My boyfriend thinks eating my leftovers isn't stealing because we live together.
By @kiralately · Relationships
We've had this argument multiple times. I'll save food I'm looking forward to, label it, and he'll eat it anyway, claiming that once food is in our shared fridge, it's 'communal property'.
The full story
I (28F) live with my boyfriend (30M) and for the most part, things are great. We split bills, chores, and generally get along. The one recurring issue is the refrigerator. It sounds so minor, but it's becoming a major point of friction for me. I like to cook, and I often make extra food for lunch the next day, or I'll save half of an expensive takeout meal. I'll put it in a container, and I've even started putting sticky notes on them that say 'Kira's lunch for Tuesday' or something similar. In my mind, this is a very clear signal that the food is claimed and not up for grabs. At least once a week, I'll go to get my food and find it's gone. My boyfriend will have eaten it. When I confront him, he's not even apologetic. His logic is that since we share the apartment and the grocery bill (though I often buy my own specific things for my own meals), everything in the fridge is essentially community property. they says that if I'm 'that protective' of a specific food item, I should 'hide it better' or eat it all in one sitting. He thinks I'm being petty and treating our home like a shared dorm with strangers instead of a home with a partner. Last night was the final straw for me. I had leftover Pad See Ew from my favorite Thai place. I was thinking about it all day at work. I came home, opened the fridge, and the container was empty in the sink. I asked him about it and he just shrugged and said he was hungry when he got home from the gym. I explained, calmly, that it's not about the food itself, it's about the lack of respect for my things and my plans. He thinks I am being controlling and unreasonable. It feels like he's deliberately ignoring a simple, direct request. Am I making too big a deal out of this? Or is he genuinely being disrespectful?
How people voted
- Bad Move — 32% (25 votes)
- Needs Context — 36% (28 votes)
- Reasonable — 32% (25 votes)
Readers are split: “Needs Context” leads with 36% — 78 votes and 5 comments so far.
What people are saying
@ineslol — start eating his food see how he likes it
@liamish — Why not just get a mini fridge for your stuff?
@kindofmaybe — I feel like he's not telling you something else if he's this determined to disrespect you.
@ezra — The weaponized incompetence is literally screaming.
@thatguymike — lmaoo
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