United States couples adopt ‘food divorce’ to preserve relationships

A new relationship trend known as ‘food divorce’ is emerging in the United States, where cohabiting couples choose to plan, cook, and eat their meals separately to maintain relationship health.

Therapist Erin Pash explains that this practice helps avoid the stress associated with meal planning and preparation, a tension that intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic when couples were home for every meal. Research suggests that the burden of meal planning often falls on one partner, which can lead to conflict.

To balance this separation, experts suggest replacing traditional dinners with mandatory daily connection points, such as walks or conversations, and recommend that couples still share at least one meal together per week.