a piece of bread than eat porridge so I can relate.

When we go out she eats what we eat if we order dishes or she choose from the menu herself. She will nearly always choose the cheapest thing on the menu.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/597063https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/597063Thu, 29 Sep 2011 03:34:05 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to My Maid Said Instant Noodle Is A Snack to Them on Wed, 28 Sep 2011 03:09:54 GMT]]>i just left it in the fridge, and she help herself to it, half tin of big can milo was gone in less than 2 wks! only until her last day with me, then i realised! my husband asked me, is she really that hungry? are we rearing a hungry ghost?! :rotflmao: For dinner, i gave her 2 big bowls of rice with a big fish, meat, soup and veg and she can clear it all in one meal! finally we decided to say good bye to her, after i caught her stealing my $$ and dating with 2 bangla workers and fyi she only work less than 2 mths with me.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/596230https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/596230Wed, 28 Sep 2011 03:09:54 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to My Maid Said Instant Noodle Is A Snack to Them on Wed, 28 Sep 2011 02:53:53 GMT]]>

michyms:
Gooby, wow your maid dare to throw left overs away secretly? Even I eat left overs, so I will not be too pleased if my maid thinks left overs are beneath her... My maid eats left overs from dinner for lunch - so its left over dishes with a bowl of rice. And I have instant noodles at home, so she can have that if she wants, but she eats rice mostly. And if I am going out with the family without her, I will tell her to cook her own thing. So she may make egg with vege, or sardine with vege with rice.


These days I know some maids are given a food allowance (some expat families) so they can eat whatever they want if they dun want to eat what employers are eating. Frankly I think that really spoils the market and maybe your maid has certain expectations that you are not aware of. It's time to sit her down and ask her what is her unhappiness and if there is anything at all you can do about it. In the long run, if this doesn't get resolved, the unhappiness will sour the whole relationship and you won't be able to keep her.

During that conversation with her, she told me that among her friends, whenever the employers give them money to buy food, they do not need to return the change.

I immediately told her that it is right that she return the balance to us. In actual fact, through out these years when we give her money to buy food, she has used the money sensibly and always return whatever change to us without us telling her to do so. Thus, I get a feeling that her mind has been affected when she meet with friends outside during off days.

Yes, I will sit with her again to talk to her. Anyway, she has only less than 1 year left with us. I just want the relationship to end in an amicable note with good feelings. She will be leaving to work in Canada after us and it is a very good opportunity for her.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/596208https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/596208Wed, 28 Sep 2011 02:53:53 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to My Maid Said Instant Noodle Is A Snack to Them on Wed, 28 Sep 2011 02:29:09 GMT]]>

sunset_dae:
i find nowadays most maids are very fussy and picky eater, my previous maid and my mother in law 2 maids are all big and picky eaters.

My ex-maid, no experience in singapore likes good food, told my confinement lady cannot cook porridge and noodles coz she dont like to eat, she tld my CL, whatever leftover confinement food after my meal, she wants to eat! Luckily, to her maggie mee is also a delicacy, she tld me she like maggie mee, but everyday eat not gd for her health rite, so i bought her fishball, veg, meat for her to cook, but she just too lazy to cook for herself.. big loaf of bread, she only need 2 days to finish it! and worst, she finish my royal honey and told my CL, must mix with MILO, yummy yummy!! :slapshead:
Sunset, wow, you give your maid access to your royal honey???? There are some things in my house which I have specified to my maid that she cannot touch - for example, my organic peanut butter, organic honey, organic nutella etc, organic cereals are all meant only for my kids. I also tell her what she can have - for example, jam or butter with the bread or the normal kind of honey for a drink, or if I make cakes/muffins, she can eat that as well. I had to be very specific because once my friend bought me a set of macaroons as a gift, and my maid happily helped herself and when I wanted to eat, there was no more! I was so upset, I scolded her and set all the rules. From then on, she dare not anymore.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/596171https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/596171Wed, 28 Sep 2011 02:29:09 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to My Maid Said Instant Noodle Is A Snack to Them on Wed, 28 Sep 2011 02:25:37 GMT]]>

kaka:
Is your maid putting on weight? My maid puts on >10 kg since she started with us 2 years ago. I think she is trying to control her intake too so cannot complain about food what ...


She eats whatever we eat. As for instant noodle, I think she cooks for herself if we are not around. I dont really ask her what she eats when we are out since she is free to cook and eat whatever we have.
yes, she has put on perhaps about 8 to 9 kg with us. I did check with her and she told me it was due to hormone changes. actually, she does not eat or snack too much.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/596165https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/596165Wed, 28 Sep 2011 02:25:37 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to My Maid Said Instant Noodle Is A Snack to Them on Wed, 28 Sep 2011 02:23:32 GMT]]>My helper tends to want to eat rice in the afternoons. Even if she cooks noodles to stir fry vegetables with, there are times she uses 2 packets. I reckon it’s the heavy housework that causes the hunger.


