Going out with a significant other when you first meet is often exciting and a big part of your time together. As time passes and life gets busy and money gets tight, couples sometimes get out of the habit of going on regular date nights. While it can be hard to justify spending money on date nights, one thing we all need to do is eat. Consider the following ideas to combine nourishing your body and your relationship at the same time.
- Favorite Things Dinner: Can’t agree on one place to eat dinner? Pick multiple! Go to a few different restaurants close by and order take-out of your favorite dish, gather it all together and enjoy your favorite things! This works particularly well if you or your significant other are indecisive or picky.
- Food Truck Rally: It is no secret that food trucks are very popular these days. Often food trucks gather together in parks or at events and have a “rally” where you can try multiple places at once. Try some for yourself to see which ones are worth the hype.
- Taste Testing: Have you ever wanted to be one of the judges on a cooking show? Have your own taste testing party. The stakes aren’t as high but you get to control what you taste test. Buy different brands of the same food or cook up a few different recipes of the same thing. Do a blind taste-test and discover which one is your favorite.
- Cooking Competition: Is there an ongoing debate in your house on who makes the best (fill in the blank) in your house? Make it a competition! Choose the ingredients, gather your judges and set your timer. Now is your chance to have some fun and get competitive, all while making dinner.
- Charcuterie Board: Have you ever seen a fancy spread of cheese, meats and grapes on a wooden board? That’s a charcuterie board! It’s fun and it can consist of anything you like. To make your own, pick a theme and run with it. Some examples could be, assorted cheese and crackers, fruits and cake with dip, or chicken nuggets with various dipping sauces. The options are limitless; it doesn’t need to be fancy. Just pick your favorite snacks and display them on a large platter, get creative with your presentation, and eat! For bonus points, make it a picnic.
- Food Critic: Try out a new place and write about it online. Many people go to the internet to find reviews of restaurants, but now you can be the one writing the review. If it’s good; offer praise, give meal recommendations and highlight your server by name—that would really make their day! If it’s not so good, be honest and save someone else the mistake of going there. Nowadays everyone can be a food critic!
- Knock-off Recipes: Ever eaten at a restaurant and thought to yourself, “I could probably make this at home?” Well, now is your chance! There is a plethora of “knock-off” recipes online for famous restaurant dishes or create your own. You might just find a new favorite family recipe or learn that it’s best to stick with the real thing.
- Catering Swap: Swap having another couple create and serve a meal to you in your home. They cook a meal at their home, then plate and serve the food to you as if you are at a restaurant in your home. Then, you return the favor for them at their home another night.
While it can be challenging to find time and money to go on a date, consider how to transform a necessary meal into a unique foodie date night. If you can’t get a babysitter, bring the kids along and make it a family foodie adventure. No matter the circumstance, there is fun to be had and memories to be made.
Naomi Brower and Courtney Adamson
Utah Marriage Matters 