Woman Tries to Impress Her Boyfriend with a Homemade Dinner. His Reaction Disappoints Her
A man turns to the Reddit community for advice following a tense moment with his girlfriend after a home-cooked meal didn't quite earn the reaction she'd hoped for. The 23-year-old shares that he and his 22-year-old girlfriend recently moved in together after dating for over a year.
'We both work weird hours,' he writes in his post, explaining that their usual dinner routine leans heavily on takeout. 'But when we do have a home-cooked meal, it's usually me who cooks.'
The boyfriend grew up in an Italian family and says that while he doesn't consider himself a master chef, he can throw together a solid dinner. His girlfriend, on the other hand, grew up eating 'frozen pizzas, canned soup, and microwave meals,' and rarely cooks.
On this particular night, he comes home from work to find that his girlfriend has made spaghetti and meatballs. 'I thanked her for making dinner and ate a large portion because I was starving,' he recalls.
But when she asked how he liked it, his low-key response didn't land well. 'I said it was good, but I didn't really say it with any enthusiasm,' he explains, clarifying that he didn't mean to sound rude but was just answering honestly.
His girlfriend seemed disappointed and asked what she had done wrong. He reassured her that 'she did nothing wrong. It's just basic spaghetti and meatballs.'
She pressed further, confused because she thought it was a meal he loved. He admitted he did love it, but added, 'since she asked, I pointed out that she had used frozen meatballs and sauce from a jar.'
He emphasizes that there's nothing wrong with that. 'I was happy to eat it,' he says, but didn't understand what kind of reaction she was expecting from something so simple.
'She said she wanted to impress me,' he continued, and that's when it clicked. 'I realized that she has so little experience with cooking that she really didn't understand the difference between what she made vs. a homemade meal.'
Feeling bad about his reaction, he apologized. 'I realize that to her, this is a huge effort and a step up from what she is used to,' he admits, adding that he thanked her again and suggested they cook together later in the week.
She accepted the apology, but he notes she 'went to bed early' and believes she's still hurt. 'I think she is still upset,' he writes, wondering if he's in the wrong.
Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
He stresses that he wasn't trying to criticize her. 'I myself have used frozen meatballs and jar sauce many times out of convenience,' he says. 'I was simply being honest when she asked me why I wasn't more excited about it.'
Reddit users offered their thoughts, with one commenter writing, 'Now that you realize that she took that extra step to learn, I think you did the right thing after the fact by apologizing.' They added, 'She wanted you to be proud of her… Next time just be a little more considerate of her feelings.'
Another agreed he handled it well in the end. 'Not the AH,' they wrote. 'When you realized how big it was to her, you made it better with understanding and an apology.'
Though the night didn't go as his girlfriend had hoped, the poster seems committed to making it right. 'She's trying to learn,' he says, 'and I thanked her again.'
Read the original article on People
Solve the daily Crossword
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Woman Called 'Selfish' After She Won't Let Mom, Stepdad and Siblings Stay in Her College Apartment
'I told them they should find an Airbnb if they want to visit,' the woman wrote in a Reddit post A woman seeks advice from the Reddit community after refusing to let her family stay in her apartment while her roommates are away. In a post shared on the popular AITA subreddit, the 20-year-old college student questions if she's in the wrong for not offering up her space. "I'm (20f) in college and I rent an apartment with two of my friends (20f) who are in a relationship," she writes in her post, explaining the living arrangement. "So our apartment is two bedrooms and it works for us." Both her roommates recently informed her they were heading home to visit their families "for a few weeks" and told her they would be okay if she had people over. When her mom found out the apartment would be mostly empty, she immediately asked to come stay with her husband and the poster's two half-siblings. However, the poster is uncomfortable with her family staying in the small space. "I told mom there wasn't enough space for everyone and she said I'm used to sharing with my half siblings and could do it again," she shares. That suggestion quickly triggered memories of her childhood living situation. When she lived at home, she was forced to share a bedroom with her half-siblings, who are 11 and 13 years younger than her, respectively. "We only had a two bedroom house and mom said it wasn't a priority to get me a new room," she explains, adding, "I hated it." In fact, part of the reason she avoids visiting home is that she'd still be expected to share a room with the kids. "That drives my mom crazy so she said they can come to stay since I won't," she writes. "I