AITA for not making enough dinner?
A Reddit user shared a story about picking up the kids, making dinner, and then facing frustration from his wife. Since their daughter had already made some Mac & Cheese, he only prepared one box and a package of hotdogs, which the kids and he finished together.
Before his wife got home, he offered to make her something when she mentioned she’d eat later. However, she was upset when she arrived, saying he should have made enough food for everyone to start with. Now he’s wondering if he was in the wrong. Read the story below.
‘ AITA for not making enough dinner?’
My wife had a nail appointment after work, so I picked up the kids from daycare tonight. When I got home around 5:30pm, my older daughter had already made herself one box of Mac & Cheese.
The plan for dinner was Mac & Cheese and hotdogs anyway, so I cooked a package of hotdogs and waited to see if I needed to cook more Mac & Cheese. All of us ate, and there was half a hotdog and a couple of bites of Mac & Cheese left when we were done.
Before I could clean up my wife called to say she was on her way home. I told her that we just finished eating, and that the food was gone, and asked what she wanted to eat. She said she would cook something for herself when she got home. I asked if she was sure, and she said yes.
When she got home she was very upset with me because I didn’t cook enough for everyone. I offered to cook more Mac & cheese and hotdogs, but she said no, and continued telling me that I was socially inept and that I didn’t understand and I should have made more food. AITA?
Here’s how people reacted to the post:
Tdluxon − NTA – She is being passive-aggressive… you asked what she wanted so you could make something, she said she didn’t want anything, now she’s mad because you did what she told you to do (not make anything). If she would have just been honest and skipped the mind games there would have been food for her.
chaserscarlet − I think she was annoyed at you as soon as you told her you’d finished eating and there was no more food, implying you didn’t consider her until she called you. Yes, you did offer to make something but I feel like the damage was already done (especially if there is repeated behaviour of not considering your wife).
SocksAndPi − Info:
Why didn’t you just make extras anyway while you were already cooking dinner? One normal box of Mac and Cheese isn’t enough for four people, so why not cook the second box and a couple more hot dogs?
Reese_krispies − So many people calling your wife the a**hole, but I am her. Not literally. It’s not one of those posts. I would have done the exact same thing. If I ask my husband to sort out supper while I’m out, I would assume he would include me in said supper.
It’s not even like you were slaving away at the stove for hours. Your daughter made box mac n cheese, and you heated up hot dogs. Like, throw in an extra hot dog, dude. Or better yet, get the kids sorted and make your wife and you an adult meal.
I understand she’s being passive aggressive by not just telling you when she was on her way that yes, supper for her would be nice, but it’s crazy to me that she needs to say that. So YTA.
CoconutMacaron − Info: Was your offer to cook for her genuine? Or was it pretty clear you were only offering, knowing she would say don’t bother? Is this the only time this kind of thing has happened?
Or is this a pattern with you? Who normally cooks dinner? I’ve got to say, a box of mac would rarely feed four people. Did you really not know from the beginning that one box was not enough?
turnips_and_parsnips − Why is the older daughter already making HERSELF dinner? Why not say, let’s save some for mom? “We already ate and selfishly left nothing for you.”. That’s all she needed to hear.. YTA
BeginningBerry2976 − YTA it was your turn to cook and you planned weenies and Mac and cheese and you couldn’t be assed out to make enough for your partner lol so very considerate but sure you can make her some if she wants but that should have been the case in the first place
jellybeanjaq − YTA – OP was in charge of cooking for the family, which includes OP’s wife, and yet he didn’t. And when faced with the shortcoming instead of saying, “great, there will be dinner waiting for you when you get home,” OP said, “we ate everything, do you want me to make you more?”
For OP: Why did you put that on your wife to decide? She expected you to provide dinner and instead you provided an opportunity for her to exert emotional labor in the form of telling you what to do (which, of course, let you off the hook because if she has to tell you to do something, it’s easier to do it herself).
something-strange999 − Yta. Should have made the food for everyone. Was the plan that she would come gome late and then have to wait? Why would you want to cook twice? Or, you could have pht her plate aside first. Was your expectation that she would not need to eat?
thisBookBites − YTA. I see you respond multiple times that ‘it could have been hours’ for her to be done. As someone who gets her nails done… no it can’t? A max of two, really, and that’s for a full new set. Maybe 2.5 with a manicure..
That is not hours. Point two is… you didn’t cook. You heated up hot dogs. Not sure if that is normal for your family, or could she be upset about the fact you actually didn’t cook at all? Point three is that you just… should have made enough. Even if it had taken long she would still have had to eat?
Was the Redditor being inconsiderate in not cooking extra dinner, or was his wife too harsh in her response? How would you handle this situation? Share your thoughts below!