Chef stayed hungry every day so her wife could eat — and her smile meant more than a full stomach

When a loving woman, who goes by u/maximum_squeeze on Reddit, found her 24-year-old wife not packing her office lunch properly, she stepped right in, proving how love sometimes echoes through the smallest gestures. Her story, posted on 16th June, 2025, has amassed 23k likes and 14 awards in just 9 days.

"She was taking one slice of chicken and putting it between a tiny slice of bread that would have been lucky to have butter or mayo in it," she said, explaining how they always run low on pantry items, because of financial constraints, and buying ingredients for a sandwich felt "pointless" particularly when that would most likely be spoiled even before being used. Luckily, the author had a lunch allowance at work, so she decided to use that for her wife. "I just say I'm not hungry or don't have time to eat it and wrap up some nice sandwich or wrap so my wife can have it for her lunch," the woman added. Every day when she would send her lunch, her wife would text immediately, thanking her for a delicious meal. "I find it fun too, because it's like a little present for my wife," she confessed.

Moving on, the author, a chef, shared that she keeps herself full by grazing on different foods throughout the day, only to ensure her wife has a satisfying meal. Once, she had sent her wife her favorite wrap, and despite knowing that she would absolutely love it, the chef was dying to hear her reaction. As expected, her wife texted saying how much she loved the wrap. "That woman makes my heart so warm," she concluded. Interestingly, such small yet profound gestures are what, as per Penn State, make people feel loved. "It is possible for people to feel loved in simple, everyday scenarios. It doesn’t have to be over-the-top gestures," said Saeideh Heshmati, a postdoctoral research scholar, talking about how 495 American adults assessed during the research responded.

Meanwhile, the Reddit post received an overwhelming response on the platform. For instance, a person who goes by u/mufffinbannana commented, "This! OP, that’s the kind of thoughtfulness you don’t see every day. Turning a lunch allowance into an act of love? That’s next level. The way she lights up from those wraps says it all; you’re not just feeding her, you’re showing up for her in the quietest, most genuine way!" Similarly, u/training_fox_4180 shared, "You are an awesome wife! To be so caring for your wife that you sacrifice your lunch for her is heartwarming. I have been in her place; I had to have iron infusions. You cannot imagine how fatigued you are when your iron is so low. Please take care of yourself, though! You are her rock, so you need to stay strong."

Another user, u/radicalnormy wrote, "Aww, I love how sweet this is and that you enjoy her enjoying it as well. I make sure to make extra dinner so my partner can have food at work for lunch. Since I work from home, I know I can figure out my lunch, while he will often just go hungry if he doesn’t have one. These examples are the simple things that make having a loving partner so special." Echoing the sentiments, u/weary-bid6861 shared, "This is honestly so sweet. Using your lunch allowance to make your wife happy is such a thoughtful and loving gesture. Also, as a chef, those lunches must be next level! Your wife’s lucky to have you."