Woman Ignores Daughter-in-Law’s Food Intolerances. Then, Plays ‘Victim’ When She Starts Bringing Her Own Meals

A woman with severe food intolerances seeks advice from Reddit due to disagreements with her mother-in-law, who ignores her dietary needs at family dinners

A woman is seeking advice from the Reddit community after warring with her mother-in-law over food intolerances.

The 29-year-old woman explains that she “can’t eat gluten or dairy without getting violently ill.”

“I’m not talking about mild discomfort, I mean full-body pain, nausea, and digestive issues that can last for days,” she explains in the Reddit post.

Despite clearly communicating her dietary restrictions to her mother-in-law, the situation has escalated to a point where family dinners have become filled with tension and conflict. The woman describes multiple instances in which her mother-in-law claims to have prepared “special” meals to accommodate her needs, only for these dishes to contain ingredients she couldn’t eat.

In one case, a supposedly gluten-free pasta dish contained soy sauce, which is typically made with wheat. When the issue was pointed out, the mother-in-law dismissed it, saying, “Oh, it’s just a little bit! That shouldn’t hurt, right?”

Another time, her mother-in-law served “dairy-free” mashed potatoes at dinner, which contained butter.

These experiences left the woman sick and bedridden, leading her to take matters into her own hands by bringing her own food to family dinners. However, the initiative didn’t sit well with the mother-in-law, who perceived it as a lack of trust in her cooking.

Despite trying to explain her reasoning, the situation continued to escalate between the two women. The breaking point occurred at a recent family dinner when the mother-in-law refused to allow the woman to eat her own food, insisting she try the prepared meal.

“She said I was being ‘disrespectful’ by not even trying her food. I told her that after multiple times of getting sick from her meals, I wasn’t willing to take the risk,” the poster recounts. The confrontation ended with the mother-in-law calling her “entitled” and accusing her of ruining family dinners with her “pickiness.”

The poster clapped back, telling her mother-in-law that her “health isn’t up for debate,” and she is “not going to apologize for taking care of myself.” Following the incident, the woman excused herself from the dinner and left early.

Now, the issue has created a rift in the family, with even her husband suggesting she could have handled things differently. “He understands my side but thinks I could have just eaten beforehand to avoid the drama. His family is mad at me, and my mother-in-law is acting like she’s the victim,” she writes.

While the woman questions whether she should have just eaten before to avoid conflict, many Reddit users believe she shouldn’t have to bend over backwards to spare the mother-in-law’s feelings.

“You were absolutely right… Your MIL has proven she can’t be trusted with your dietary restrictions so bringing your own food is the only reasonable solution. She’s intentionally ignoring your needs & then playing the victim when you protect yourself. That’s not just inconsiderate…it’s downright malicious,” one user noted.

Others suggested she had another problem on her hands, questioning why her husband didn’t stand up to his mom on her behalf.