AITA for telling my girlfriend her mother’s cooking makes me violently ill?

Imagine a dinner table laden with home-cooked dishes, a girlfriend beaming with pride, but one bite sends her boyfriend’s stomach into a tailspin. For this 23-year-old guy, every meal at his girlfriend’s mom’s house ends in violent illness, a secret he’s kept until now. When he finally spills the beans, calling her mom’s cooking “dreadful,” his girlfriend bolts back to her mom’s, fuming. Was his honesty a necessary truth, or a recipe for relationship ruin?

This Reddit tale dishes out a savory mix of love, loyalty, and queasy stomachs. With the boyfriend suffering in silence and his girlfriend defending her mom’s culinary honor, their clash stirs up more than just bad vibes. Reddit’s serving hot takes, from poison theories to allergy guesses, so let’s dig into this gut-wrenching drama with a pinch of humor.

‘AITA for telling my girlfriend her mother’s cooking makes me violently ill?’

Me and my girlfriend (both 23) have been together for about a year and a half. I love the girl to death, only thing I don’t love is her mother’s cooking. I have no idea what it is but every time I have eaten something her mother has made, I am violently violently ill afterwards, like food poisoning violently ill.

Before my girlfriend and I lived together I would be able to go back to my own place after eating at her mothers and be alone to lie and wait to die, but in February we moved in together. A couple nights ago her mother invited us over for dinner.

My girlfriend was really excited as for some reason, she thinks her moms cooking is incredible. I tried getting out of it by saying I didn’t feel well but my girlfriend saw right through me and dragged me there. The food was quite frankly inedible, I have no idea what it was but I immediately felt sick after eating one bite.

I didn’t want to be rude so managed to hold it back until we got home. My girlfriend obviously asked what was wrong and when I told her it was her mother’s d**adful cooking she got ridiculously offended, left our house and went back to her mothers. She’s still there now. AITA?

When a meal turns into a medical emergency, something’s off, and this guy’s recurring illness from his girlfriend’s mom’s cooking is no joke. His blunt “dreadful” jab upset his girlfriend, but hiding his suffering wasn’t sustainable. Relationship expert Dr. John Gottman notes, “Honesty builds trust, but delivery matters to avoid defensiveness”. His tactless wording escalated tension, while her reaction suggests deep emotional ties to her mom’s cooking.

This taps into broader issues of food-related sensitivities and family dynamics. A 2021 study in Allergy found 10% of adults have undiagnosed food intolerances, often mistaken for poisoning. Poor food handling or an allergen could be the culprit, not malice.

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Dr. Gottman’s advice emphasizes empathetic communication. The boyfriend could apologize for his harsh words while explaining his physical distress, suggesting a doctor’s visit to pinpoint the issue. Testing dishes for common allergens like dairy or spices might help.

For now, he could propose skipping mom’s dinners until they investigate, framing it as health-focused.

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Here’s the comments of Reddit users:

Reddit’s cooking up a storm of reactions, from wild poison theories to practical allergy checks. Here’s the raw scoop, straight from the drama pantry:

LiveTangelo1 - NTA. Is she poisoning? Seems weird you’re the only one that gets sick. On top of that getting sick while eating is pretty crazy.

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LynnieFran - How can you be the ah if it makes you ill? You don’t have any control over that. If it’s every time no matter what she cooks maybe she uses a spice you’re allergic to?. NTA

somethingjedi - NTA. You should try and have a conversation with her about it when emotions are less high.. Are you allergic to anything? Is she putting it in by accident?

MafaRioch - NTA, You're either having allergic reaction, either she's poisoning you. There was a bizzare popular story about something like that, maybe someone can link to it. Try switching plates with your girlfriend/her mother and see the reaction, but don't eat even a slice unless you figure out the cause. Better safe than sorry.

noseandtoes - my mil cannot cook and her food handling, storage and refrigeration is appalling. My husband and his siblings grew up eating seriously questionable food and their bodies adapted. The first time I ate there, I thought I was going to die.. Maybe this is a similar situation.

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fivestarlady - Apparently, mil poisonings is a thing.. https://www.marieclaire.com/culture/a28638699/in-law-poisoning-stories/. Edited to add NTA

Tata155 - NTA but you should have worded it properly. Tell her that for some reason whenever you eat her mothers food. It upsets your tummy. Do not slander her mums cooking, as she can find it quite upsetting. Your NTA for this at all, but maybe the wording could have been better?

[Reddit User] - Info- I’m just trying to think of there’s anything else going on here. Is there a cultural difference at all?

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AliMcGraw - INFO: What kinds of foods is she preparing? What is unappetizing about them?

IzarkKiaTarj - INFO: Did you just call it d**adful cooking, or did you explicitly say that you get sick every time?

These takes are spicier than a questionable casserole, but do they oversimplify a delicate family feud? Can this couple plate up a solution, or is their love on the chopping block?

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This isn’t just about bad cooking—it’s about navigating love when family ties and upset stomachs collide. The boyfriend’s blunt honesty may have soured the mood, but his illness demands answers. Can they find a tactful way to address the issue without burning bridges? Have you ever faced a partner’s family tradition that clashed with your well-being? Share your stories—how do you balance honesty and harmony at the dinner table?

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