AITA for Eating My Husband’s Friend’s Deer Meat After Years in Our Freezer?
In an age where food waste is a growing concern, one woman found herself grappling with a peculiar dilemma: what should she do with a whole deer in her deep freezer that belonged to her husband’s friend? For two long years, the neatly vacuum-sealed packages had sat there, taking up valuable space and prompting questions about ownership, courtesy, and friendship.
It all started innocently enough. Her husband’s friend had run out of room in his home, and the deer meat—ribs, chops, steak, ground meat—was temporarily stored in their deep freezer. Every month, when the friend visited, she would offer to return some of the meat. Each time, he politely declined, saying he would take it home “maybe next time.” But as months turned into years, that “next time” never came.
My husband’s friend stored a whole deer in our deep freezer. By this I mean, he has different cuts of meat, adding up to a whole deer. He has ribs, chops, steak, ground meat, and the like. He didn’t have room is his house, so he’s using our deep freezer. All the meat is nicely vacuum sealed and labeled.
Every time he comes to our house, which is once a month or so, I ask him if he wants to take some meat home with him, and he says no, “maybe next time.” He’s been saying this for two years. So we’ve had the meat in our freezer for 2, going on 3 years.
A few times I’ve taken out some of the meat and made myself a meal out of it. My husband says I shouldn’t do that, but I argue, it’s basically our meat now. I’d rather eat it now, than let it go bad. I’m not going to remind our friend that he has meat in our freezer anymore, because that meat is now mine.
As she stared at the packs of meat, she wrestled with her conscience. Was she really in the wrong for wanting to eat something that had become a long-forgotten relic in her freezer? Her husband thought she should leave it untouched, a testament to the idea that it was never hers to claim. Yet, the gnawing fear of waste loomed larger.
She took a bite of the deer meat one night, and to her surprise, it was delicious. The thrill of doing something she deemed practical, yet controversial, brought a sense of satisfaction—but it also stirred anxiety. The lingering tension between her and her husband’s friend, whom she now considered neglectful, began to escalate in her mind.
OP has offered the following explanation for why they think they might be the asshole:
I’m taking the deer meat that my friend put in our freezer for two years and I’m eating it because our friend won’t take it to their house. My husband thinks what I’m doing is wrong, and I should not touch what isn’t mine, even though it’s been in our freezer for years.
As she contemplated her actions, she turned to the online community to gauge their opinions. Responses flooded in, each providing a glimpse into the diverse perspectives surrounding her dilemma. Some users expressed sympathy for her situation, while others sided with her husband’s view of respect and boundaries.
NTA. At this point it’s abandoned property. I would give him a last warning that if it isn’t collected, it will be eaten. Then you’re totally in the clear if you eat it.
u/CarpenterMom
If I left anything at another person’s home for over a year, I would expect it to become the property of the household. Bon appétit.
u/LPMarie13
Some commenters suggested a more direct approach, encouraging her to reach out to her friend in a candid way. One user found humor in the situation, proposing a lighthearted ultimatum to speed up the removal of the meat.
Hey Ralph, we actually need some of that freezer space back. Please take at least 10 pounds of it with you next time you come over. Thanks so much!
u/Infinite_Escape9683
What People Are Saying
The community weighed in with a spectrum of opinions. Some believe the meat has become “abandoned property” after years of neglect, while others stress the importance of respect for boundaries and property. Many readers emphasized the ethical dilemma of waste against the backdrop of friendship and ownership.
Ultimately, the question remains: How do we navigate the murky waters of shared spaces, especially when it comes to food? In this case, it seems that there’s more than just meat at stake—there’s trust, friendship, and a dash of culinary ethics.
What do YOU think?
