I can probably count the number of times H and I have ordered the same thing in a restaurant on both hands. This is over a 40+ year period, mind you
While he is much more adventurous these days, anything with a tomato sauce is out, as are Indian, Asian, Mexican. No vegs except carrots and potatoes and the occasional mushroom. Mega sigh.
We went out to dinner after the hockey game on Sunday. I had an endive salad (delicious!) and duck confit with a smattering of lentils. He had steak and potatoes dauphinois.
I use our dining out to enjoy something different. I can eat steak and potatoes with him at home any time I like.
I just get what looks good. Iām 95% vegetarian (I like seafood once in awhile) and donāt eat a lot of dairy. DH is dairy free and 95% vegetarian. He will occasionally eat fish and seafood, but dairy upsets his stomach. He does eat eggs, but no cheese or milk or cream or any of that stuff. It does not even appeal to him.
We have our usual things we like in certain places ā hard for me to pass up Drunken Noodles at a Thai place ā but I will try a lot of vegetarian options on a menu.
We donāt really share, maybe a taste just so weāll know if we would like to order that dish next time. His mom is terrible for wanting to try what other people have or saying she should have gotten what other people ordered. I try not to let it bug me, but it kinda does.
My future in-laws were appalled the first time I was in the family mix at a Chinese restaurant. They ALWAYS order āfamily style,ā and I asked the waiter for a separate dish/bill. When it came, MIL wanted me to put in on the lazy susan to share. I politely said that I didnāt care for any of the other orders and preferred my own food. I didnāt see anything wrong with that, but future DH told me after that what I had done was unforgivable in his family. I just shrugged. He learned that I never, ever share food in a restaurant or otherwise. I donāt taste your food, you donāt taste mine.
My kids and I like little plates to share. We will generally order more appetizers to share than the main course. I notice D1 and her H will order 2 different main courses and share. If my mom is around Iāll a main course for us to share.
Wine and cocktails, no coffee and desserts.
If I am out with friends I will order what I want and no food sharing.
We always share our food at Chinese or Italian restaurants . While meals in Western restaurants are sized for individuals, dishes offered in Chinese restaurants are meant to be shared . As such, cooks prepare food into bite-sized pieces, or prepare it in a way so it is easy to portion, while serving it to you on large plates and platters
It will be a rare occasion that H and I order the same thing because 8/10 times he is ordering like a hamburger with bacon, no toppings and fries.
I on the other hand would like a small bit of several things. When my kids/spouses are with me/us we tend to get a few things and split. Thank God I rubbed off on them!
I sort of feel like we tend to eat at places (though we donāt eat out often these days) where itās more conducive to sharing dishes - like Indian, Asian, middle eastern, as opposed to like bar food or a steak house or something.
And if we are at those places he is either still ordering his burger or something very plain or he just didnāt come!
(Even if we pick up donuts for a breakfast/brunch treat those suckers go under the knife and get cut into 4 pieces each so we can sample many flavors! Except H)
Iām vegetarian and h is mostly vegetarian, but on the rare occasion we eat out, he sometimes orders a meat or seafood dish. We donāt drink or get appetizers, but will usually split a dessert. Iām ok with sharing a bite of my entree with H, but there are times when I want what I want and donāt want to share.
My only strategy is to ignore what other people get. No I am not going to get something different so we can share. I have a friend who always wanted to do it. She was put out that I wouldnāt. I mean if both people want to great. But really dislike when people are upset when you wonāt. My husband learned the hard way that if he wanted something he needed to order it for himself. He thought he could always get some of mine. Sorry Charlie.
In restaurants where itās an option, Iām usually fine with ordering āfamily styleā or whatever itās called, and sharing with others, but I do try to make it clear that itās totally fine if some donāt want to share. We have some family members who are very adventurous and some not at all.
We typically would order different items and share, but on occasion would order either the identical entree or two different ones with no intention of sharing. We both have idiosyncratic likes/food tolerances that donāt match, so if he wants lots of garlic he can have it for himself, and if I want cauliflower thereās no chance that I will have to share.
We also order pizzas with half and half toppings for this very reason!
Exactly. Iām happy to do family style. We never order our own plates at Asian restaurants. Im happy to share at a place thatās designed for it. Like tapas. But if itās not a situation where we are ordering family style, I donāt want to share.
We are all adventurous eaters. I was raised that way. My kids too. You never had to eat anything you didnāt want, not even try it, but no special meals either. You had to ā make doā with what was there.
For me, it doesnāt have anything to do with being adventurous. I get different things often. Iāll try most things at least once for myself. I just donāt want to share anything. Iāll try the whole entree I ordered. I couldnāt stand eating a 1/4 of a donut. I want the whole dang thing!!!ā Iād rather eat 4 whole donuts vs 1/4 of 4 donuts. A little piece of something just makes me frustrated, not satisfied. I donāt do moderation well. If everyone was splitting donuts or food like that, itās be very easy for me to have none. None is better than frustrated with pieces.
In the old days, H and I would split an order of breadsticks we would each eat our own large supreme pan pizza from Pizza Hut and then go to Baskin Robbins for (own) ice cream sundaes. I can eat a lotā¦