told her it doesn't take care of the sharing a room problem." Even with her roommates gone, she still doesn't feel comfortable cramming her family into the space, especially since the setup hasn't changed from what she grew up with. "She said it's no big deal and I said it is and it always was, she just never cared." Her mother accused her of being "selfish," insisting that the family is making an effort by choosing to visit her and "taking time out of their summer to come see me." Despite the pressure, she stands firm and suggests that her mom look into other options. "I told them they should find an Airbnb if they want to visit but mom said no," she writes. Her stepfather then chimed in, claiming the poster "benefitted from them so the least I could do is provide accommodation for free." Over the past four weeks, the topic continues to come up with no sign of resolution. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Her mom tries to appeal to her emotionally, saying the younger siblings miss her and are confused about why she never comes home. "She told me she misses her first baby and can't understand me pulling away like I have," she adds. But for the young woman, it all comes back to how she felt growing up. "There's just no way I want to share with two kids and one of them is my half brother which always made it more awkward to me," she writes. As she continues to face guilt and pressure from her family, she turns to Reddit to ask if she's truly being unreasonable. Read the original article on People Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Yahoo
Bride Excludes Estranged Sister from Her Wedding, but Feels Bad for 'Innocent' Brother-in-Law
The upset bride said that her sister tried to "weasel her way back into my life" after news of her engagement broke A bride is dealing with lingering guilt after she didn't invite her "innocent" brother-in-law to her wedding because she didn't want her estranged sister to come. Taking to Reddit, the 33-year-old woman explained that she has had a bad relationship with her sister for nearly her entire life, and they've been estranged since around 2020. "From as early as I can remember, she belittled me, mocked me, called me dumb, and constantly made me feel like I was worthless," she explains. "Anytime I tried to speak up for myself or say something logical or reasonable, she'd twist my words or fly off the handle." "Our entire dynamic has always been about her being right, her being in control, and me learning to stay small to avoid conflict," she adds. Things "blew up in 2020 during the pandemic" while the poster "was trying to help" their family find living arrangements, only for her sister to repeatedly send "aggressive messages" and voicemails. Realizing it was "emotional abuse," she wrote that she was done with her "narcissist" of a sister. Though she cut off contact, the woman said things changed when she got engaged in 2023. Then, her sister reached out and tried to "weasel her way back into my life." "I told her clearly and calmly that for my mental health, I couldn't. I asked her not to respond. She responded anyway, of course, with a fake-polite message that ignored everything I had just said," the woman recalls. In response, she clearly stated that she did not want to resume their relationship. Additionally, her sister would not be invited to the wedding. While she said her brother-in-law "has always been good to me," she realized that inviting him would give her sister a way to tag along. So, she also told her sister that he was not invited. At the time, she felt "guilty about excluding" her "calm, kind, and level-headed" brother-in-law. "But I felt I had no choice. Inviting him would've created a messy gray area, and I wasn't willing to gamble my peace on my wedding day," she writes. Years after the wedding, she's still haunted by the decision. "I don't regret protecting myself. But I hate the idea that he never got the truth," she said, adding, "And I hate that someone kind got caught in the crossfire." Fellow Redditors rushed to reply and assure the woman that she was not in the wrong but was caught in a difficult situation. "It sucks that someone kind got caught in the crossfire, but his presence would have risked bringing all that toxic energy into your wedding. Your decision wasn't personal against him," one person wrote. Another person urged the bride not to "feel guilt for protecting yourself." "It hurts to feel responsible for his impression of your sister, but you can't and shouldn't compromise your emotional safety for someone else, even if that person is kind," they continued. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. One Redditor urged the woman to let go of her concerns about her brother-in-law, saying, "Firstly if he's as kind as you say, he's get it." "Secondly, why do you want to convince him you're the 'good one' and not at fault. If you want to be left alone, leave your sister's relationship alone too. Otherwise you're up for major drama and vengeance. The ball is in your court. Have you really let go?" they asked. After getting some feedback, the woman returned to update her original post. In addition, she included a letter to her brother-in-law. While she acknowledged that he was unlikely to see it, the woman wrote that it would help her find closure. "I didn't make that decision out of pettiness or resentment. I made it out of self-preservation. For once, I chose me. I chose peace," she wrote to him, signing off with, "Wherever you are, I hope you and the kids are well. I hope your life is calm. I hope you're happy." Read the original article on People Solve the daily Crossword
