Should I dump my boyfriend because he won't stop eating crisps?

[Spicyseniorita7]

I'm in a relatively new relationship (7 months) after over 2 years of being single with some dating disasters along the way. Everything seems great on paper, he is kind, has a good job that pays well, not bad looking, treats me well and never allows me to pay for anything. For context, I am 28F and he is 32M- we both live separately at present. I would like to settle down soon.

I'm unsure if I am self-sabotaging, but some of his eating/snacking habits disgust me, to the point that I think I've developed the ick. This came to light properly on our recent 2 week holiday-prior to this, the longest we had spent together was about 3 days. He eats at least 3 packets of crisps per day and not the sophisticated type i.e kettle chips, think more Skips/monster munch/Nik naks/cheesy wotsits/space raiders. He doesn't wash his hands after eating the crisps and requires prompting to do so. This often results in him having disgusting synthetic crisp dust all over his fingers and fingernails.

Even more disgustingly, after he's finished with a packet, he arches back his head and empties the remnants of the crisp crumbs into his mouth. It's almost as though he cannot bear for a single scrap to be wasted. But the most disgusting is sometimes, after finishing a packet, he will blow up the packet like a balloon and pop it. This has resulted in me being sprayed with crumbs. I've also found scrunched up crisp packets wedged behind his bed, almost as though he can't be bothered to walk to the bin.

We recently went on holiday to Spain and it was mortifying-he didn't try any local food and just wanted to eat British food, McDonald's and crisps. We went to the supermarket and he loaded up the trolley with crisps. I haven't said anything yet, he is keen to start looking for a flat to rent together, but I just can't help but thinking I would prefer a man who doesn't eat over 3 packets of crisps a day and doesn't smell like pickled onion Monster Munch or cheesy wotsits. Is eating all of those crisps a dumpable offence?

Surely no woman wants to have sex with a man who will touch her with wotsit dust fingers, stink of fake cheese seasoning and in circumstances where she’s likely to find a crisp packet down the mattress during the act??

The crisp eating itself would not be a problem for me, the not cleaning his hands afterwards especially if he is planning on 'touching' me would be. Inflating the bag and popping it would get him a clip round the ear for a first offence, any more would require stricter punishment until he learns to adult properly. While irrirating, i'm not sure any of these are dumpable offences, you may have to teach him though, some men require direction. My brother is one of those who refuses to try new food on holiday, he won't change.

Hahaha - that is a fair point about the wotsit dust. I hate that stuff. I'd assume he does a bit of a freshen up before sex though, especially only 7 months in. I've been with my husband nearly two decades and I'm not sure he's ever gone straight from snacking to sex. I'm not sure... And, I'm maybe showing my abysmally low standards here, but finding a crisp packet down the side of the mattress would make me laugh.

I wouldn't say that 3 small packets of crisps a day is massively excessive. Not very healthy admittedly,if he's eating them instead of a proper meal. But the bit about not washing his hands afterwards 🤢 When I eat crisps like Wotsits,I could never not wash my hands afterwards. Couldn't bear that orange gunk on my fingers!

All that salt!

I hate to think what state his kidneys (and his blood pressure) will be in later in life.

I agree it's very off-putting and childish taste, and the fact that he won't try local food would be the end for me. It says a lot about him far beyond the issue of food.

I think you have to just talk to him - you have nothing to lose. I wouldn't care so much about eating crisps (I'm a fan!) but I think you can legitimately say 'do you not like to try different foods because it's really important to me to try local food on holiday and I'd love us to go to nice restaurants for dates?'. The other habits sound like he's just maybe not lived with a female or had a long term relationship and hasn't grown out of his bad childhood habits (or maybe is finding it funny that it annoys you) so keep pointing it out, rolling your eyes or whatever you do currently and honestly I think he would naturally change after a while...and if he doesn't then you say nope if it's a deal breaker. This is all assuming you like him a lot and can see yourself being with him if these things weren't a problem. If you were on the fence anyway then leave now. But habits are hard to break so if you like him maybe give it a month or two...but definitely check on the food thing because I doubt you'll change that unless he says that he's willing to do that.

if you want a traditional relationship then I’m afraid that involves you cooking, cleaning, doing his washing, childcare etc etc. which you are already moaning about. He goes out to work and earns the money and “protects” and you basically do everything else!

