Want to get over boyfriend's loud chewing, advice welcome!!

TDLR: Boyfriend chews with mouth open and very loudly, says it's because he can't breath well through nose. I can't stand it but I know I have to learn to live with it, any help?

Hey all, I know this is a minor relationship problem but I'm hoping someone has good advice. I Love my boyfriend to the moon and back, he really is perfect for me. With Covid happening we moved in together and he's been fantastic, making space for me in his place, making a ton of renovations so we can both be comfortable, but it's still a 600ft apartment, so not much room. We can't fit a dining table so we sit on the floor with the coffee table for dinner.

The issue: He chews so loudly sometimes.
Whenever the food is too hot or if it's a sloppier meal like curry or pasta, it's lip smacking and like he's got a spin cycle going in his mouth. He says it's because he's 6ft 4 and has to hunch over the coffee table, so he wants to chew quieter but he can't. I'm not sure if I fully believe it, but I know he would never intentionally try to piss me off or make me cringe. I've asked him nicely several times, saying "Hey babe, this really makes me uncomfortable, would it be ok to chew a bit quieter?" or "when you chew it reminds me of when my dad would chew loudly when he was mad, and it gives me wicked anxiety" And he will for a minute and then slip right back into it.

Yesterday he was eating with his mouth completely agape, and I had already had a rough day, so I said "Babe, come on, can you not hear that?" And he was hurt and walked into the other room to finish his meal. I thought I wasn't asking for too much for him to close his mouth, but then he explained that it's hard when he's hunched over to breath and eat at the same time, and that's why he wants to build a little kitchen bar so he can eat while sitting properly, which is really sweet and I didn't realize until he explained it.

After doing some reading, I saw that I might be the problem in some articles, and that i have to get over my hatred of chewing rather than make him adapt to me. I was raised that it was just rude to do, but I never thought that I was asking too much. Has anyone ever gotten over their partner's chewing? TYIA!!

Submitted January 29, 2021 at 12:53PM by sweetneatliltreat https://ift.tt/3clBg24