Some of you would be surprised how complex dietary restrictions can get, and how they can strain relationships. Does it mean we're not compatible? Of course not. But things do get very strained.
I was a 20 year veteran of Type I diabetes when my wife and I met. Things have gotten a lot easier in terms of how diabetes is approached over the 50+ years I've been doing this.
30 years later, stage II kidney disease. Limiting salt and watching protein was the only dietary thing to watch. Those are easy. But pile it on top of the diabetes and it's trickier. Basically nothing that comes from a box or can, or frozen. Most processed stuff is terrible. Limiting carbs and meats, watching fats. And of course trying to fit a well-balanced meal within those constraints.
Then potassium levels were through the roof, pretty major dietary changes, and in conjunction with sodium and protein, it was becoming a pain.
More than a few arguments when it came to prepping dinner (which is what we ate together, mostly), even more at the grocery store. I fell into this 'menu fatigue' where I would just eat white bread toast and fruit for a long time. Even after consulting a dietician, meal planning was still a major chore. Who has the time to figure this stuff out? Tack on working, kids when they're younger (mine are out on their own). I fall into meal planning fatigues all the time, and my wife usually drags me out of it.
We rarely eat out at restaurants together, I think my wife gets bored of the meals we do eat at home, cooking is boring. During larger family occasions there are other dietary factors people bring to the table. In many ways it's easier to make 15 different dishes to appease everyone. That's not really feasible at home every night of the week.
The convenience of a jar of pasta sauce and some tortellini, or a grilled cheese sandwich and can of soup is long gone. Even deli meats, half of the fruit and vegetable catalogue, lots of different breads, potatoes, cheeses, nuts, beans, or dairy isn't advisable. And again, factor in diabetes, finding a balance, protein requirements.
I wouldn't be surprised if my life just left one day.
