15 Couples With Different Financial Backgrounds Share The Differences In Their Attitude Towards Food

While the US is one of the world's wealthiest countries, it has a massive wealth disparity—over one in five US households experience food insecurity. Many of them face financial hardships daily and are well aware of the advantages enjoyed by others.

It is hard to explain what it is like to be hungry to a person who has never been truly hungry. And you can't explain how good water tastes to someone who has never spent a day without it.

So when a couple of users encouraged those who grew up in low-income families to share insights about food insecurity that the wealthy would never understand, it sparked a lot of discussions. People who never knew what it was like to eat whatever and however much they wanted shared their experiences from relationships with partners who grew up well-situated financially.

Of course, there are bound to be misunderstandings. We've chosen some of the most interesting stories, and we know you will find them engaging.

Additionally, we hope this will raise awareness about all the food we are throwing away while so many of us cannot afford to eat. If you have more packaged food than you can consume, please take it to a food bank.

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."

– Buhhhhhhhhhhhh

Fg Trade / Getty Images

2. 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."

– mikefalkstrom

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."

– ‘abbyb476905b59

4. Adding water to an empty ketchup bottle...

"Unlike my partner, we were the family adding water to the practically empty ketchup bottle."

– Arrrggghh

Rakesh Kumar / Getty Images/EyeEm

5. 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.)"

– christine61390

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."

– s463b03bd4

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."

– jessicaritter

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."

– stopbeingfatphobic

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."

– Buhhhhhhhhhhhh

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."

– debbievohs

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...