15 Couples With Different Financial Backgrounds Share The Differences In Their Attitude Towards Food
More than 20% of US households experience food insecurity.
Money habits can shape the way people think about food for years, and those differences often show up most clearly in relationships. In this story, couples with very different financial backgrounds compare notes on leftovers, grocery shopping, portion sizes, and what counts as waste.
Some of the examples are funny, some are frustrating, and all of them show how growing up with less can change the way someone treats every bite. When one partner learned to stretch food and the other never had to think twice, even simple meals started to feel complicated.
That gap shows up in the smallest details, and a few of these stories are surprisingly relatable.
Michaela and Alex Akins, a married couple, documented the differences they've found in how they approach life. She grew up poor, while he was well off. That inspired people to share their experiences.
1. Coupons...
"It drives me crazy that my boyfriend won’t download coupons on his grocery app. I have to take his phone and add them myself, which takes all of five minutes and usually saves $2–$5."
Fg Trade / Getty Images2. Spaghetti
"When I was growing up without money, we would make as much spaghetti as possible so we could refrigerate the leftovers for lunches or another dinner later in the week. So the first couple of times I made a huge pot of spaghetti or tuna noodle casserole, I was puzzled by my girlfriend's comments on how much I made. Then I realized she rarely ate leftovers."
That difference shows up fast at the dinner table.
3. Who looks at the prices?
"When we first started grocery shopping together in college, my boyfriend NEVER looked at the prices on anything. His default was to just grab the brand name or the first item he saw. ... Meanwhile, it was drilled into my head from a very young age that you always get the generic store brand or whatever is the cheapest option if something good is on sale."
4. Adding water to an empty ketchup bottle...
"Unlike my partner, we were the family adding water to the practically empty ketchup bottle."
Rakesh Kumar / Getty Images/EyeEm5. The best possible deal...
"My husband will obsess about getting the best possible 'deal.' He once spent, I kid you not, 30 minutes calculating which gigantic bag of dog food gave us the best deal. (This one is 15 cents per ounce, and this one is 10 cents per ounce, etc.)"
For some people, saving money is practically a sport.
6. Peanut butter
"When I was little and wanted to throw away a jar of peanut butter, my mother would get mad and insist on getting at least one more sandwich out of it. Now, when my boyfriend wants to throw away a jar of peanut butter, I can at least get one more sandwich out of it."
And if you’re wondering whether budgets can survive roommate disagreements, this AITA about refusing to split food expenses over purchases is right there.
7. Now that she can eat whatever she wants...
"My wife grew up poor, eating cheap food and often not getting enough. If they came into some money, they would buy a bunch of expensive food and feast. Now we both have great jobs and plenty of money, so at first, she wanted to feast all the time, and it took a while for her to get out of that mindset."– AXJ66
The Good Brigade / Getty Images
8. Eat it even if you don't like it...
"My husband will not eat food if he doesn't like it. He throws food away. It drives me crazy because I have been hungry before. I try not to waste food ever. Even if I don't like it, I still eat it. I know what it is like to go hungry, so I am grateful to have food to eat."
That kind of memory can change everything about waste.
10. Eat until there is no food left
"I grew up middle class, and my partner was poor. He cannot stand the idea of not eating everything on your plate. Meanwhile, in my family, we were encouraged to eat until full and leave the rest-even if it's just a bite or two. He always eats until he's stuffed, and then finishes my plate too."
11. Eating leftovers is boring
"Once, he refused to eat leftovers because he'd eaten the same thing yesterday. Instead, he insisted on fixing something new. ... I think there is some privilege in refusing to eat food due to boredom."– etconner
Stefanikolic / Getty Images
12. Best by
"My partner is a stickler about 'Best by' dates. I’ve had to say multiple times that if that chunk of expensive Parmesan isn’t green all over, it is fine. Do not throw it away. Does the milk smell? No? Cool, drink it. It’s like he has no idea what spoiled food looks like compared to fresh."
13. Forks from takeout
"My ex used to save all the plastic forks and ketchup packets and whatnot from takeout. I used to hate that because I felt those were environmentally wasteful."
- Andrea
14. Working class and middle class...
"I grew up working class, and my partner grew up middle class. The main thing I notice is food portions. I cook just enough for the meal and serve portions according to appetite. He’ll use an entire bag of, say, pasta or potatoes for one meal and serve huge portions to everyone. There’s so much wastage, and I can’t help feeling nervous that a week's worth of potatoes has been used up in one meal."– lizm75
Cream_ph / Getty Images
15. Birthday cakes...
"I grew up poor, and my husband grew up with plenty of money. When celebrating birthdays, I always want a simple celebration at home with a home-cooked meal and a box mix cake. My husband and his family have a tradition of going out to a restaurant, and if there’s cake, it’s bought from a bakery."
Birthday traditions can say a lot about how someone grew up.
If you were poor (or at least relatively poor) as a child, some of the things you and your family did (or didn't do) as a result have most likely stayed with you throughout your life. Even if you've improved your situation and are no longer poor, you probably recall all of these things.
They tend to stick...
Want more grocery fights? See how one roommate refused to split costs for communal snacks.
