AITA for slapping down a Marie’s Calendar Frozen meal after my picky husband deliberately threw away my homemade pasta?

Jonathan Hours
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In a warm kitchen filled with the aroma of coconut oil and sweet potato fries, a wife’s culinary efforts crash against her husband’s picky palate. Hoping to nudge him toward healthier eating, she crafts a thoughtful meal, only to watch him toss it in the trash with a shrug.

Fuming, she retaliates with a Marie Callender’s frozen dinner, slapped onto the table with a mix of humor and disdain. This spicy domestic spat, shared on Reddit, stirs up a debate about respect, effort, and marital missteps. Can a frozen meal thaw their tension, or is this just the start of a deeper rift?

‘AITA for slapping down a Marie’s Calendar Frozen meal after my picky husband deliberately threw away my homemade pasta?’

My husband is a picky eater and when I think about it thoroughly, I don’t feel attracted to him anymore. I feel like he is missing out on a lot of things and because I love him, I tolerate that part of him. What is annoying is how he doesn’t want or try to blend into society & be normal and polite.

Today, I surprised him with making chicken tenders with coconut oil & sweet potato fries & pasta baked to encourage him to eat healthier & stay in his comfort zone. When I surprised him, he didn’t even seem excited. He was all “oh What is this???” And I said “your favorite meal!!!” And he said “oh uh okay,

I’m not that hungry” and I said “try itttt” and he got a plate of chicken tenders and fries & said “why is there paprika on it” and “why are the fries orange” and that got me annoyed. I’m going to say this but why did I marry a 6 year old??? I explained to him that I want him to be slightly out of his comfort zone by trying my food I have worked hard on.

He took one or two bites and said “I’m full” and threw it away right in front of me. He did say “thank you though” but I was shocked. I got so mad that today I brought home a Marie’s Calendar Frozen dinner and slapped it on the table and said “here a nice gourmet meal”. It was out of humor and disgust of my husband’s behavior.

Edit: I ALWAYS COOK HIM THE MEALS AND HE WANFS FHE SAME FOOD EVERYTIME, frozen chicken nuggets and French fries Oh and I COOK FOR HIM lol I wouldn’t say cooking! He has the nerves to say “honey next time don’t burn the chicken” WHAT

This kitchen clash serves up more than just a ruined dinner—it’s a recipe for marital strain. As relationship expert Esther Perel notes, “The quality of your relationships determines the quality of your life” (source: Esther Perel’s website). The wife’s effort to cater to her husband’s tastes, only to be met with rejection, reveals a lack of mutual appreciation that’s simmering beneath their spat.

The husband’s picky eating, while frustrating, may point to deeper issues like Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID), affecting 5-14% of adults in some studies (source: National Eating Disorders Association). His refusal to engage and outright dismissal of her work signal disrespect, while her frozen meal retort, though humorous, escalates the conflict rather than addressing it.

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This scenario reflects a broader issue: communication breakdowns in marriage. The wife’s attempt to “improve” his diet without discussion suggests control, while his actions show disregard. Both need to address underlying resentment—her admitted loss of attraction is a red flag.

For solutions, they could explore couples therapy to rebuild respect and discuss food preferences openly. Perel’s advice to “listen without judgment” could guide them to compromise, like alternating meals they both enjoy.

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Here’s what the community had to contribute:

Reddit didn’t hold back, dishing out a feast of opinions on this marital mess. From calling the husband a “child” to questioning the wife’s motives, the community served up a mix of support and shade. Here’s a taste of their hot takes—grab a fork and dig in!

Xp787 − ESH. Wanting your husband to try new or more things isn't a problem. He sucks because he seems like a child, and isn't very thankful. You suck because you added 'I'm not attracted to him anymore' which does nothing for the sake of this post.. Seems like you guys need to rethink the marriage.

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erinblack85 − ESH Clearly, you're using your husband's picky eating as a s**pegoat for a much larger issue here, and berating him for being a picky eater is really adding insult to injury. Could he have acted differently? Of course he could have, but his disordered eating habits aren't be handled correctly, and dollars to donuts this isn't the first time you've pulled this kind of nonsense regarding food.

You clearly did not make \*his\* favorite meal; you made what you thought was an improved version of it in order to 'encourage him to eat healthier.' If you really cared about your husband's eating habits, you'd discuss this with him like the adults you both are, but there's clearly a much more pressing issue here within your marriage.

Had you discussed this meal with him, he'd more than likely have told you not to waste your time on some frivolous task. In fact, i wonder if you did this as a s**pegoat. Do you need your husband to do things to make you angry so you can then justify your disdain for your husband? You clearly knew he'd react the way he did, and yet you did this anyway.

