I Buy Top-Quality Turkey Meat for Myself and Make Steamed Cutlets, While My Husband Gets Discount Pork Past Its Best-By Date I’m Fifty-Seven, Have Been Married for Over Thirty Years, Raised and Educated Our Two Children by Myself, Managed Multiple Jobs So Our Kids Had Everything, But My Husband Never Worked Hard—Now He’s Retired and I’m Still Working, Looking After Grandchildren and Doing All the Housework. Despite Asking Him to Get Even a Part-Time Security Job, He Refuses, Saying We Manage Just Fine. He’s Picky About Food—When I Get Home from Work, Sometimes He’s Eaten All the Good Stuff and Left Me Just Soup. My Friend Suggested I Cook Separately: Cheap Ingredients for Him, Quality Produce for Myself. So Now I Hide My Food, Say I’m on a Doctor-Recommended Diet, Stash Sweets and Deli Meats Away Where He Won’t Find Them, Thanks to Having Two Fridges. You Know How Men Are—They Never Notice Anything. I Buy Premium Turkey for Myself and Make Steamed Cutlets, Add Spices to His Old Pork That’s Nearly Expired, Get Him Budget Pasta While I Eat Durum Wheat. I Don’t See Anything Wrong with This—If He Wants to Eat Well, He Should Get a Job. At Our Age, Divorce Seems Foolish—Most of Our Lives Are Behind Us, and Why Sell the House and Split the Money Now?

I’m fifty-seven this year. For over thirty years Ive been married, and throughout all that time, Ive been the one doing the laundry, preparing meals, and making sure the house runs smoothly. My husband and I raised two children togetherI managed their upbringing and education pretty much on my own. Ive always been the sort to keep myself busy, running from one job to the next, picking up any work I could to ensure the kids never went without and always looked as smart as everyone elses.

All these years, my husbands never really been one for hard graft. The moment he reached retirement age, he settled right in at home and gave up working altogether. Meanwhile, I still keep my job, help out with the grandchildren, and do all the housework.

Time and again, Ive asked him to pick up a little jobeven just doing some security work or something like thatbut he always brushes me off, insisting we manage just fine on my wages and his pension. And when it comes to food, hes sly! I barely have the energy to cook most nights. Sometimes Ill finish a long shift and come home to find hes eaten all the best bits, leaving me with nothing but a bowl of soup.

One time, I mentioned all this to a friend of mineJane, actuallyand she suggested I start cooking separately: make his meals from cheaper ingredients, and look after myself with nicer things. So I went home and told my husband the doctor had put me on a special diet, so he shouldnt touch my food.

Now, I keep my things hidden away, and when he heads out to the shed, I sneak a few sweets for myself. I stash the good sausage and cheese at the back of the fridge out of sight, then eat them when hes not around. Luckily, weve two fridgesone for the weekly groceries and one out in the utility full of jarsso I use the old one to tuck away my treats.

Men really dont notice a thing, do they? Ill buy good-quality turkey mince for myself and steam some patties, and for him, I pick up cheap pork nearing its sell by date and throw in some extra seasoning. He cant tell the difference and doesnt seem to care. I get him the lowest quality pasta for a pound a bag, and for myself, I buy proper durum wheat spaghetti.

I honestly dont see anything wrong with what Im doingI dont feel guilty at all. If he wanted decent food, he could get up and do a bit of work too. At our age, getting a divorce would be nonsense. Most of our lives are behind us now, and this is our home. Why sell up and split everything when we can just rub along as we are?