I (32M) have been dating my girlfriend (30F) for about 6 months now. We get along great, we have a lot of fun together, we have deep conversations and honestly I see potential long term, maybe even marriage and kids.
For background, my mom is a professional chef, she worked in fancy restaurants her whole life and at home I’d always help her out in the kitchen. I grew up eating and making all kinds of dishes Indian, Asian, Middle Eastern, American etc... I enjoy exploring different cuisines and experimenting with flavors.
My girlfriend however eats like a 7 year old on a chicken nugget diet. She doesn’t eat beef, pork, or fish only chicken. She doesn't eat most greens unless they’re in a burger and the texture isn't noticeable. No mushrooms, no beans etc.., no sauces with “weird stuff” (like anything with visible onions, garlic, etc). No spicy food, no creamy textures, no stews, nothing “too chewy,” “too saucy,” or might have a “funky smells.” You get the idea.
So for the past 6 months, I’ve been cooking almost exclusively chicken every time she comes over. And even then, she might not eat it. I once made a creamy chicken dish with asparagus in the sauce and she raised her eyebrows in disgust. Honestly, this is killing my love for cooking. I’m sick of eating chicken all the time, I swear I’m gonna start clucking soon and lay an egg.
I’ve tried to compromise, I asked her if she’d be open to trying new stuff slowly, or letting me make a dish where I can put her version and try to sneak in some small extra ingredients just to make her get used to other kinds of flavors but nope she refused the idea.
So I finally told her that if she’s not willing to budge, I’m not going to keep cooking meals that only she enjoys. I’ll still make something we can both eat every now and then, sure, but most days I’m going to cook what I actually enjoy. And if that doesn’t work for her, she’s welcome to bring her own groceries and I can guide her to cook her own meal or she can order takeout.
That's where she got really upset, she went off saying, “You knew I was don't eat most things from the start, so why drag this relationship on for 6 months if it was such a burden?” I said, " I knew you were picky, but I didn’t realize how much, your list of no keeps getting bigger.” I told her it’s not the end of the world, and we can make separate meals, but I just won’t be cooking a separate meal just for her.
She said she doesn’t like to cook and that I’m being inconsiderate and a bad boyfriend for not doing cooking a separate meal for her because I am some what of a chef and I enjoy it. I said no I don’t want it to become a norm that I always cook two separate meals because that’s just extra work and unfair for me.
Now she’s upset, saying I’m selfish and uncaring, and that if I really loved her I wouldn’t make a fuss about this.
Also, don’t even get me started on picking restaurants that’s a whole other rant I won’t get into. Just know it’s a nightmare.
So AITAH?
