DP spends too much money on takeaways and junk food generally

[culinaryconcern]

I wasn't quite sure whether to post this in the food section or in relationships. My boyfriend spends a lot of money on takeaways. He usually gets at least 2 takeaways a week, sometimes more. So it's at least 8 takeaways a month. He has said he doesn't like cooking from scratch as "it's a hassle" and "it never tastes as nice as a takeaway". When he's not having takeaways he will usually have a supermarket ready meal or sandwiches. To be brutally honest, when he has tried to cook meals himself, it's tasted horrible every time. He has also said that he would prefer to spend money on food that he actually likes. I personally find fast food rather unpleasant and try to avoid it as much as I can. What are your thoughts? Does your DP or DH usually cook stuff from scratch? Also I'm curious about how many takeaways most people have each month.

One takeaway every 6 weeks to 2 months. We do have supermarket pizza every Friday though. Does that count?

I'd be concerned about his health tbh, and there's probably a blatant lack of interest in his own health which is only going to get worse with time.
If he's overweight now, he's not going to be doing great in the future and he will become less hot in bed.
How is he about your cooking, does he see all homecooked food as inferior tasting to takeaways, or just his own?

Probably eat out twice a week. Always Sunday lunch. And probably get a takeaway once a week of some kind. Work from home all the time so any opportunity to eat elsewhere I'll take!

Dh cooked from scratch for himself when we met. He was 25. He did most of the cooking at the start of our relationship but nowadays I cook the most. He said that his mates in his student accommodation made fun of him cooking dinners.

We have fish&chips maybe once a month from chippy. Pizzas maybe three times a year, mainly on dc birthdays.

That would be a massive turn off for me. Even if he's not overweight, there is really no nutritional value in most takeaways (unless he's getting takeaway sushi!) and so much wasted packaging. We maybe have one takeaway a month. I would rather have a nice supermarket pizza, cheaper and healthier. Do you cook? Can you cook together, maybe look at some really easy one pan meals, or easy pasta dishes? Or batch cook then reheat.

Me and DH both like cooking and we enjoy trying out different vegetarian recipes.

I do cook more than he does but only because I don't work and he does.

We probably get a takeaway curry about twice a year and rarely eat out. We both think we can cook as good if not better than most restaurants so just a waste of money

My H had an awful diet when we met but we were younger then.

He then started coming round and I had made a bit extra so he started eating what I cooked.

His skin, energy improved.

He always paid for every drink, nearly every drink, every meal out and take away. He always brought beer/wine/anything we messaged him from the shop so it's not like he was taking the piss.

He just didn't see making food as part of being social. But that grew together.

So perhaps you could put Dom's music on at the weekend, marinate some chicken, make X nice potato salad, green salad, get good bread in and have cooking together as part of the weekend?

Some people just have never been around a home based around the kitchen.

I know so people think "oh if he can't cook then I couldn't be with him" but that's too black and white thinking for me.

Me & H still together, 20 years, I still make most of the food, he still pays for everything. I make us, and our now 2 teenagers, a roast most cooler months Sundays, I relax, have a glass of wine, radio podcasts on, we eat, talk, play a board game. The kids cook now, radio on we all chat, it's social and you end up with home cooked food and having spent fun relaxing time together.

That could be what is missing from his knowledge.

Might not be of course.
But just another point of view.

We eat out on outings, special occasions.
We get a takeaway when we get back from a holiday or if a day has meant we have nothing in but carrots and we need to feed the kids or it's a school night birthday.

But it's a rarity not the norm.

We eat out a couple of times a week, get a takeaway once or twice as well
Wouldn't bother me tbh, you sound a bit too judgemental for him

boyfriend ?

do you live together ?

a tad overweight now, give it 5 years and see how overweight he is then never mind 10 years time

We go to McDonalds once a week minimum & on weekends might go there or somewhere else for breakfast. But it’s part of a calorie and salt controlled diet and I cook from scratch the rest of the week. I think beyond his skills at cooking (or not) it must be unhealthy to have takeaway or ready meals everyday.

It doesn't really matter. It's his choice. Leave him be