Should a person cook what their spouse wants or what their child wants?

[Nomunkat]

Hypothetical situation
My husband asked me the same question and was a bit surprised at my response

Say one spouse is in a relationship where they are the main person to cook and makes dinner for their family every night (if one spouse works full time and the other is a stay at home parent for instance).
On nights where they don't know what to cook or don't fancy anything particular, and they ask spouse and child what they want to eat. If they both want to eat something different, what should they cook? What the partner wants or what the child wants?

I’d probably cook for the adult..but I wouldn’t get into that situation anyway because I hate meal time battles!

They should get turns to choose.

Bit of taking turns and give and take, I think.

Spouse. Dc eat what I make and put on the table. If they really wanted something I'd make it for them but it wouldn't be like - mum I really fancy meatballs and then I go and make them. I'd get the stuff when I next went shopping and make the meatballs. When I was with my stb ex h we as the adults decided what was for dinner.

Slightly depends on what is asked for and also who chose the time before etc. If one asks for pasta for example and you've already had it twice that week then I would go with the other suggestion if it was more different. Might also depend what you have in and which you fancy most of the two ideas.

I'd cook what I like best from the two responses. Whenever I ask people what they want to eat it's more for inspiration than a direct order!

Whichever one appeals to the cooker more, maybe they like one more than the other or it's more convenient etc.

@Ohmnomnom

I'd cook what I like best from the two responses. Whenever I ask people what they want to eat it's more for inspiration than a direct order!

Yup me too, I'd make whichever of the two I fancied more.

Depends what they both say. If both are reasonable choices and fairly low effort I'd probably cook both. We often cook different meals though, DH is veggie, I eat less meat than the kids, and there's various likes and dislikes. I don't have a problem dishing up 3 separate meals if they all have leftovers for another day.

Take turns, unless one person's preference is something easy you could cook at the same time like beans on toast.

Generally we make family dinners. But every couple of weeks we make something simple for the kids (or they chose something to cook for themselves from a recipe book) and cook something more adventurous fir ourselves. Kid also allowed to taste a bit of ours if they want. At the weekend DH tried cooking a squid dish for example. 9yo loved the bit she tried, 10yo didn't.

If the child is fussy I’d probably go with what the child wants. Otherwise, I’d pick depending on which I wanted more/could be bothered to make/we had the ingredients for. I wouldn’t automatically choose one person over the other unless there was fussiness.

I would make both and then make another meal for myself but I’ve never been one to make sensible decisions 😂

The one that was the easiest.

Never ask both!
I usually ask DH if he has an idea and make what he wants and then the next time i ask DC.

What’s in the fridge? Otherwise whichever I fancied most. Honestly mine eat what I cook.

You take turns, one picks for tonight, one for tomorrow

What the cook fancies.

Though I don't give a choice. I cook what I'm cooking.

Whichever I’d rather have of the two.

Both. 🤷🏻‍♀️ We often cook 2 or 3 different meals.

Who ever cooks chooses. And if not best to take turns choosing.

I do the cooking, so i get to choose. If I thought the D.C. (now adults) wouldn’t eat the food I’d chosen I would do two meals. DHs mum was a shit cook so he has always gratefully accept whatever was thrust in front of him.

I would cook the one I fancied the most.

I wouldn't cook something either party absolutely hates.

Other than that I'd take turns.

In that scenario the cook would get the third, deciding vote at our house.