The best part of a vacation is the food, and I’ll die on this hill. Unfortunately, if you’re with the wrong person, dreams of chugging a bottle of wine with some creamy brie in front of the Eiffel Tower can be quickly squashed if their comfort zone is limited to McNuggets.
For some, food is merely an afterthought when visiting a new place, but not for one redditor who desperately did not want their picky-eater boyfriend to join them on vacation. So they took to the r/amitheasshole subreddit to ask if they were in the wrong for not wanting to spend a week eating grilled cheeses.
Here’s their short breakdown: “My boyfriend has tons of food restrictions and is picky in general. He basically can only eat chicken fingers, grilled cheese, mac ‘n’ cheese, and pad Thai. I’ve never seen him eat a vegetable.”
They go on: “We just started dating a few months ago, and I love him, but I eat everything and am very laid back. I know I will have to plan my entire day around finding food he can eat, on top of listening to him complain that things aren’t the same.”
Why don’t they just eat at a restaurant with an expansive kid’s menu, you ask? Well, as they explain: “Even if a restaurant does have chicken fingers or mac ‘n’ cheese, it won’t be the same as what we get at home, and I just don’t want to hear about it while I’m on vacation. AITA? I feel bad.”
Overall, people were pretty unanimous that OP was not the asshole for wanting to enjoy their vacation without constantly worrying about their partner. “NTA. I told myself NEVER again with the picky eaters after dating a chicken finger man. Somehow, it will always be you who is expected to plan the meals, too. I understand not liking some things, but unless this is medical/allergies, there’s a point where this is just stuck up and annoying as a fully grown man,” one commenter wrote.
Others seemingly agreed, noting that this seems like more of a pickiness issue than a medically necessary restriction. “He *can* only eat those things, or he will only eat those things? I have a friend with an unusual disease such that she literally can only eat three things, but that’s a fair cry from being a super picky eater who *will* only eat a few things,” another commenter explained. “Assuming from your description that this is a pickiness issue, not a health issue, I wouldn’t take him with me either. He would definitely bring down your enjoyment on the trip.”
To this, OP did clarify: “He says he was never fed other things growing up, and now he can’t stand the taste of regular food. He really only likes processed food.”
Some folks even chimed in with their own difficult experiences dealing with picky eaters while on vacation. “I live in Japan, and a friend and her boyfriend came to visit me,” one person recounted. “My friend’s boyfriend was also a very picky eater, was insufferable during their visit, and essentially ruined the trip for my friend. He couldn’t even eat yakisoba because it had bits of cooked cabbage in it, so they ended up going to KFC, McDonald’s, and Mister Donuts every single day they were here. No sushi, no okonomiyaki, no curry, no ramen, no tonkatsu.”
People even recommended that OP reconsider the relationship in general. “NAH. His preferences are very limiting, and you are not his parent,” someone else wrote. “These aren’t allergies or digestion-altering sensitivities; it’s a restrictive diet based on food he knows he enjoys, and it sounds like he’s not interested in trying new things. But you may want to consider the future of the relationship unless he can manage his diet without whining. It’s likely not just during the vacation that it will annoy you.”
One person got straight to the point: “You shouldn’t be dating him if his diet is a problem for you.”
Well, it turns out there’s an update, and *drum roll please*…
…OP dumped their picky eater: “I am breaking up with him. After seeing a glimpse into my future via your responses, I realized I cannot do this, and it will eventually wreck us. Thank you.”
What do you think? Was OP justified in not wanting their boyfriend to come on vacation, and later breaking up with him? Give us all your thoughts in the comments.