Thank god times have moved on!!

YANBU apart from this bit:

not the sophisticated type i.e kettle chips, think more Skips/monster munch/Nik naks/cheesy wotsits/space raiders.

That is ridiculous

Sorry haven't read the whole thread - but two things stand out to me

" But the most disgusting is sometimes, after finishing a packet, he will blow up the packet like a balloon and pop it. This has resulted in me being sprayed with crumbs. I've also found scrunched up crisp packets wedged behind his bed"

He's 32 not 12

" treats me well and never allows me to pay for anything "

Hmmm

To be fair I like crisps more than I like more of most people. The tip head back thing I thought everybody did? How else do you get the very last bit of fatty Salty goodness out ?

However the rest all does sound pretty grim I would not be impressed by someone who went abroad and didn't try the food Or he sprayed me with crisp crumbs 'cause they blew up the bag and popped it like 5 year old. Also I need to point out that Monster Munch aren't crisps they're a corn snack - nor are things like Pringles which are basically made out of mulch space Raiders /quavers /skips I have had to point this out in the past to people who brought me these things when I've asked for crisps.

‘Not bad looking’ you barely fancy the man even before the crisps so throw him back. Men do eat more than women though (or should) so I’m sure lots of them eat crisps - especially on holiday.

I am off to get some crisps

There's nothing wrong with skips or monster munch, but they're very much UPF and full of crap.

Kettle chips are potato,salt and oil. So in that way, yes they actually are better.

Hm, I fear that if you would like a man who is going to be a traditional provider AND will also be an equal partner with domestic chores, you might be narrowing the field too much.

Shouldn't someone who pays for your meals, provides most of the money etc can expect his laundry to be done for him in return?

(I'm being a bit tongue-in-cheek but I'm just not convinced that we can expect to have it both ways in life - aka the princess treatment from 'traditional' masculine providers without having in turn to take on a traditional 'feminine' role. Sounds like a nightmare to me to be stuck with that. But each to their own...)

The crisp thing sounds horrifying. Eating them... fine if he's not horrifically unhealthy in other ways (and personally I think your association of kettle chips with classiness is a bit silly - monster munch rule!). But the other stuff around it... hmmm. Doesn't sound amazing. Love conquerors all they say but i'd have to be very sure of being in love with someone to accept that.

Yes, this is the bit that would give me the ick. Why on earth wouldn't you pay for things? It sets up an imbalance and weird dynamic.

Crisps aside, if you were really into this guy I don't think you would be on here asking.

If he ate the savoury snacks ( because I refuse to call them crisps 🤣) binned the packets and then washed his hands that’s fine .
But not eating local food In Spain ?
turn off

I think I might be your boyfriend

Personally, I would not find this awful. Although inflating and popping the bag makes him sound 15 not 32. Not washing hands, a bit yuk but you decide if this is enough to put the kibosh on the relationship.

Maybe he needs to know that this really, really bothers you

Do him a favour and dump him - set him free to find a fellow crisp lover and live his best life

I'm not a big crisp eater, but this thread has be putting a dent in a bag. Torres, olive oil, though, so clearly I'm not afraid of Spanish food 😂

She’s offended by the idea that she should have to pay for anything- as he’s well off I wonder if that’s why they have been together a while.

She seems to want a traditional set up with full financial support but also someone who will step up and do all the domestic stuff.

Why do people get so angry about others not eating local food when abroad? These same people get angry when people don’t want to travel to other countries.

I wonder what is worse - not going abroad or going but not eating the local food?

Really weird that people are judged for this.

Is this for real?;! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Yes dump him.... For his sake as if you're this nuts over crisps, god knows how bad you'll be over important stuff, lol

On the surface it sounds a silly thing. But if you settle down together you will be eating together so your habits need to align. One into healthy living and one gorging on junk won’t work.