Spending a night in and cooking for your significant other is one of the most romantic and simplest date night ideas. It allows you to demonstrate your appreciation for your partner tangibly while showing off your culinary prowess.
Despite its simplicity, a date-night meal can easily go wrong. One misstep could find you dejectedly scrubbing down your kitchen while your date scrolls through food delivery apps. Check out these four tips to make choosing meals to cook for a date a success.
1. Keep Your Meals To Cook for a Date Simple
Depending on where you are in the dating process, experimenting with new foods or techniques may not serve you well. There is already a lot of pressure to perform, and adding foreign foods and cooking techniques to the mix could make things more complicated than they need to be. Rather than testing out your flambé skills for the first time, stick with foods that you know how to prepare. If stepping outside the box is something you want to try, make sure you feel confident in your ability to grasp all necessary skills quickly.
2. Be Prepared With Meals To Cook for a Date
Spontaneous dates are great, but if your goal is to make an impression, some planning is recommended. Make sure you have adequate time to gather the necessary tools and ingredients needed for any meals to cook for a date. Take stock of what you already have and what you may need to obtain. Doing this as early as possible ensures you are organized and ready to deliver a fun and tasty experience.
3. Consider Your Partner
You are preparing this lovely meal for both you and your partner to enjoy. You must consider your partner’s tastes. Ask about their favorite foods, and make sure you clarify any allergies or intolerances.
It is also vital to know if your date has any dietary restrictions. Your partner being a vegan or vegetarian would impact what foods they can eat, while having any religious dietary requirements may impact both what foods they can eat as well as how those foods are prepared. Make sure to communicate with your partner and do your research.
4. Create and Stick To a Menu and Budget
Meals you cook for a date shouldn’t break the bank. Plan out a realistic menu that takes into account your skill level, your and your partner’s tastes and needs, and your allotted time and resources. Once you have a set menu, research prices and establish a budget. Leave some wiggle room for possible substitutions or price hikes. Having a menu and budget creates a road map that allows you to go shopping with a purpose. This necessary preparation will keep you from making emotionally-fueled additions or changes.
Setting up your date night for success doesn’t have to be complicated. Preparation and research are the keys to determining meals to cook for a date and allow you to create a memorable and tasty experience to share with someone you care about. If you’re interested in more meal prep ideas, take a look at our article on 19 Quick Holiday Recipes Any Man Can Cook, and be sure to check out Rugged Standard for more useful content.