The internet has rallied behind a man who has faced ridicule in the workplace for his wife’s home-cooked Mexican meals.
Redditor u/FireQueen1012, a 34-year-old construction worker, shared that his wife, 32, wakes up at 4 a.m. to prepare elaborate Mexican lunches for him, including birria, tamales, pozole, or tacos with homemade tortillas. She also packs accompaniments like fresh salsa, agua fresca or horchata.
“I’m not trying to brag, but my lunchbox is like a 5-star meal compared to the gas station burritos most of the guys bring,” he wrote in the subreddit “AITAH [Am I The A*****],” where his post garnered 18,000 upvotes.
“Lately, though, a few of my coworkers have been giving me crap about it. It started as harmless jokes like, ‘Dang, you bringing a whole restaurant today?’ or ‘What’s next? A piñata?’ I laughed it off at first because whatever, guys will be guys. But then Rick (40sM) started acting like my lunches were a personal offense. He’s one of those dudes who eats microwave burgers and calls it a day,” the original poster (OP) wrote.
The situation escalated when OP brought mole with rice for lunch, and Rick complained that it “stank up the break room.”
OP defended his meal, arguing that other coworkers bring fish and instant noodles with strong smells, but Rick insisted that OP’s food was particularly disruptive.
Meanwhile, another coworker was so impressed by the lunches that they asked if OP’s wife could send extra for a fee. While OP joked about it, Rick accused him of “showing off” and acting superior.
Despite the tension, OP’s boss has not addressed the issue, and some colleagues have advised him to ignore Rick. However, the uncomfortable atmosphere persists. Upon hearing about the situation, OP’s wife suggested making less aromatic lunches, but OP refused, emphasizing how much he cherishes her cooking, which helps him get through grueling 12-hour shifts.
Now, he wonders if standing his ground makes him the antagonist.
Expert Insight
Marcia Bonato Warren, a trauma-informed body psychotherapist and somatic counselor, shared insights with Newsweek from her forthcoming book Movement and Identity: Multiculturalism, Somatic Awareness, and Embodied Code-Switching.
“Smell is one of the most intimate and culturally determined sensory preferences humans can have, giving us information about the foods we eat, the physical environments we occupy, and signals from other bodies relating to hygiene, attraction, or health,” she wrote.
“The associations we make to smells relate directly to our cultures, and if what we smell does not hold a similar meaning to a smell from another culture, conflicts or misunderstandings can quickly arise.”
Reddit Reacts
Redditors overwhelmingly supported OP, calling out the workplace toxicity and encouraging him to keep enjoying his wife’s cooking.
“NTA. Sorry those guys are both lonely and hungry. Hype that wife of yours up,” one user wrote.
“Your wife loves you so much to be putting that kind of effort into your lunch! Rick is just jealous! Definitely keep bringing your delicious lunches!” another person commented.
A”This, OP! Your wife is a queen, and it honestly sounds like you work with a bunch of immature, jealous-a** (and quite possibly bigoted) people who eat garbage daily,” a Redditor wrote. “You keep eating wifey’s lovely lunches, and owning your love for her. You don’t owe anyone squat.”
“Maybe on your birthday, you ask her to make you a big pan of tamales or tacos to bring and offer the others. Maybe it’ll shut them the hell up,” another suggested.
Newsweek reached out to u/FireQueen for comment via Reddit. We could not verify the details of the case.
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