Aibu to refuse to cook smelly things?

I rarely cook fresh cod (I live in a small 2 bed flat) and the smell lingers for a couple of days. I've tried steaming and baking but it doesnt make any difference. Will try the white vinegar hack.

Probably makes things too spicy, really.

Why wouldn’t you be able to?! An air fryer is basically just a small fan oven. It’s not like a microwave.

I think it’s perfectly fine for you to refuse to cook them but but it would be very unreasonable for you to say what DH can cook in his own home. My DP loves mussels but the smell makes me heave so he’ll save them for an evening I’m out/away. The smell is definitely still there when I get back but at least it’s not as bad

Totally within your right to cook or not cook what you want to.
However, if he then chooses to cook them instead that might be harder to try to dictate…

I spy a learning opportunity for your DH.

If you don't want to cook them, don't. If he wants to eat them he can cook them.

normal food? What else could I be eating?
I work I don't have that much time to cook

What do people eat? Fish (sorry OP 😂) or meat with vegs, anything that's quick and easy to make.

This week I have stuffed peppers, chicken and tabbouleh salad, chickpea salad, chicken noodle soup, quiche (shop bought) and salad and prawn/ tuna rice salad on my (vague) list. I can always do an omelette if we really can't be bothered to cook.
We will probably have a pizza delivered at some point. Like normal food? I just don't add fried onions everywhere.

What do you eat on a weekly basis then?

I don't add onion to most pasta, and none of these meals are staples that I cook more than occasionally?

I love potatoes (and pasta) but not at every meal of the week?

You are being more than a little bit unfair, you are being downright unreasonable. What are you cooking that is so bland it doesn't smell? And yes, as others said, if you have the extractor fan on, empty the bin with any food scraps and don't leave the washing up piled up overnight it shouldn't take that long to clear.

Smoked fish and fried onions? Hmm, that's nearly one of my favourite meals right there. I love a kedgeree.

You sound like my mother, I still have unpleasant memories after her making a huge fuss and running around opening windows complaining about the smell after 27 years of not having lived with her. I don't love the smell of some food cooking, I just open the windows. It doesn't last for days and does not require days of cleaning. You are being unreasonable.

Stews, casseroles, curries, chilli, any tomato based pasta dish, cottage/shepherd's pie, even something as bland as bangers and mash has onion gravy?

I don't agree that "almost every meal has onion in it"
YOU might be putting onions everywhere, I don't?

And I mean following usual recipes, not just deciding not to add any when other would.

Keep window opened, close the door and use chef candles during and after.

He's allowed to eat what he fancies in his own house, you can't completely ban fish and smelly food. I hate smell but food smell really shouldn't linger for hours let alone days and you don't need all kind of chemicals and air freshner to get rid of them

Fried onion and curry are absolutely revolting smell, but you can manage so your house doesn't stink if they are only used once in a while.

YANBU to refuse to cook it yourself, he can cook them if he likes them

You need proper extractor. Really helps.

Some "smoked" fish is absolutely rank though. I am there with you. Basa and mackerel are not bad and my extractor can manage. Cod was horrible last time I did it. Just stuck in for ages even with extractor and windows open. Weird one that one.

You don't have to cook anything. But if he wants to eat stuff you dislike the smell of then he should be able to. Ask that he opens a window or puts on the extractor but you can't actually ban him from using his own kitchen to cook foods he likes?!

To be fair to the op she has said that she is not cooking them, not that he cannot cook them. He can cook them himself.

Thanks for the Vinegar tip. Will try that as my extractor fan is not great.

Unless you are living solely off UPF oven food, I don't understand how you are not cooking anything with a smell? Almost every meal has onions in it. What do you eat whilst he is eating foods containing onions/fish? It sounds like you have some sort of OCD or mental health issues about smells.

Open a window.

If you won't cook the spicy things, he can.

I can't deal with bland food. Spice is life.

Exactly this. I don't much like lamb, so I never choose to cook it - if DH cooks it, then I will eat it, but why would I choose something I don't much like when I'm shopping and cooking? (to note, DH eats all the things I do like to cook happily enough)

Burn a joss stick, gets rid of smells quickly.

This 😂

If you dont want to cook certain foods then don't. If he is that "disappointed" he will have to cook sometimes. That won't fix the smell issue but at least you'll get the odd evening free of kitchen drudgery (and you could try some of the smell neutralising hacks in this thread).

I have no patience for people (usually men) who sadface and moan that their wife "won't" cook certain things. Get the frying pan out yourself Derek, it wont make your willy fall off!

Sounds like the OP that didn't like her DH using the toilet.