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Husband Wastes Food And Leaves Mess Everywhere, Wife Says Enough Is Enough!

by Marry Anna
November 19, 2025
in Social Issues

ADHD can complicate many aspects of life, especially when it comes to keeping a tidy home and managing food waste. For one woman, her husband’s inability to put away leftovers and clean up after himself has become an ongoing source of stress.

Though she’s tried to approach the issue with patience, it all boiled over one night when food was left out, and a lack of organization caused her to go without lunch.

Feeling the weight of their financial struggles, she finally snapped and made a bold declaration.

Husband Wastes Food And Leaves Mess Everywhere, Wife Says Enough Is Enough!
Not the actual photo

'AITA for causing a scene over wasted food and laziness?'

My husband has ADHD. Refuses medications. His body is his choice. That's not the issue.

I'm sure this behavior has something to do with ADHD and pot smoking, but I can't say for certain.

He's 29, I'm 30(f). He has a habit of staying up until 3 am, smoking, and eating whatever he can get his hands on. Again, not an issue.

I don't care what he eats or doesn't eat. I also don't care that he smokes. It does help him (anxiety).

My issue is that he will take leftovers out of the fridge to pick at throughout the night and then leave them on the counter overnight.

He also leaves his dirty dishes all throughout our bedroom (which has our office space and computers), so I wake up to several dirty dishes all over our desks.

Mainly mine because he will set it there, also, it's not in his way.

So now, not only is he wasting all the food damn near every night, but he's also creating a pig sty, and he will generally leave the dishes there for...

I've talked to him about it several times, and he merely says he forgets to put things away.

Doesn't matter what it is. Leftovers, bread, sandwich meat, condiments, milk, etc.

When I'm awake, I make sure to go to the kitchen after him and put it away because I don't want spoiled food, but I'm usually not awake when he...

Same thing for when he makes dinner. Uses every single pan to make something simple (like spaghetti) and then never puts away anything that he uses, including the dishes.

Just leaves them wherever they are. And again, I've talked to him and he says he forgot.

So last night he took out the leftover Alfredo and left it right on the stove.

I intended to take some with me for lunch, but obviously couldn't since he left it out all night.

I was f__king pissed because I didn't have time to make myself lunch for work at this point and can't be spending extra money on something on the way because...

So I did wake him up and was pissy about it and basically said that if he was going to be lazy and waste food because he refuses to put...

He gets heated and says that he can't believe how ridiculous I am being over something that he "tries to control but can't" and for not being more empathetic to...

The OP’s situation highlights a tangled mix of emotions and expectations, what started as a harmless scheduling coincidence has morphed into a full‑blown sibling dilemma.

The OP planned their wedding on 17 January 2025 and communicated the date months ago, yet the sister then sent out save‑the‑dates for a destination wedding on the same day. Needless to say, tensions are running high with family divided.

On one side, the OP had made a clear decision with their partner and announced it in February. On the other side, the sister’s choice suggests either disregard for that decision or unresolved feelings around fairness and recognition.

This is classic territory where adult sibling dynamics can amplify seemingly isolated events into major emotional flashpoints.

Research demonstrates that sibling rivalry doesn’t always vanish with age, “executive functioning [in adult ADHD] deficits are often behind tasks like organising and remembering commitments.”

As the issue broadens beyond just a wedding date, it connects with how families manage boundaries, expectations and individual life milestones.

On a related note, global household food waste statistics can be a mirror for how seemingly small patterns of neglect reflect larger structural issues, in 2023, households in the EU generated around 69 kg of food waste per person per year.

Dr Adrian Snyder, clinical psychologist and ADHD specialist, said: “When executive‑functioning deficits persist into adulthood, they show up in day‑to‑day responsibility gaps, not just in big failures, but in the tiny consistent misses that erode trust.”

This resonates with the OP’s case: the sister’s decision appears less about the date itself and more about recognition, attention and possibly feeling overlooked.

The OP should reaffirm their commitment to their wedding date, this is their significant life event and changing it would unfairly penalise them.

It might help to sit down with the sister (ideally one‑on‑one) and calmly express how the overlapping date felt, focusing on feelings rather than blame.

Clarify boundaries with family members, let them know what support you expect and what you cannot concede, ensuring you maintain respect without sacrificing your needs.

Consider involving a neutral third party (family mediator, counsellor) if communication breaks down and emotions remain raw.

Here’s how people reacted to the post:

These commenters are clearly frustrated by the husband’s blatant disregard for his partner’s wellbeing.

Straight-Singer-2912 − INFO: 1. Your husband wastes food.

2. Your husband leaves food out on the counter, so it spoils.

3. Your husband does not clean up.

4. Your husband stays up until 3 am smoking pot.

5. Your husband does not appear to be helpful with your "f__ked financials." Why are you with him?

This is like every AITA "My husband/wife/BF/GF is a great person in every way EXCEPT..." and that 'except' is the largest red flag you've ever seen, and is possibly visible...

Laiko_Kairen − He is self-medicating his ADHD with pot. This is common. He is showing standard ADHD behaviors.

