A working mom tired of husband's picky eating habits stopped cooking, all hell broke loose

Women often carry the weight of household responsibilities and the demands of parenting, balancing the physical and mental strain of daily chores. Cooking, cleaning, and keeping a household running smoothly is exhausting enough, but for moms, it can feel especially discouraging when the meals they’ve carefully prepared go uneaten. One mom, u/IDONTKNOWPICKLES, took to Reddit to ask if she was in the wrong for the way she handled this very issue with her family.

The 37-year-old mother, who has a 13-year-old son, explained that her family has increasingly refused the meals she makes. Her husband and son have become what she describes as "unbearable picky eaters," with so many dietary preferences and aversions that it’s become impossible to keep up. Although she used to prepare multiple dishes to meet everyone’s preferences, the list of food restrictions has only grown. Beyond her love for cooking, she brings her Spanish heritage into the kitchen, skillfully crafting traditional dishes and "Americanized" versions of Spanish favorites—a talent that has still not won over her family’s taste buds.

"My husband is American Italian and he won't eat anything that isn't American/Italian but he's even pickier than that. He will only eat white meat chicken that isn't touching any bone, he will never touch seafood. He told me that he used to be the person who would only order chicken fingers at a restaurant so I'm married to the adult version of that kid. My son used to have a wide palette and would try anything but not anymore. All of a sudden he can't handle anything just like my husband," the post continued, adding that her husband is her son's stepfather.

There was a time when her family loved her dishes and often praised her cooking skills. Now, however, she isn’t sure why they have suddenly become picky eaters. They either refuse to eat the dinner she prepares or simply claim they’re not hungry, leaving the food to go to waste. Tired of their picky eating habits, the woman finally decided to stop cooking dinner for her husband and son. "I'm sick of cooking these three dishes, and sometimes they won't even eat that! They've been fending for themselves for dinner and I feel way less stressed out now," she wrote. The woman added that she also worked full-time and wondered why her husband couldn't take up cooking if he didn't like what she made. 

The exhausted mom, who revealed she hadn’t cooked dinner for her family in two months, blamed it on the societal norm that expected her to cook because of her gender. "I come home from work ready to eat dinner but will he cook it, no? So I've been having to just have a girl dinner by myself which usually consists of cheese and crackers. I wish someone else would mind dinner and I didn't have to be responsible anymore, anyway, do you think I'm in the wrong?" the post concluded. The Reddit community had a myriad of things to say about this issue and most of them supported the woman for putting her foot down.

u/SockMaster9273 advised, "Cook what you want for yourself and if they won't eat it, I'm sure there are things in the fridge that can be used to make a sandwich. You put effort into your food so they can either appreciate it or make their own food. Don't put up with it anymore." u/CaptMcPlatypus wrote, "He doesn’t like what you cook anyway, so what’s his problem with you not cooking for him? Cook amazing and adventurous dinners for yourself and he and your son can just watch from the buttered noodle sidelines." u/luvvDessie commented, "Kids often mimic what they see, and your idea of a no-pressure restaurant hangout sounds like a great way to broaden their tastes. Sometimes, just giving them the space to explore makes all the difference."