After speaking with them, we asked members of the BuzzFeed Community who grew up in a different class than their partner to share differences they've noticed. A major theme was food, and the stories highlighted everything from cutting coupons to eating leftovers. Here are some of the most thoughtful responses:
1. "It drives me crazy that my boyfriend won’t download coupons on his grocery app. I have to take his phone and add them myself, which takes all of five minutes and will usually save $2–$5."
2. "When I was growing up without money, we would make as much spaghetti as possible so we could refrigerate the leftovers for lunches or another dinner later in the week. So the first couple of times I made a huge pot of spaghetti or tuna noodle casserole, I would be puzzled at my girlfriend's comments on how much I made. Then I realized she rarely ate leftovers."
3. "When we first starting grocery shopping together in college, my boyfriend NEVER looked at the prices on anything. His default was to just grab the brand name or the first item he saw. ... Meanwhile, it was drilled into my head from a very young age that you always get the generic store brand or whatever is the cheapest option if something good is on sale."
4. "Unlike my partner, we were the family adding water to the practically empty ketchup bottle."
5. "My husband will obsess about getting the best possible 'deal.' He once spent, I kid you not, 30 minutes calculating which gigantic bag of dog food gave us the best deal. (This one is 15 cents per ounce, and this one is 10 cents per ounce, etc.)"
6. "When I was little and wanted to throw away a jar of peanut butter, my mother would get mad and get at least one more sandwich out of it. Now, when my boyfriend wants to throw away a jar of peanut butter, I can at least get one more sandwich out of it."
7. "My wife grew up poor, eating cheap food and often not getting enough, and if they'd come into some money, they'd buy a bunch of expensive food and feast. Now we both have great jobs and plenty of money, so at first she wanted to feast all the time, and it took a while for her to get out of that mindset."
– AXJ66
8. "My husband will not eat food if he doesn't like it. He throws food away. It drives me crazy because I have been hungry before. I try not to waste food ever. Even if I don't like it, I still eat it. I know what it is like to go hungry, so I am grateful to have food to eat."
9. "I grew up middle class and my partner was poor, and he cannot stand the idea of not eating everything on your plate. Meanwhile, in my family, we were encouraged to eat until full and leave the rest — even if it's just a bite or two. He always eats until he's stuffed, and then finishes my plate too."
10. "Once, he refused to eat leftovers because he'd eaten the same thing yesterday. Instead he insisted on fixing something new. ... I think there is some privilege in refusing to eat food due to boredom."
– etconner
11. "My partner is a stickler about 'Best by' dates. I’ve had to say multiple times that if that chunk of expensive Parmesan isn’t green all over, it is fine. Do not throw it away. Does the milk smell? No? Cool, drink it. It’s like he has no idea what spoiled food looks like compared to fresh."
12. "My ex used to save all the plastic forks and ketchup packets and whatnot from takeout. I used to hate that because I felt those were environmentally wasteful."
– Andrea
13. "I grew up working class, and my partner grew up middle class. The main thing I notice is food portions. I cook just enough for the meal and serve portions according to appetite. He’ll use an entire bag of, say, pasta or potatoes for one meal and serve huge portions to everyone. There’s so much wastage, and I can’t help feeling nervous that a week's worth of potatoes have been used up in one meal."
– lizm75
14. "I grew up poor, and my husband grew up with plenty of money. When celebrating birthdays, I always want a simple celebration at home with a home-cooked meal and a box mix cake. My husband and his family have a tradition of going out to a restaurant, and, if there’s cake, it’s bought from a bakery."
15. "I always consider the price when ordering food at restaurants. Sandwiches are usually cheaper than the entrées. Specials are way too expensive. Appetizers and dessert, nope. Would love some mozzarella sticks, but not for eight bucks. It blows my mind that my partner will just order whatever they want, like an extra $10 is not a big deal."
Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.