Instant noodles are for emergencies only. I stock up packets of noodles which she can stir fry. She has her own rice bin too. She is not a fussy eater. She is ok with vegetarian also. We give her a share of what we cook, even cod fish. Sometimes, she will offer to have the left over food as she knows I am breastfeeding.

For breakfast, she has a cup of Milo with bread with jam/butter/cheese or biscuits. Same for tea. If I do go out, I make it a point most of the time to buy her a bun or something for tea, for a change. And when we buy snacks for ourselves, we always offer her some. Just a few days ago, we bought her a few packets of kit kat as a sign of gratitude for helping me
take care of the baby.

I think for the indos, it’s a cultural and lifestyle thing - they need to have their rice. Because my helper has proven herself these past 4years, I do give her freedom to cook whatever she wants when we go out. But she does
not take advantage. She will usually cook vegetarian.

And ohhhhh, I also let her cook the spare parts of the meat like fish head etc … for herself when I don’t intend to use them.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/596160https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/596160Wed, 28 Sep 2011 02:23:32 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to My Maid Said Instant Noodle Is A Snack to Them on Wed, 28 Sep 2011 02:22:48 GMT]]>i find nowadays most maids are very fussy and picky eater, my previous maid and my mother in law 2 maids are all big and picky eaters.

My ex-maid, no experience in singapore likes good food, told my confinement lady cannot cook porridge and noodles coz she dont like to eat, she tld my CL, whatever leftover confinement food after my meal, she wants to eat! Luckily, to her maggie mee is also a delicacy, she tld me she like maggie mee, but everyday eat not gd for her health rite, so i bought her fishball, veg, meat for her to cook, but she just too lazy to cook for herself.. big loaf of bread, she only need 2 days to finish it! and worst, she finish my royal honey and told my CL, must mix with MILO, yummy yummy!! :slapshead:

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/596158https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/596158Wed, 28 Sep 2011 02:22:48 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to My Maid Said Instant Noodle Is A Snack to Them on Wed, 28 Sep 2011 02:17:33 GMT]]>Gooby, wow your maid dare to throw left overs away secretly? Even I eat left overs, so I will not be too pleased if my maid thinks left overs are beneath her… My maid eats left overs from dinner for lunch - so its left over dishes with a bowl of rice. And I have instant noodles at home, so she can have that if she wants, but she eats rice mostly. And if I am going out with the family without her, I will tell her to cook her own thing. So she may make egg with vege, or sardine with vege with rice.


These days I know some maids are given a food allowance (some expat families) so they can eat whatever they want if they dun want to eat what employers are eating. Frankly I think that really spoils the market and maybe your maid has certain expectations that you are not aware of. It’s time to sit her down and ask her what is her unhappiness and if there is anything at all you can do about it. In the long run, if this doesn’t get resolved, the unhappiness will sour the whole relationship and you won’t be able to keep her.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/596154https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/596154Wed, 28 Sep 2011 02:17:33 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to My Maid Said Instant Noodle Is A Snack to Them on Wed, 28 Sep 2011 02:12:54 GMT]]>

beanstalk:
If you and your family members are eating the same lunch (instant noodles), she should accept it. It should not be a daily affair though because it is unhealthy.


If she's on her own every day, perhaps she could cook more during dinner, and heat the excess for lunch the next day?

We have steamed fish and porridge for lunch quite alot because of the kids. I know my helper is not crazy about them but she eats what everybody's eating. It's too much trouble to be cooking separate meals anyway.
Actually, through out these 5 years plus with us, she had been eating along with us. She did tell me certain food that she don't eat like chilli, curry, duck meat etc so if we buy food for her, it will not have these items. She does eat whatever we eat so I feel that she is adapting.

Personally, I am a person that don't mind eating leftover food like fried mee or fried rice etc. I did notice that she will throw the left over away instead of eating them when I was not around. (maybe she finds it not nice?)

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/596148https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/596148Wed, 28 Sep 2011 02:12:54 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to My Maid Said Instant Noodle Is A Snack to Them on Wed, 28 Sep 2011 02:07:58 GMT]]>luckily for me, all my maids were not fussy eater. but they definitely prefer rice. is instant noodles with egg and veg and a bit of other ingredients enough? well for me, i would feel hungry shortly after eating it thus for maid who has duties to do, instant noodles might not be enough.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/596143https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/596143Wed, 28 Sep 2011 02:07:58 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to My Maid Said Instant Noodle Is A Snack to Them on Wed, 28 Sep 2011 02:06:27 GMT]]>

jnj0910:
Gooby:

Funz: wah... your maid is very lucky.. get to eat bird's nest!!:P
😉

Well it is not as if we go out of our way to let her have bird's nest soup. Just that when we prepare any such stuff, she will get her share as well.

