To not understand people who don't love food

[pastabest]

We had left over jersey royals from our tea tonight. And I overcooked (significantly) the marmalade ham I was making but it's created an amazing shredded ham thing when I've gone to try and slice it.

As I shredded the ham into an enamel tin to put in the fridge alongside the Jersey royals I was imagining all the delicious lunches I could make with them if I was WFH tomorrow.

We've got coleslaw, spicy beetroot salad, boiled eggs, lots of nice pickled stuff, a wide variety of salad stuff, houmous, all the cheeses etc and a massive herb garden. My mouth is drooling thinking about the possibilities.

Suggested to to DP who is at home tomorrow that he could have it if he wanted but if not I had plans for it for tea.

He looked at me like I was mad and said 'I'll probably just have a cheese sandwich and a packet of crisps like always'.

He is a food is fuel person and I just don't get it. I'm going to be going to sleep tonight dreaming of pulled ham hock with rosemary and garlic fried potatoes with a peashoot salad, a scattering of spicy beetroot and dollops of whipped feta covered in fresh chives , cherry tomatoes and cucumber with a sprinkling of seasalt and a nice zesty lemon based dressing of some sort.

I look in the fridge and I see endless possibilities, he looks in the fridge and finds the quickest and simplest route to being fed - enjoyment optional.

I definitely live to eat rather than eat to live (hence dream job as username). Love food and thinking about the next meal. Fortunately DH is the same and DD likes her food too. My son is very much a food as fuel person however, as he said his sense of taste has been affected by sinus issues, and would probably live on Huel if he could.

I also don’t get people who say they forget to eat. If I’m upset or stressed I probably wouldn’t feel hungry but I’m 46 and still waiting for the day when I forget to eat!

I wouldn't say i forget entirely to eat but if I am having a gardening day or a diy day, I will work through the day, get to around 7pm and be ravenous and headachey.

I'm either appalling or lovely to go on holiday with depending on whether you are a person who likes food or not.

I've been told this by friends who when I'm away with them are rather appalled by the fact that as soon as breakfast has finished (and I'm not nice if I haven't had breakfast) I'll be pondering where we'll have lunch or do we need to take sandwiches and also wondering how and what dinner will be.

Going on holiday with people who don't think about food or have a particular interest in food is trying for me. I've had times before now where I've just had to dive into somewhere and buy something quick to eat as I'm starving and whoever I am with has just said - 'no, I'm not really hungry at all...'. And I must be beyond trying for them.

Luckily DH and I have similar stomach timetables....

I do find it tricky with inlaws sometimes as everyone is being so polite, but if we are all out together on holiday for the day, they do like food but don't eat very much. So they could have a croissant and coffee for breakfast and then still not be very hungry at lunch time, whereas for me, when in France, by 12pm I become French and want a 2 hour lunch break.

I do think its different on holiday, from being at home, especially if you haven't been to the place before. If you aren't eating out, then you do need to have shopped and know where suitable shops are and if you are eating out, you need to know what the options are. Even on hols in the UK I have ended up with dubious hamburgers in dry buns through not doing the research. At home though there is always something in the fridge or cupboard or freezer and I know while it may not be my first choice of food, there will be something I like because I did the shopping. I don't class that as not having a particular interest, I just don't like ending up hangry.

I would, it all sounds amazing. I’m a good cook, I love food. Eating for me is tied to emotion and stress. When I’m unhappy I literally cannot swallow, it makes me sick. Down to under 7 stone this year due to trauma

but generally food is a huge pleasure, and I will eat literally anything

My FIL was the most annoying food is fuel person i ever met, he used to quote "eat to live not live to eat" and constantly shame mil for eating. He tried it with me too

I’m so sorry. She sounds evil.

I’ve heard it mentioned lots on MN and wondered what on earth it meant too.

this thread has opened my eyes.

it was almost as big a revelation as when I found out that not everyone has an inner monologue…….

My mil says she eats to live, not lives to eat. She’s fooling herself, unfortunately.

In our house, it more about healthy vs beige. I love your menu OP, but my DH would choose the cheese sandwich over it. DD says that younger men who only like beige food are unattractive, so there you have it! 🤷‍♂️

I grew up with a mother who fed us well (meat and two veg every night) but I dreaded mealtimes - I used to hide food or give it to the cat. Her meals were soulless and functional. When I left home I developed an eating disorder which went on for years, I didn't understand that food was meant to be enjoyable.

She still prepares the same meals 40 years later, goes to Tesco every week and buys the exact same food. I sometimes ask her if she ever sees a recipe and wants to try it but she looks at me like I've grown two heads 🙄