To think my DH should have eaten the dinner I cooked

No, I am saying the solution to the situation is that the partnership between OP and DH become more balanced and equal. It sounded to me that you think the woman should do it all and be happy with displays of gratitude from her DH. That’s not a sustainable solution imho. The DH has to fake gratitude for things he doesn’t like (a form of deception) and OP still has to do it all until she hits burnout and has a breakdown.

I don't think an adult should have just eat what they're given. Discuss what you might be having for dinner, have things in the freezer for emergencies. I wouldn't like to be given something I didn't like, particularly when I wanted to come home and relax after a day of work. He shouldn't have said anything in front of the kids, but cous cous is very much a marmite, you either like it or you don't, and chances are the kids wouldn't have eaten it even if he hadn't spoken up.

The lazy fucker would be making his own dinner from now on.
you don’t get to be so picky with the menu if you literally refuse to cook ever.

Why don't you both sit together and come up with a list of short quick meals and longer prep meals. It's he's gonna be such a fusspot he needs to pull his finger out and put in some effort. Maybe try keep 2/3 emergency dinners in or on hand, such as frozen pizza but a "nicer" one. Omelette bacon and toast, baked potatoes and chilli (chilli frozen), fish finger sandwiches, toasties and soup (frozen if bought on offer or in advance). Dunno, obviously you need to suit your intolerances so that's where enough is enough. He clearly takes you for granted so he needs to chip in

They are horrible! Totally changes the texture of the food. They are handy yes but unfortunately I hate them

Not something I could or would put up with but I appreciate different posters feel differently

Has he been reminded he can make dinner if he wants to be assured he's having what he wants?

Her dh had already said he didn’t like those cook in the bag meals. I don’t think it’s that he just refused to try it. He had the cook in bag meals before and doesn’t like them. I don’t think anyone should be forced to eat food they know they don’t like

I do too. I think no matter what, he needed to apply a lot more grace however he felt about it. My husband does all our cooking (I can't due to Health problems) and I literally can't Imagine being so disrespectful to his efforts. I would likely eat it and say I wasn't that keen or something diplomatic. But at the end of the day he needs to model better behaviour for the kids as well.

Well I had never heard of these cook in a bag things. Just googled and now I have something new to for my family to try. So thanks, OP. I also think your husband should have eaten it by the way. Mine would have, especially in front of the kids. I just wouldn't have made that particular one again.

My DH does most of the cooking - but I’m sure he’d stop doing it if I pulled a face and refused to try something.

Id make it clear that he needs to at least meal plan if he’s not going to eat what’s put in front of him. I, too, was brought up not to be fussy.

Yes, how dare he not like something 🙄
Saying it in front of DC was wrong, but he had already said he didn’t like that type of meal so it was a bit short sighted of the OP to purchase another.

He was incredibly rude and acted like a sulky man child. He sees this stuff as women's work and doesn't value the effort you put in.

I'd not cook anything further for him until he has apologised. Not for failing to eat it but for his shitty attitude.

It’s not a partnership when OP is struggling with fitting in her full time job with his expectations that she does the house chores as well.

You just sound like you think the woman should do it all.

Fair enough if you don’t want to be force into eating something because of childhood trauma

thrre is also manners and teaching your children manners through modelling

saying I’m not eating this when someone
serves you food is just obnoxious and could have been felt with better

flouncing off and getting a pizza would really piss me off

I am really glad it isn’t nothing, I apologise for inadvertently exaggerating. However, I do think it’s not well balanced. He really should see about his work-family balance because it leaves you carrying the bulk of the family load alone.

He sounds like a petulant child.

He will begrudgingly cook sometimes but I still have to think of the meal and preferably buy the ingredients.

And what's his excuse for doing it begrudgingly?! And for not doing it more often?

Oh. I don’t much buy into the gratitude thing a me bob. It’s a slippery slope because it gets into a score keeping row and who should be on their knees thanking the other. Partnerships that are equal shouldn’t need partners to fake gratitude for something they do not like.

I was brought up in a house of eat what’s given to you. I struggled a lot with food I don’t like.

As an adult I wouldn’t be pleased if my husband put food on my plate that he knows I’m not keen on. I hate those cook in bag meals like so juicy and maggi and I would have not eaten it either.
You knew he wasn’t keen on those type of meals so I don’t really know what the issue is. He doesn’t like that type of food.

I mean, I do. And the husband should. But that was not the question I answered. Chill.

Yes there are misses but there are also adult, respectful ways of responding to those misses.
Whether his overworked partner managed to create him a perfect dinner that night or not he should still be grateful that she fed them all. So disrespectful.

@MrsTerryPratchett
Completely agree everything is unbalanced. Her DH is only working a job. It’s like he does nothing for family life.

Then cook yourself?

For working full time, doing the food shop, picking up his kids from school, taking them to after-school club and then cooking dinner.

Whilst he gets home at 5pm and sits on his arse.