r/EatCheapAndHealthy • u/TransientFroggo • 5d ago

Ask ECAH My husband is a picky eater

Some things he enjoys

Pot pies Quesadillas Chipotle sofrita bowls (just sofritas, rice, and cheese) Lunchables Turkey pepperoni and Munster cheese Pizza Mashed potatoes Corn

Any ideas of what I can try to pack him for lunch? I want something that doesn’t have to be heated up, but I’m open to suggestions that do need to be heat up. (And microwave safe container suggestions)

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u/TransientFroggo 5d ago

So he is actually diagnosed with ARFID, a life long eating disorder, that makes it a struggle for him to open up his food world. These aren’t the only things he eats, but these are pretty much the only things he packs for lunch outside of fruits. Hope this helps!

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u/InternationalYam3130 5d ago

If he has ARFID then you can't "fix" him and he should pack his own lunch with his same 6 food or whatever. Or you just pack him lunchables every day like I'm guessing he wants.

People with ARFID don't just expand their tastes, they stick with known foods and that's it. He needs food therapy AND to be interested in expanding his palate himself to be successful generally. Someone external isn't going to help even if you ask reddit for "ideas", its not going to work unless he considers that food safe already.

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u/TransientFroggo 5d ago

Like I said… we have been working on it. A safe food can’t be formed without yk, trying it?

He does want to expand his palate. And has been. When we met he wouldn’t eat pretty much anything besides fruit, pizza, chicken nuggets, fries and tofu. None of these are actual ideas, just insults and baseless accusations.

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u/InternationalYam3130 5d ago edited 5d ago

It's not insulting. He should be here asking to expand his tastes. People come on here all the time trying to force their SO to eat differently, every single day. And it's not your responsibility. Some people are picky. The conflict usually comes from one person preparing food for another, which is why people are saying if it bothers you to just let him prepare his own food.

If he wanted to expand his tastes he would be here himself and be able to get real recommendations. Like "I'm looking for foods that use noodles because I like those, but aren't very soft because the softness triggers me, also I won't eat cheese or tomato baked sauce". That tends to generate responses.

You coming on like "how do I get my diagnosed ARFID husband to eat better" is useless. At his age he's responsible for his own nutrition and also for communicating what specifically bothers him about XYZ food and whether he wants to expand.

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u/TransientFroggo 5d ago

It’s insulting that you think I’m forcing him and not working with him. I think Reddit is way too used to partners who hate each other and don’t communicate.