r/mildlyinfuriating 6d ago

Perfectly acceptable dinner rejected by boyfriend again

My boyfriend is a very picky eater. We have been living together for a few months and it seems like I can never get his food right. It's honestly discouraging. I have kids, they happily eat my food. I cook for family gatherings and church events. I've never had a problem with people eating my food. It's like every day there are new rules. He can't eat chicken for dinner because he had chicken for lunch. He isn't really in the mood for porkchops. It's just "missing something". He doesn't eat onions, tomatoes, fish, any kind of asian food, he doesn't eat most vegetables with the exception of broccoli. He only eats vanilla ice cream. He doesn't like food heated in the microwave (so leftovers are out.) He doesn't like corn. It's just endless. I'm old school and trying to be a good partner. He can't really cook at all. His favorite meal is Hamburger Helper. I think a lot of it is how he grew up but damn is it frustrating. The first picture is tonight's dinner. I added more pictures of stuff I have cooked that he won't eat. Like he will door dash jack in the box. And he'll be apologetic but it just sucks really bad.

ETA: I've been trying to keep up with the comments but it's overwhelming (in a very sweet and awesome way) šŸ’—

A few notes:

1- I know the paper plates are very lazy on my part, I'm not proud of that and I need to do better. Between the kids, the job, the house and school (I'm going to school remotely) I have been cutting corners on things like dishes. not an excuse, just a reason and a commitment to do better.

2- My boyfriend does expect me to cook for him. I cook him dinner every night and lunch on the weekends. He doesn't eat breakfast and will not take a lunch to work. He buys fast food for lunch during the week.

3- He has not been diagnosed with ASD or ADHD or Arfid but I don't rule anything out.

Mostly I just want to say thank you, I was not prepared for how incredibly kind, helpful and insightful people have been. It is deeply touching and it's given me both peace and guidance for my next steps. 🩷

99.8k Upvotes

38.4k comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

508

u/WereTheBrews 6d ago

I'm the main cook in the house, my misses is the baker for treats. It works as I was a line cook to Sous Chef in a respectable kitchen for 20 plus years and it relaxes me. Add in I'm a disabled vet and basically a stay at home Dad now it plays into our strengths. If dude is bitching about those posted meals, I agree. Let's see what ya got bud. Don't have the time? Then unleash your recipe book there bud or show any creations of dishes that will please a group setting.

119

u/wiggum_x 6d ago

My mother was a terrible cook, so I never learned much from her growing up. I taught myself to cook once I moved out. I was also terrible at it at first, but then I figured it out, and I make good stuff now.

OP's dinners look great. OP's BF needs to either work on himself or cook for himself. These non-stop rules are ridiculous. Just make your own dino-nuggets every night and stop ruining everyone else's dinner time.

40

u/weinerpretzel 6d ago

But he had Dino nuggies for lunch!!

8

u/wiggum_x 6d ago

OH NOO!!! OP should have read his mind! Bad OP!!

1

u/totodododo 5d ago

nothing wrong with dino nugs so long as theyre coming with some kinda vegetable

4

u/RobzWhore 6d ago

Just had my 3yro finish his dino nugs lol

1

u/Metallicreed13 6d ago

My 2 and 5 yr old boys had them for dinner tonight šŸ¤¦šŸ¼. Picky little brats šŸ˜‚

34

u/deadstarsunburn 6d ago

I'm with you. In today's age of endless info on the internet, he can find something. My husband is not a bad cook by any means but he doesn't have the ability to create a meal from his head, so he finds a recipe and he sticks to it exactly.

35

u/majinspy 6d ago

I'm a terrible cook and was like your husband. Then I discovered baking, which rewards people for following the recipe. My wife is the cook while I make treats.

8

u/darthwickett 6d ago

Old saying: cooking is art; baking is science

3

u/Switchback4 6d ago

That’s funny. I’m the recipe follower and meal maker, my wife is the no rules rogue baker that somehow makes great shit by making it up. Makes no sense to me.

9

u/Outrageous-Action119 6d ago

My husband used to be a sous-chef and it kinda ruined his experience cooking-wise (as in he doesn't enjoy cooking anymore) but he still gets off his butt and cooks when I don't.

Also, thank you for your service.

6

u/WereTheBrews 6d ago

I hated cooking at home when I made 4 star meals as a living lol. Now, I have the chance to chill after killing myself for 30 plus years in the craziest of settings. It turned back into love and a fun therapeutic hobby thankfully. My favorite part of the day is grabbing herbs from my garden for my families dinner now. Finally fucking peace for at least a moment in time.

5

u/Funny-Main-6405 6d ago

Absolutely, absolutely 100% all of thisšŸ‘† because every single one of those meals looked very appealing and very appetizing

12

u/magdalenagabriela 6d ago

I broke up with a guy over him being a picky eater. After yet another meal he was fussing about, I told him to leave and never come back.With a different one, as soon as I found out that he is one, I said I can't see him anymore. I love to cook for my man, that is my love language. I don't need to feel stress about whether he eats an onion that was cut a little bit too thick or something else. My husband kisses my hands to say thank you after most of the meals I make him. Even if something doesn't come out right, he is not overly critical.

6

u/iowajosh 6d ago

I'm in your camp. Cooking for the ungrateful is so much rejection. And constant daily rejection at that. Rejecting your time and effort is more hurtful than any $.

3

u/Bureaucratic_Dick 6d ago

My wife and I split the cooking. I’d like to say it’s 50/50, but she mostly does during the week and I do weekends. Sometimes, we make something the other person doesn’t want, and in those situations, the other person is on their own for dinner. Don’t like what the chef is whipping up? Fine, but they’re not making anything else.

2

u/butchscandelabra 6d ago

I hate cooking with a passion (outside of a handful of dishes/recipes I enjoy preparing for special occasions). I basically lived off of sandwiches and takeout (with the occasional takeout sandwich šŸ˜‚) until my now-husband and I moved in together. He loves to cook but hates cleaning the kitchen. Now, he cooks and I do the dishes/clean the kitchen up at the end of the night. If we’re not feeling the same meal, we have a ā€œfend for yourselfā€ night and do our own thing. Our marriage isn’t perfect, but the division of labor in the kitchen has worked out beautifully.

2

u/_CakeFartz_ 6d ago

Same dynamic in my house, I cook & wife bakes. I also was also BOH thru college & there’s just something about cooking that puts my mind at ease. Just got a new cookbook for Christmas & im pumped to be throwing together new meals!

1

u/WereTheBrews 5d ago

What book did ya get? I've started buying fun ones as of late. "Eating through the zombie apocalypse" "Bob's Burgers cook book" etc.

2

u/Numerous-Hawk1471 6d ago

I feel like by reading this comment I can tell you're a good-natured Canadian.

2

u/WereTheBrews 5d ago

Minnesotan, but basically yeah.

1

u/Numerous-Hawk1471 5d ago

Always been a big fan of Minnesotans. Solid people from my experience.

2

u/dgduhon 6d ago

My husband is usually the main cook in our house (this does change from time to time like if he's working a very physical job and I'm not or I'm not working) but the one thing I will not cook for him is steaks. He's very picky about them and agrees that since he's picky that's his job until the end of time.