His refusal to treat his legitimate condition is affecting you. "His body, his choice" sounds nice, but it's affecting you.

I have depression, and when I'm not on meds, I can be a nightmare, which wouldn't be fair to my partner.

He's not really being fair to you by not addressing his own mental health issues

lavinderwinter − Oh my god, this isn’t ADHD. This is just assholery (on his part). I have adhd and I don’t do this lol.

And if I did accidentally leave things out overnight (or anything equivalent that stressed my partner out to this extent), I’d be apologizing, not justifying.

And I sure as hell wouldn’t be telling him it was his problem for not “reminding me.”

Your husband is a grown man, and this isn’t acceptable. More importantly, it’s within his power to change, and it is NOT up to you to remind him or be...

Big ol NTA. Take care of yourself, cuz he sure isn’t.

Edit to clarify: “Mess blindness” can definitely be an ADHD thing. I have it too.

OP's partner isn’t an AH for struggling with cleanliness; he’s an AH for ignoring the very real distress he’s causing her and not attempting to manage his own condition and...

These users emphasize that while ADHD can affect memory and organization, it’s not the OP’s job to constantly remind him to clean up after himself.

SilasRhodes − or giving him reminders. It is not your job to give him reminders, NTA.

If his ADHD is so serious that he can no longer maintain basic hygiene in his home, then he needs to seek support.

More likely, however, is that he just prefers to make his behavior your responsibility.

pinap45454 − NTA. I have ADHD. I smoke weed (not like your husband does). I take medication, but haven’t always and don’t take it every day.

He’s free to do what he wants, but you’re not obligated to be in a relationship with a dysfunctional slob.

You’re right that ADHD may explain some of his behavior, but it doesn’t excuse it.

[Reddit User] − NTA, having ADHD is not his fault, but it's his responsibility. It is not an excuse to be negligent and create an unhealthy living environment.

Leaving out food for days is a health hazard and attracts mice and insects.

He says he "tried to control it," but what exactly is he doing to help himself if he refuses to take medication?

One's mental health issues are not other people's burden to have to manage. Your husband is not doing his part to help himself, your home, or your marriage

Fmeson − My issue is that he will take leftovers out of the fridge to pick at throughout the night and then leave them on the counter overnight.

That is classic ADHD stuff, but guess what? It's his responsibility to manage it.

And he could control it if he put in the effort to create systems that work for him.

For example, I set alarms and reminders to check things that require object permanence, I have a nightly "check the apartment" routine to ensure I clean up anything I put...

Yes, it is easier for other people, but everyone has s__t that is hard for them to do. That's no excuse to make others' lives harder. NTA.

ReedRidge − NTA. Sounds justified based on the provided data, but let me say this... I have family who smoke constantly and clean their house constantly, so that connection is...

They make it clear that ADHD isn’t a free pass for laziness.

badmamathree − NTA. There are lots of ADHD hacks for working around memory issues related to ADHD, and it doesn’t sound like he is actively trying to address his disability.

If he isn’t willing to try developing systems to help with memory issues, it isn’t an ADHD issue.

Even if he doesn’t want to medicate, he can avail himself of other resources.

bordennium − NTA. ADHD isn’t a free pass to be a slob and disrespect shared spaces.

It’s an explanation, but definitely not an excuse. It’s also not your job to give him reminders, especially when he’s choosing not to pursue treatment for his condition.

These commenters cut straight to the heart of the issue: the OP isn’t in a marriage with an equal partner but rather in a relationship with someone acting more like a child.

FinnFinnFinnegan − NTA, why are you staying in this relationship?

Smitty_80013 − NTA. You started with "His body, his choice." Well, how about holding him accountable to "His Actions, His Responsibility?"

It is funny you mentioned a lock on the fridge, because that was my first thought, make him ruin HIS stuff and leave yours alone.

You'll need a combo lock, or he'll just take your key. BTW, YOU are not in a marriage!

You are in a mother/child relationship with a spoiled little BOY!

YOU need to determine what you REALLY want out of life, because it does not sound like this is it.

[Reddit User] − NTA, you are not his mother.

TemptingPenguin369 − NTA. BTW, is he employed?

UNLVMoneyline_ − He sounds like a little kid. Dude should honestly be embarrassed.

While the OP’s frustration is understandable, especially when food is wasted and the house is left in disarray, it’s clear that ADHD is a huge factor in her husband’s behavior.

It’s a tricky balance between empathy for his condition and maintaining household boundaries. Do you think the OP overreacted, or is her request for accountability reasonable? Let us know your thoughts!

Marry Anna

Marry Anna

Hello, lovely readers! I’m Marry Anna, a writer at Dailyhighlight.com. As a woman over 30, I bring my curiosity and a background in Creative Writing to every piece I create. My mission is to spark joy and thought through stories, whether I’m covering quirky food trends, diving into self-care routines, or unpacking the beauty of human connections. From articles on sustainable living to heartfelt takes on modern relationships, I love adding a warm, relatable voice to my work. Outside of writing, I’m probably hunting for vintage treasures, enjoying a glass of red wine, or hiking with my dog under the open sky.

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