What 'food divorce' could mean for couples' relationships

'Food divorce' doesn't mean getting divorced.

It's a term for when couples who live together choose to shop, cook and eat their meals separately.

This can happen when partners have different diets, like one being vegetarian and the other not, or when their schedules don't match.

It can also happen when one partner follows a special diet, like a weight-loss plan.

Sometimes eating separately seems like a practical way to stop arguing about food.

But meals are often a time when couples talk and spend time together.

If couples stop eating together, they might also talk less and feel more distant.

A psychologist says arguments about food are sometimes really about feeling ignored, judged or controlled.

The good news is that couples don't have to eat the same food to stay close.

They can share other moments, like morning tea, weekend cooking or a walk after dinner.