Buzz Feed
8 hours ago
- Buzz Feed
18 Improvements From The 2000s That Made Life Better
A lot can change in a decade or two, and for many things, it's for the better. Recently, Redditor u/angelbeetle asked older adults of the Reddit community to share what they honestly think have changed for the better within the last two decades, and it's super insightful: "Minor surgeries. Many are laparoscopic with smaller incisions and faster recovery times. My kid and I compared our appendectomy scars. Mine isn't really visible anymore, but it was a cut the length of my appendix, complete with stitches. His scar is essentially a dot." —TheRealEkimsnomlas "Food transport and availability. Thanks to globalization, I can afford to eat fresh Norwegian salmon and Peruvian blueberries in Bangkok for less than they'd cost in the US." "The percentage of people who smoke cigarettes has decreased." —Imaginary_Shelter_37 "Online banking is straightforward and convenient (I was a late adopter). Also, attitudes toward sex and gender are generally much better." "GPS. I started driving when you had to use a map or ask someone else for directions. MapQuest was a revelation but still required a bit of attention. Now, I can get anywhere in America with turn-by-turn directions from my phone." —professorfunkenpunk "Air and water quality almost everywhere has improved." "In my My family first got a VCR when I was 7. I have some vague memories from before then, like only having three channels on the TV. But then renting happened after VCR, and the concept of a video store was 'renting a movie is the same cost as a single movie ticket, but now you can bring the family and pause it.' It was pricey, but still held tremendous value. I was 21 when TiVo came out, when you could suddenly record basically any show. When Netflix started streaming, I was 30." "Another subsequent side effect is the rise of prestige TV. Twenty-five years ago, we had The Sopranos, and that was basically it. Now, there's a goddamn arms race on every streaming platform for intense, compelling television. Like, I remember loving Knight Rider as a kid, but trying to rewatch an episode was rough. TV just wasn't designed for people to watch EVERY episode of something, but streaming makes it easy."—supergooduser "Availability of random products with the internet. You can buy nearly anything online." "Car durability. Everyone says, 'They don't build 'em like they used to,' but cars today routinely last 10–15 years. Back in the day, cars were shot after a couple of years and 50,000 miles." —Eastern-Finish-1251 "Internet speed." "Acceptance of formerly 'nerdy' hobbies like video games, comic books, collecting, being a big fan of a particular piece of media, etc." —AshleyWilliams78 "Battery-powered tools." "Dentistry. Specifically, pain management." —NansDrivel "Engine horsepower and gas mileage have improved." "Cancer survival rates." —sbsb27"For multiple reasons, too: better detection, greater awareness, better medications to combat the cancer and the side effects of the chemo, new classes of drugs with a greater selection within each class, and improved radiation therapy delivery."—TheSlideBoy666 "General public safety. Despite what the politicians like to scream about, serious crime has been on a decline for many years. I remember what it was like in '60s and '70s. We give up some freedoms for greater safety. It's a trade: camera monitoring, facial identification, DNA, etc. But these trades conceptually give up freedoms, but have a demonstrable effects on safety." "Mental health. It's still vastly underfunded, and we still don't understand much, but we have made incredible strides in the last 25 years. There are better medications, and there's genetic testing that can quickly make it easier for a psychiatrist to choose the right meds for a patient rather than just trying one, after one, after one. There's a better understanding of the role of abuse and trauma in the personality disorder cluster, and more willingness to consider new and old treatments that actually work for drug-resistant issues." —Late_Resource_1653 Lastly: "I taught high school until a couple of years ago. Teenagers are far more accepting of differences than they were when I was a teen. There is still unkindness because there are assholes in any population, but still. I was both surprised and gratified at the level of acceptance of cultures, lifestyles, and differences. I sincerely hope this trend continues." As someone who remembers having to print out directions from MapQuest, I'm SO glad for GPS and CarPlay. What do you think has genuinely changed for the better within the last two decades? Let us know in the comments, or you can anonymously submit your thoughts using the form below!
