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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To ban DP from “trying” my takeaway leftovers?

171 replies

Cassy5 · 21/08/2025 08:48

DP and I get a takeaway every few weeks. We alternate paying for these. We each order a main, a rice/chips/naan and some kind of side.

He doesn’t like foods touching so we tend to share the sides but not the mains or carbs. He is twice my size and eats all of his (then complains of being too full); I usually eat half mine and save the rest for a lazy lunch the next day.

Whenever he wants to “taste” mine later, he picks out the meat and leaves the veg, sauce and rice. This makes for a far less appealing lunch.

AIBU to tell him he eats all of it like a grown up or to keep off?

Lighthearted, but also not at all, because I was looking forward to my lunch and he’s ruined it 😂

OP posts:
Glittertwins · 21/08/2025 17:36

I’d be doing what a PP has said and mix up the main with rice seeing as he’s apparently picky about them not touching.
I chuck sweet and sour sauce over any spare chicken balls to stop myself from grazing later as I don’t like it.

houwseevryweekend · 21/08/2025 17:21

A meat curry without meat is a bolognaise without mince. A chicken sandwich without chicken. Fish and chips without the fish. Curry sauce is not a meal, it has no nutrition. Very selfish human. I would get quite pissed off and express that anger to him - some people only respond to anger as they think quiet frustration or polite requests means they get away with it. Is he selfish in other areas too or does he just think his hunger trumps yours?

GasPanic · 21/08/2025 17:14

They aren't leftovers and he is wrecking them and being unpleasant and inconsiderate.

MidnightMeltdown · 21/08/2025 17:02

He’s a CF. Honestly, why are your standards so low? I couldn’t put up with someone that greedy and selfish, let alone date them. This is not ok.

JHound · 21/08/2025 14:54

I don’t view it as light hearted. I find it really selfish.

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 21/08/2025 14:51

The use of “trying” would also give me the rage. Trying is having a spoonful, taken at random, not cherry picking all the good bits.

I am vegetarian but obviously the protein element of the meal is generally the sought- after bit - whether it’s meat or something like paneer or the nicer vegetables - not just onions and sauce!

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 21/08/2025 14:48

If he will leave stuff alone when you ask him, then surely just asking him to leave it alone will suffice?

YANBU but it seems an easy fix.

And if he won’t leave it alone when asked it’s a bigger issue.

Not least because you’re paying half by taking it in turns so should be allowed to do as you want with your half of the food!

godmum56 · 21/08/2025 14:41

Zodiacrobat · 21/08/2025 14:08

Yes let’s do everything apart from tell him he’s a greedy cunt and to leave her food alone. Let’s tip toe round the Man so his widdle feelings won’t get hurty. Hmm

This.

Zodiacrobat · 21/08/2025 14:08

Catwalking · 21/08/2025 09:37

maybe you could find a vegetarian dish that you could eat? maybe even try a few, once DP thinks he can’t find anything he likes in your leftovers he might be able to give up stealing?

Or remove the meat from yours & pop in freezer, it’s going to be such a small amount it’ll easily defrost for your next days meal?

Yes let’s do everything apart from tell him he’s a greedy cunt and to leave her food alone. Let’s tip toe round the Man so his widdle feelings won’t get hurty. Hmm

Zodiacrobat · 21/08/2025 14:06

R0ckandHardPlace · 21/08/2025 09:17

Lace the leftovers with laxatives. The greedy bastard won’t do it again.

haha yes!

SaratogaFilly · 21/08/2025 13:43

Candleabra · 21/08/2025 08:49

I wouldn’t say that was lighthearted. That’s really bad behaviour, is he always this selfish?

I thought the same - his selfishness would turn me right off him!

Cat3059 · 21/08/2025 13:41

Give him a taste of yours while you're eating it and don't let him touch your left overs. What he's doing would piss me right off, selfish bastard.

Falseknock · 21/08/2025 13:33

CoughCoughLaugh · 21/08/2025 10:09

Then you have been buying it from the wrong takeaway! My local place does thick, rich and very tasty curries with loads of big chunks of good quality meat and / or veg.

And now I want a chicken tikka masala or a dopiaza with big chunks of onion... sigh...😂

The take aways are rubbish around here. The last decent Indian I had was in 2005 at Bombay Bicycle.

Poppins21 · 21/08/2025 13:12

I love love love left over takeaway for breakfast. This would be a massive red line for me. I am furious on your behalf eating all the good stuff is arsehole behaviour.

Dabberlocks · 21/08/2025 13:10

That would infuriate me. It's like taking the ham out of leftover ham salad sandwiches.

DiscoBob · 21/08/2025 13:08

Selfish pig. Anyone who picks all the meat out of someone else's meals deserves a bloody slap! Then to act all innocent and gaslighty by calling it 'trying'. Gobbling down every viable piece of protein?! It certainly is fucking trying!!

And he doesn't need to 'taste' it, he knows full well what it's like as he's stolen it dozens of times before!

Literally LTB territory is growing close! 🤣

NeverDropYourMooncup · 21/08/2025 13:03

Surely the most obvious thing to do is to ensure that all of your foods are touching one another in one container so he'll turn his nose up at them leave them alone?

whynotwhatknot · 21/08/2025 12:55

dont tell hinm he can have it just sya can you not im saving it for lunch

ImaginaryLobster · 21/08/2025 12:26

Greed is big ick for me, Id put washing up liquid in it one time to teach him a lesson 😂

Liliwen · 21/08/2025 12:24

Ugh that’s so selfish. That would piss me off

Inertia · 21/08/2025 12:13

I’d tell him to get a duplicate of whatever you’re having so he can have it for lunch the next day.

Alternatively, if he doesn’t like mixed goods touching , mix up all your leftovers in a Tupperware.

LillyPJ · 21/08/2025 12:12

Mydadsbirthday · 21/08/2025 10:56

If you live together why do you make lunch separately? This seems weird to me. Don't you just share out what's left and add something else on the side?

It might be weird to you but it's normal to some people. Maybe they have breakfast at different times? Don't bother get up together? Like different things? I often ate breakfast earlier because I had to leave for work first. Or DH skipped breakfast, which I'd never dream of doing.

ThreePointOneFourOneFiveNine · 21/08/2025 12:11

Serve him the remains of your leftovers after he’s picked at them for lunch the next day while organising something much nicer for yourself. If he thinks it’s okay for you to have it for lunch then he can have it for lunch. I bet he’ll stop doing it pretty quickly.

k1233 · 21/08/2025 12:11

Mimbl · 21/08/2025 09:00

If you really don't begrudge him the amount of actual food, what does it matter which parts he wants? And why is it substandard without the meat? If you think he should only have sauce /veg/ rice, what's wrong with you eating that for lunch?

I'm a carnivore. I eat meat, tolerate veges. If someone picked the meat out of my takeaway I'd be stabby.

SirBasil · 21/08/2025 12:11

I would just tell him "can you not eat all the meat out of the curry please"

far too passive: Don't eat my leftovers, that is my lunch. Greedy fucker.