After a couple of dates out, it is often time to move it to the next level and cook a romantic dinner at home. It’s more intimate and a chance to get to know each other better. You can show them around your place and they get to feel like they are being let into your life. Just make sure to tidy up before your date gets there. It can be very nerve-wracking when deciding what to cook for the person you are seeing. You should ensure you check if they have any food allergies that you should know about. It can help make the date run smoothly! Here are some tips on how to have a romantic dinner at home.
Dress up smart
After you have finished doing the cooking, you should ensure that you get changed. You will likely have made a mess while you were cooking and could have spilt food products down you. It won’t look very attractive if they come over and see you are not looking great. Decide on something you want to wear before you start cooking, so that it’s ready to put on after you have finished preparing the meal. Just because it’s in your home doesn’t mean that you should dress casually. We are not saying you need to wear your best suit or fanciest dress, but still make sure you are looking smart. You may want to have a shower as well before starting your date. It may put them off getting close to you if you smell strongly of food!
Buy a good bottle of wine
As well as cooking some excellent grub, you should also be ensuring their thirst is quenched. Go shopping and choose a good bottle of wine that you can both enjoy together. You might want to text and ask them which one is their favorite to have with dinner. You may want to check what wine goes best with your dish. For example, a tasty red wine would be fantastic with the spaghetti dish you’re cooking. As well as wine, make sure you get some non-alcoholic drinks in, just in case they are driving home after. Some flavored water would be a fantastic choice. You could put this on the table so that they don’t have to ask for something refreshing.
Prepare snacks
A romantic dinner may take a while to get ready so while you’re waiting for it to cook, why not prepare some snacks for your date. Crips always go down well and can be nibbled at while you are waiting for dinner to be ready. You may want to put out some healthy snacks for them to enjoy. Fruit always goes well or some fruit and nuts may be nice for them to snack on. Leave them out for your date to pick on after the dinner if they are still hungry. Don’t put too many snacks out, though, as they may not be hungry enough to eat all their dinner.
Sort out good music
Another way to have a romantic dinner date at home is to sort out some good music to listen to while you’re eating. You should sort out a playlist of songs which are a mix of genres and from different decades. Get rid of any songs you don’t want your dinner date to hear.You need to make sure it continues playing as its annoying having to keep getting up and changing the song halfway through dinner. Don’t choose any songs that your partner might find offensive, and make sure it’s not on too loud so that you can hear each other speak! You should find some romantic songs which will fit the mood of the date.
Lay out the table
If you want to impress your date, you should ensure you lay the table before they get there. Make sure you use a tablecloth which will cover any marks on the table so that your date won’t see them. Go and buy a new cover if the one you currently use isn’t looking the best anymore. You should make sure you put out tablemats and coasters so that the table looks great. Make sure you give the wine glasses and the cutlery a good scrub before putting them out on the table. It can put your date off you if they are dirty when they use them.
Cook a curry
It can be hard to decide what to cook for the special date. You are still getting to know them so you are not too sure what they like to eat. Curry is a very popular choice and is one of the most favoured dishes around the world. There are so many recipes available online that you can make easily which you and your date can enjoy. Try and make a curry which is not too hot as you don’t want to leave your date with a bad stomach the next day. Whichever curry you choose, you need to ensure you get rice and some naan bread you can share. You could also buy some popadoms for them to enjoy with the dinner, and don’t forget to buy some sauces such as mango chutney.
Make pizzas together
Another fun idea for the romantic dinner at home is to make pizzas together. Buy or make the bases yourself before the date gets there. You should ensure you buy lots of different toppings they may enjoy and prepare them in advance. Put it all out on the side and then when they get to your home, tell them you are going to make pizzas together. It’s a lot of fun when you are cooking together and it can be quite flirty. It also means they can choose food items they will love and will enjoy their dinner once it’s cooked. You may want to give them an apron so they don’t spill anything on their clothes if they are dressed up nice!
Prepare an Italian dish
If you are stuck on what to make for the date, you should consider cooking an Italian dish. Spaghetti and pasta dishes are so popular to eat during dates and therefore, you know they will tuck into the dinner. The easiest for you to create would be a delicious spaghetti bolognese or spaghetti with meatballs. You could also cook a Lasagne, which is also another popular Italian dish. For something a bit different, why not make some spaghetti with seafood such as mussels or prawns. You can get these fresh from sites such as Citarella. Add a delicious tomato or white wine sauce to impress your date. Make sure you put some salad on the table for them to enjoy with the pasta, and garlic bread is always a top choice too!
Avoid messy foods
A good tip to ensure that you have a romantic dinner at home is to cook something which is not too messy. You don’t want you or your date to be embarrassed when they can’t eat their dinner. Soup is always a bad choice as the slurping sound can make you both feel insecure. As this article says, you should avoid choices like lobster as they may struggle to cut into it and it will end up being very messy. If you are preparing something with a runny sauce, ensure you put napkins on the table so that they don’t end up spilling it on themselves.
Choose some good china
To ensure your dinner date goes well, you need to make sure the china you put out on the table is looking great. It’s not going to look good if you put out bowls or plates which are broken or haven’t been cleaned properly. You should also put out plates which let them easily move the food around their plate with ease. The presentation can make the actual food look nicer than it is! As this feature reveals, using beautiful china makes the dinner look extra special.
Cook a Steak
When deciding what to cook for the romantic dinner at your home, why not choose a steak. As discussed in this feature, a steak is a go-to dish for a fancy date at your home. It looks like you have made a significant effort with the dinner. However, to ensure it goes well, you need to ask them how they like it to be cooked. You don’t want to give them something too raw or too cooked that they won’t enjoy. Serve it with some delicious potatoes and vegetables to impress your date.
Prepare a Salad
A romantic dinner at home doesn’t mean you have to have a filling three-course meal. A juicy salad can go down a treat and will mean you are not too full for dessert. Ensure you use fresh lettuce and tomatoes when creating the salad, and don’t forget to add a delicious dressing. To make it more unique, why not add some fruit such as pineapple or strawberries.
Don’t forget to buy some delicious ice cream that you can enjoy after the main course. Hopefully, the date will lead to an invite back to their house for another delightful dinner!
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