You know his eating habits yet decided to do something he didn't ask you to do? I believe you did this on purpose. ESH though, because it takes two to tango, and I'm sure your husband's part in this relationship is far from sterling. Y'all either need serious therapy or a divorce. Your utter disgust with him is so apparent though, that the whole relationship probably needs to be thrown away.

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PingPongProfessor − My parents have been married over 60 years. Mom's a great cook, but we all have failures once in a while. She told me a few years ago about the **one and only** negative comment Dad has ever made about anything she cooked:

'Honey, I don't think you need to fix this again.' **After** eating all of it. Not all of us are as patient and forgiving as my father, but your husband could perhaps take a few pages from his book.. And you are NTA.

Spotzie27 − I dunno. On the one hand, I get that it would be irritating to be with someone so unwilling to try anything new. And I think he could have been more polite, and he shouldn't have thrown it out.

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But you know he's like this, so you were kind of setting yourself up for disaster. Also, if someone I was with told me I needed to move out of my comfort zone, I'd feel pretty resentful. I mean, you're supposed to be his partner, not his parent.. Also, put some respect on Marie Callender's name, please!. ESH

Mahalala626 − Ok listen, looks like I’m the unpopular opinion here, but hear me out! The question was, “AITA for slapping down a Marie calendars after husband threw away the home cooked meal prior” and for THIS, I think NTA.

You spent probably hours, making a nice home cooked meal, trying to be a bit healthier while still trying to cater to your husbands picky eating habits. He not only seemed ungrateful and slightly rude, but then threw the food away in front of you too! So the next day you give him a frozen meal. For that alone, NTA. I’d do the same damn thing.

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However, it does seem like there are underlying problems here that you need to either discuss with him and fix, or leave the marriage, because it’s not doing anyone any favors to stay with someone they aren’t in love with//attracted to//are resentful of etc.

greenseraphima − Big ESH. Surprising a picky eater with a meal is a dumb decision. Surprise him with divorce papers next time.

greatvaluegatsby − INFO. Are you expected to cook his meals for him?

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Qjfomentl − INFO: Is he on the autism spectrum? Does he have ARFID? Is it possible he has an eating disorder? It sounds like he has regular 'comfort foods' that he eats frequently, and you're kind of a jerk for messing with that. He shouldn't have thrown the food away but you shouldn't have been pushy if he didn't want to eat it.

cosmicwxtch − As a super picky eater myself, I have to say YTA. It's a running joke between my friends, family, and significant other(s) (past and present) that I am a picky eater. I know that I am, and I own it. I apologize for it because I know it can be annoying. My mom raised me with all sorts of foods. I wasn't allowed to leave the table until I tried a bite of everything.

She was trying to parent me the way she thought was right, and hoped that it would work on me. As an adult, I try new things all the time. Do I hate a lot of what I try? Yes. But it's my decision to make. My boyfriend knows I hate tomatoes, and all tomato products (ketchup, pizza sauce, etc).

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Would he ever in a million years try to put a tomato on a sandwich and tell me it's my favorite sandwich? No, because the second I bite into it, I'm going to feel betrayed that he would 1. Think it's ok to dictate how I eat and 2. Treat me like a f**king child with that 'here comes the airplane' b**lshit.

I'm an adult. I can decide what I eat. If it's an inconvenience to someone else, I'll make my own food. My mom has tried more than once to sneak things I hate into the meals we eat. She finally learned to stop when she realized how much it distressed me.

I don't like upsetting my mother by insulting what she made me, but I also don't want to be forced to eat something that I plain and simple don't like. Why would you purposely do this to the person that you took vows with? That just doesn't make sense, and certainly doesn't make for a happy marriage. YTA

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ohklahoma02 − Might be the first time I say it, but I think you should post this on a relationship advice page as well. Cause you said yourself, you’re not attracted to him anymore, you guys need to figure this problem out together. I heard that it is a thing for people to not help their picky-ness. Or maybe his just being a jerk, idk but there has to be some communication on both sides

These Reddit bites are spicy, but do they get to the heart of the issue? Is the wife’s frozen meal clapback a stroke of genius or a step too far?

This tale of trashed pasta and a frozen comeback leaves us with a bitter aftertaste of unresolved tension. The wife’s effort met a brick wall, but her sarcastic response might’ve fanned the flames. Can this couple cook up a way to respect each other’s tastes, or are they headed for a relationship deep freeze? What would you do if your partner tossed your hard work in the trash? Share your thoughts below!

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