to not want to go on holiday with DH as he’s taking Pot Noodles?

Sure it's not sexy but this is quite a good little money saver. A meal out in Italy is say 30 euro, but he's only spending a quid. If he splashes out for McDonald's it's still only about 10 euro. I could maybe live with that because I could eat the difference

I can't see the issue really. He eats a pot noddle, then later goes to dinner and eventually ends up with a carbonara.

'Neurodiverse' isn't an insult.

Ignorant Little Englander is though. And anyone who refers to the entirety of non-Northern-European food as 'muck' is ignorant.

If my DH was sat eating Pot Noodles at 5pm in a hotel while DD and I ate Italian food in a restaurant (three hours later), I'd probably divorce him. Actually, I'd never have married him.

What is the problem with what another adult chooses to eat?
I wouldn't shag anyone anymore, but that's beside the point.
Italy is a bloody rip off and a waste of time, by the way.

Don’t forget the custard creams!

Umm strongly disagree! Pot Noodle Man is 100% wrong!

UGH! What a massive turn off! If my partner told me they'd prefer to sit in with a pot noodle or a McDonalds, I honestly don't think I could go on holiday with them. In fact, it would turn me off SO MUCH that I don't think I'd be able to be in any sort of relationship with them.

Do. And then causally drop into conversation that loads of people (apparently) piss into hotel kettles…

I would have to act like it (the pot noodles) didn’t bother me in case he was doing it for a rise!!!

I'm Irish too, and we always eat "late", and all sorts of cuisines.

I live in the US and can confidently state that a huge amount of American food is great - even (or maybe especially) the cheap food.

There are chains that do fabulous food. Thinking of Popeyes, Steak n Shake, and Culver's from the midwest alone, and all sorts of local cheap and fantastic independent burger, hot dog, or sandwich places in most cities of any size, with regional BBQ specialties too.

I am less than ten minutes from several superb independent restaurants/ diners / burger joints where you could feed a family of six for less than $50, a bar that serves fantastic Italian food, several ethnic restaurants, superb Mexican restaurants (some chains) and lots of local pizza places, all cheap and all a million times better than Domino's.

This.

Yes, leave him with his pot noodles, the saddo.

What a wet blanket.

This.
I'd just let him get on with his pot noodle and take the kids out for a meal.
Everybody happy.
(If he's not, tough shit, he either comes with or does his pot noodle or McDonalds and meets up with you later.)

I can't tolerate anything with sesame seed flavor's so all Chinese food is out for me. It is for this reason that I will never go to China!

Some people are a bit weird about food, and yes, it is really frustrating. However, it sounds like he is consistent about this so in this case I think you are being unreasonable to have those expectations.

Go on holiday with someone else next time/

Has to eat Pot Noodles by 5pm on holiday of choice in a Mediterranean country? Then, if he’s forced to eat out, tries and likes the food you’ve ordered? Sounds like a crap date and an even worst holiday companion. Quite inconsiderate. Incredibly dull/fickle. Has he always been so set in his ways? Do his charm and wit make up for his lack of joy in food and eating together?

Enjoy the food with your DC if you can afford it and you’ve been looking forward to it. His loss.

But maybe consider the compromise of staying in a flat or house next time, so he can make the foods he likes at home when he likes to eat. You could still eat out for every meal if you wanted. Nice cafe for breakfast coffee and pastries etc.

Sorry for laughing at this, I'm not big on pot noodle but if you're British you can't beat home comforts so I'd probably do the same. I'd take a much loved British item of food or drink on holiday lol... probably frozen curries.

To go to Italy and eat only pot noodles is a travesty!

Their late dinners are a pain though, especially as we (my family) are used to eating at 6 and try dealing with tired and hungry kids. We usually had to look for good restaurants that opened earlier and be their first seating. Sometimes we'd have a light snack in the hotel to pad our stomachs before heading out.

What the OP says about this guy does not sound like food anxiety or neurodivergence or anything like that. She says he moans about food, then nicks bits of hers and says he likes it, after insisting he won’t! That is not food anxiety, that’s just being a bit moany and stuck-in-the-mud.

@HotCrossBunplease I speak Italian. “GN” has the same “NY” sound as “Onion”. It’s pronounced “BollonNyehseh” (there is no shwa on the Apple keyboard that I can find).

When I met the dm of my future dh, she informed me of all the foods he didn’t eat/didn’t like/made him sick (e.g. didn’t like potato soup, as had been sick with it when he was a toddler 🙄). She also informed me of all the foods he did like (e.g. fish & chips/sausage & chips/pie & chips/beans & chips/egg & chips, i.e. had to be with chips, oh and also had to have Heinz tomato sauce as well). I did say (which she wasn’t very impressed with me about) that he had better be able to make these himself, as there was no way I would be making him those things!

He was an absolute nightmare for the first few years we were together, because he didn’t know how to cook anything, not even frigging chips! If I asked him to try something new, he just said he didn’t like it, even if it had his favourite ingredients in it. When I insisted he try it, he would but a piece up to his lips, then said it was horrible and he couldn’t eat it (note, I said put a piece up to his lips, he still wouldn’t taste it).

His mother was the same, didn’t like anything new and told me she was allergic to garlic (she wasn’t…..she survived every time I put it in the food I served her).

Dh did eventually eat (and liked) the food I cooked, because he had to eat it, or starve! He did draw the line at garlic, until he came home one day and asked if I had put garlic in the previous evenings food, as one of his colleagues had said they could smell it on his breathe. 😇 I did point out that he had said how much he had enjoyed his evening meal, so I guess he mustn’t hate garlic after all!

I honestly think that the majority of those who would survive on rubbishy food (pot noodles/chips etc.) are this way, because (like my dh) they weren’t fed healthy nutritious food as a child.

He sounds miserable! That is half the point sometimes, to eat delicious local cuisine. Leave him to his sad pot noodles.

That’s not far off the authentic Italian pronunciation of Bolognese! certainly much closer than the English “Bollonays”

I feel this is massive. I am a foodie. I love to eat out, especially on holiday. No way would I be with someone who wouldn't join me in doing it.

I am interested in flavours from around the world, both to taste and experiment in cooking. I collect recipe books and have files of passed down recipes. I actively plan out which new things to try out every week.

I could never, ever be with someone with no appreciation of good food.

Alternate nights?

@Astridastro I’m an Aussie and I had worked and saved up for so long to travel to the UK & Europe. On my first day in England many light years ago, (1990?) I went for a pub lunch with friends. I was eavesdropping and absorbing the many accents with excitement. One woman was debating ordering a spaghetti bolognaise (pronounced “BoloGnaysie”) and her husband said “Oooh, I dunno Deidre… Sounds a bit forrin’ innit…”…. I knew I was really finally there.

he’ll eye up a gorgeous carbonara or something steal a bit of mine then order his own, then declare it’s amazing and he wants to come back every night!

Jeez this would boil my piss even more! So closed minded until he actually puts it in his mouth. You're a patient one OP! 🤣🤣