When you put in the effort to cook for family, it is nice for them to show some appreciation, or at the very least, not criticize.

What would you do if your mother-in-law would constantly criticize your cooking?

After years of enduring this criticism, the woman in this story finally stood up for herself and yelled back at the mother-in-law.

Now it is awkward being around her, so she isn’t sure if she should have just let it go.

AITAH for having a blowout fight with my MIL when she grumbled about everything I cooked for dinner?

I (28F) recently had a dinner with my family that was a disaster, and now I’m wondering if I overreacted.

Some context: My MIL (60sF) has a long-standing history of being hard to please, especially with anything I cook.

Cooking is my forte, and I’ve always tried to impress or, at least, please her, but no matter what, it’s not good enough.

If I cook pasta, it’s “too salty.” If I bake, it’s “too dry.”

I could literally feed her something cooked by Gordon Ramsay and she’d say it’s “a bit off.”

Her MIL was critical before even tasting the food.

Last weekend, I took a few hours to cook a whole homemade dinner roast chicken, garlic mashed potatoes, honey-glazed carrots, and lemon tart for dessert.

As soon as she walked into the kitchen, she commented on how it “smelled a bit strong.” And then to criticize everything during dinner:

Sounds like the MIL needs to cook for herself.

“Did you not put seasonings into the potatoes?”

“This chicken’s a bit too overcooked, don’t you think?”

“Lemon tart? That’s an odd selection…”

I clenched my teeth throughout dinner, but once dessert was over and she joked that maybe I should limit my menu to ordering takeout, I snapped.

I told her, not coolly, that if she did not like eating at home that much, next time she could eat out elsewhere—or better, cook for herself.

Sure, it is an awkward situation. But still necessary.

It immediately felt awkward.

She looked shocked, my husband (30M) tried to defuse but was clearly uncomfortable, and now I’m being told I’m rude and overreacting.

I feel like I finally stood up for myself, but now I’m second-guessing.

So, AITAH for freaking out after years of backhanded compliments?

It sounds like she needed to be put in her place, and that is exactly what she did. Better late than never.

Let’s see what the people in the comments on Reddit think of this story.

I agree with this commenter.

Yup, the husband can cook for her.

Exactly, those were insults.

Yes, the husband really failed here.

This commenter says to stop cooking for her.

This fight should have happened years ago.

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