AITA for praising my stepbrothers food?
A woman found herself in hot water after complimenting her stepbrother’s sweet potato casserole during Thanksgiving. Despite also praising her mom’s turkey, her mom felt insulted and accused her of mocking her cooking.
The situation escalated after the woman clarified her genuine appreciation for both dishes, leaving her mom upset and vowing never to cook again. read the original story below…
‘ AITA for praising my stepbrothers food?’
I’m really confused here, so any help is appreciated. So, yesterday we had Thanksgiving. My mother (47F) made some of the food, and my stepbrother (15M) made other foods. I’ve always had a sweet tooth, and one of the dishes my stepbrother made was sweet potato casserole.
I enjoyed it a lot, and had the leftovers today. This is where the problem comes. My mother is pretty angry at me because I said I thought the sweet potato casserole my brother made was very good.
I also said the turkey she made was amazing, but that I hadn’t been able to eat too much of it because I was already full. I didn’t think this was an offensive comment, but she didn’t like it. She says I betrayed her, and that I was mocking her.
I personally don’t understand how I was mocking or betraying her when I was simply stating that I enjoyed another persons food. Now, admittedly, this morning she kept pestering me about whether I liked the food or not. I was honest and said I did, I just also liked the sweet potato casserole.
She then began insisting I was just saying I liked her food to appease her, and I replied with: “what do you want me to say? The food was horrible? Because that’d be a lie.” I could understand if maybe she took that comment as offensive, but I did apologize for any perceived slight against her.
Even so, she is now saying she’ll never cook for any of us again, and that she’s done doing anything for us. So, AITA for saying I liked my stepbrothers cooking?
Here’s the feedback from the Reddit community:
lmmontes − Is she competing with a teenager? NTA. She’s being delulu.
bloombardi − Is your mother this unhinged in other circumstances? Cause this is beyond the pale. Of course you aren’t TA. A 15yo boy cooking anything at all for thanksgiving is impressive. You helping foster this budding talent of his is admirable. He better just save a spot for you at the chef’s table when he opens his restaurant.
MoulanRougeFae − NTA. My proudest moment as a mom was when my son made some creative jam rolls (similar to cinnamon rolls but with homemade cherry jam and chocolate glaze!) that were amazing. They were even his own recipe he created.
I was so excited he could create delicious food based on the foundation of cooking I had taught him. Your mom is in her feelings because someone made something tasty and she isn’t going to see that your step brother’s creation isn’t a knock against her cooking but instead is really a testimony to her teaching him well.
Just ignore her protestations and little temper tantrum. You did nothing wrong by liking both people’s food.
pairii − NTA “Why do you hate 15m so much mum? What’s going on?”
ImColdandImTired − NTA. Mother is being ridiculous and dramatic.
StAlvis − NTA Her behavior is utterly inappropriate for a parent.
Apart-Ad-6518 − NTA 100% My mother is pretty angry at me because I said I thought the sweet potato casserole my brother made was very good. I also said the turkey she made was amazing, but that I hadn’t been able to eat too much of it because I was already full.
You did nothing wrong here at all. I did apologize for any *perceived slight* against her. That’s well worded. She’s a parent not a teenager. Time she acted like it. Sorry you endured such needless drama on Thanksgiving.
fernswordgirl432 − I wonder where in the DSM I’d find your mom…. but seriously, NTA. She should feel good that everyone came away from the meal happy. Does she always find reasons to pick at you and be m**ipulative?
Because from where I sit, this really isn’t about the food… not at all. Look out for your stepbro though…. that’s a lot of toxic language she laid on you about liking his food.
A-Strange-Peg − NTA, mom is unreasonable.
Decent-Cranberry-349 − Look her dead in the eyes. Ask her, is she okay? What’s wrong? Does she need to talk to a professional therapist? Have a family discussion. Complimenting chefs is positive outcome. This outburst is something deeper.
Was she unfairly caught in the middle, or could she have handled the situation better? Family dynamics during the holidays can be tricky—what do you think? Share your thoughts below!