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?

Your username is very apt.

What is wrong with an adult eating monster munch? My local pub sells the grab bag size. They go brilliantly with a pint on a hot day!

Life is too short to have an attitude like yours. If you enjoy monster much then eat them. The same goes for any food products which you enjoyed as a child.

Let him go, he's not your type .

There's an over importance placed on it. These are the kind of things that should be worked out before it gets to the 7 month stage anyway.

Everything seems great on paper

I think I've developed the ick.

It's over, move on. You're barely one step away from contempt for the man. It's not a long term thing.

Yes that stuck out to me. He's a 'lad' and clearly not house-trained. I prefer dating grown-ups, you can't settle down successfully with a child.

But I also missed the "won't let me pay for anything" . Nope. He wants to employ/own you. To sweep up his crisp crumbs, tidy his discarded packets, and possibly worse.

As someone with ARFID I can guarantee that food is not why I travel.
For some people food is just not important. I travel because I like seeing the world but have zero interest in the food. There’s nothing wrong with that. It doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy local cuisine.

I got the ick just reading this. YANBU. I couldn’t be with a man who behaved like this.
32 yo leaving crisp packets down the back of his bed?! He’ll be great at housework, then! 😂😂

😆 🤣

Exactly this.

I feel like I have learned a lot about British culture reaching this thread. "Skips/monster munch/Nik naks/cheesy wotsits/space raiders"

Been to London a few times and have never heard of any of these snacks. Definitely have to look for them the next time I go.

😮 that works out as 93 packets of crisps a month, 21 packets of crisps a week,

If you have the ick this early on its doomed.

Yes its a relatively small thing but I understand why its making you feel that way.

You can't talk yourself into staying, if you don't feel really upset at the thought of doing it, you have your answer.

@Spicyseniorita7 My ex-hubby used to eat the crisps and then slowly lick the flavour off each finger. Never washed his hands. It used to make me feel sick, and so glad I don't have to deal with that BS any more. I tottaly understand you getting the ick!

There are far worse things in life. It could be drugs or alcohol. If he is healthy & genuinely loves & appreciates you then surely that's enough, especially if it's generally reciprocated apart from the crisps habit. I would definitely tell him he needs to change his habit of popping the bag in front of you etc. Apart from that what's the huge issue.

😆 🤣 they are all very tangy and tasty!

Surely he can't have hidden this before now?

Was he deliberately sabotaging your relationship?

Sounds like he needs to be a bit tidier and less performative with his crisp habit. But I couldn’t be annoyed about the fact that he eats them. I also don’t think that the type of crisp matters. Posh crisps are still crisps. He knows what he likes and he likes what he knows😅

Disclaimer: My name is ThonsDesperate and I’m a crispoholic.

Skips crisps are delicious - I used to fight with my brother over a share bag of them! Top tip - put them on your tongue and the crisp will fizz and melt a bit, and then eat. Prawn cocktail flavour but nothing like real prawn cocktail 😀

Leave. It will escalate to excavating between his teeth with his fingernails, spitting out cherry stones, sucking chicken bones, double dipping, finger marks left on cheese, ripping chunks off French sticks instead of cutting, slurping, dumping tea bags on the work surfaces, drinking from the juice/ milk cartons and a million other grim food and drink related habits.

if you stay you will spend the rest of your life biting your lips not to say anything until you eventually pop and run him through with your best and very expensive filleting knife when you discover he has been using it to stir paint.

I think this relationship is over.
All the positives you list about him are deeply banal.
The fact you're bitching about him here, bodes very badly.

Do you mean people who won’t try things when they are with you? Why does someone else’s food likes drive you mad?

Oh definitely - get rid & don't look back.

I was just thinking that. Currently abroad and waiting for my two autistic kids to finish breakfast. One eating cornflakes and ones rice crispies - brought with us. They are adventurous when it comes to trying activities and experienced abroad but changed of food just isn't possible.

I likey had ARFID as a child although wasn't a known condition back then. I remember my mum having to try and find baked potatoes for me everywhere as that's pretty much all I ate. These days I do force myself to try new things but its very hard and I struggle a lot.

The blowing up crisp packets would drive me mad but sounds like a ritual. Is autism a possibility?

I got the ick just reading your OP. Sorry.