When it comes to love and dating, some have it easier than others.

Some people somehow fall into the arms of their high school sweetheart and never look back.

But for others, finding the right person to spend the rest of their lives with can feel a little more complicated.

And when you can’t seem to find someone who is totally compatible with you, it can be tempting to cut corners.

But as the person in this story decided, there are certain things that can never be overlooked.

Read on to find out why his friend thought he was being shallow.

WIBTA if I broke up with my partner because of food?

This isn’t about me personally, but something that came up in a conversation with friends.

We’re all in our early twenties, and we were talking about food incompatibility.

I said I could not be with someone who didn’t enjoy food the way I do. I like cooking, exploring cuisines, trying new restaurants. I’m not a cooking geek, but I couldn’t do without it.

My friend said that’s shallow, and that food shouldn’t be enough to break up a good relationship.

But the more he thought about it, the more he became committed to his point of view.

It made me think. Like… what if you genuinely don’t align at all around food?

For example, imagine one person loves cooking and finds joy in sharing meals, while the other just eats to survive.

Bland food, no interest in cooking, no excitement about trying new things. Every meal becomes a small negotiation.

Isn’t that as bad, or even worse than other kinds of incompatibility?

And this philosophising continued to grow deeper.

Food is something you do every day together. It’s cultural, emotional, even intimate in its own way.

Just because I can, I’d like to refer to my favorite author of all times, Sir Terry Pratchett:

“There came a time in a young Lancre lad’s life when his father would take him aside and explain the facts of life: ‘Looks fade and kisses lose their fire, but cooking just gets better.’”.

So my question is am I wrong for thinking it’s reasonable to end (or avoid) a relationship because you and your partner just aren’t compatible around food?

AITA?

Relationships are complicated and their success is based on a whole lot more than just looks, this person is right.

If the things that are important to you aren’t important to your partner then you’re in for a bumpy ride. It’s not just that she’s into football and he’s indifferent, for example, the problem would be if he outright hated football and resented having anything to do with it.

Sure if this person found a partner who didn’t love food to begin with that might be a bit of a turn-off, but if they were open to discovering and learning, and enjoying the joy their partner took in cooking and eating food? That might be less of a dealbreaker.

Let’s see what folks on Reddit had to say about this.

This person agreed that a supportive partner would make for a happy partner.

While others explained that it would depend on the magnitude of their differences.

Others, meanwhile, explained how there would be various aspects of compatibility to consider.

Presuming this person is looking for a lifelong partner, there are so many things to think about when it comes to deciding whether or not someone is their person.

It definitely seems like a love of food – or a willingness to develop one, or take an interest – would be key here.

And that’s okay – we’re all different, and the things that we love make our days a little better, which is an important thing to maintain, in or outside of a relationship.

You’ve got to preserve what makes you you.

If you liked this post, check out this story about an employee who got revenge on a co-worker who kept grading their work suspiciously low.