For me, I don't believe in making the maid eat differently from the family. If it is something that she really cannot eat, like pork, then she can choose to cook a separate dish for herself.

I stopped her from eating too much instant noodles as this is not proper food and unhealthy. I had to advise her to cut back on the amount of sugar and processed foods that she eats as well. If she eats like that and is unhealthy, we the employers are the ones who will have to pay the medical bills and pick up the slack while they are recovering. So I make sure she eats well, rests well and takes her vitamins. 😂

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/596140https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/596140Wed, 28 Sep 2011 02:06:27 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to My Maid Said Instant Noodle Is A Snack to Them on Wed, 28 Sep 2011 01:57:18 GMT]]>My maids do have a preference for rice. (I have 2 maids, 1 Pinoy, 1 Indo) I see it as they expend a lot more energy than the us who are at desk bound jobs. So I always let my maid cook rice for herself if she wants to if we are having noodles, maggi mee or porridge. She takes the rice with canned sardines or other vege/egg which she cookes. We never cook on Sundays and the maids are off. We will eat out for dinner and we either buy dinner for the maids or give them money to buy dinner. When we buy dinner, we may buy hor fun or something but I always buy economy rice for the maids as they must eat rice.


I don’t force them to eat porridge or less carbo type food or adapt to our habits because I know it is not sufficient for them.

I think it is a matter of accommodating each other’s preferences. Since it does not cost us much more or cause inconvenience, I have no issues accommodating the maids’ preferences which is not unreasonable in this case.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/596131https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/596131Wed, 28 Sep 2011 01:57:18 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to My Maid Said Instant Noodle Is A Snack to Them on Tue, 27 Sep 2011 23:54:10 GMT]]>I agree that the helper should follow what we eat… but personally i think instant noodle is not considered proper lunch or at least it should be limited… we usually have instant noodles for breakfast tho… my girls love it.


but I’m ok for porridge for lunch cos stimes really dunno what to cook… but i know Philippino does not fancy porrdige…

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/596021https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/596021Tue, 27 Sep 2011 23:54:10 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to My Maid Said Instant Noodle Is A Snack to Them on Tue, 27 Sep 2011 23:46:28 GMT]]>Gooby:

You have spoilt your maid already by buying snacks and giving her money to buy dinner when you are out.
She should eat whatever she cooks for your family and cook her own when you are out. If she prefer to cook her own separately, she can do so if it doesn't compromise on her other housework.
Any extras like snacks, macdonals', money to buy dinner are treats and should not be treated like an entitlement by the maid.
Once maids are spoilt, its very hard to go back.

Funz: wah... your maid is very lucky.. get to eat bird's nest!!:P

I try not to spoil my maid, but do get her share of snacks sometimes as it's quite nice to have a little treat apart from the usual food, but she understands it is not an entitlement, and will say thank you.

my 2cents 🙂

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/596020https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/596020Tue, 27 Sep 2011 23:46:28 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to My Maid Said Instant Noodle Is A Snack to Them on Tue, 27 Sep 2011 21:41:40 GMT]]>Instant noodles and porridge are light meals. The food won't be enough if the maid has to do heavy chores. I feel that the food given should correspond with the amount of work the maid has to do? The more work she has to do, the more she's likely to fill famished if her lunch or dinner is not filling.


I enjoy Maggi Mee too... It's so convenient, but the packet of noodles has shrunk over the years... :sad:

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/595994https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/595994Tue, 27 Sep 2011 21:41:40 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to My Maid Said Instant Noodle Is A Snack to Them on Tue, 27 Sep 2011 13:53:34 GMT]]>Is your maid putting on weight? My maid puts on >10 kg since she started with us 2 years ago. I think she is trying to control her intake too so cannot complain about food what …


She eats whatever we eat. As for instant noodle, I think she cooks for herself if we are not around. I dont really ask her what she eats when we are out since she is free to cook and eat whatever we have.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/595896https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/595896Tue, 27 Sep 2011 13:53:34 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to My Maid Said Instant Noodle Is A Snack to Them on Tue, 27 Sep 2011 10:08:34 GMT]]>The bottom line is that if the maid get to eat whatever you eat, then there is nothing much to complain about. The maid should adapt to the master’s eating habit, not the other way round.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/595778https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/595778Tue, 27 Sep 2011 10:08:34 GMT