Dinner Date Ideas For The Adventurous Couple
If you and your partner are adventurous, you might find yourself running out of date ideas. Every town has its own culture and activities, but there may be times when the well runs dry on activities to do together. Not every dinner date has to be a Valentine’s Day-style event; sometimes, you might just want to relax and enjoy a nice dinner. When you are in an adventurous relationship, though, it can be difficult to construct a good dinner date night that's fun and enjoyable for both of you. Here are some dinner date ideas for adventurous couples.
Try new foods
The most obvious of the adventurous dinner date ideas is one that takes place at an obscure restaurant. Perhaps the best venues are the restaurants that have ethnic or otherwise new foods that you haven't tried before.
When you choose your dinner, consider ordering the most exotic thing on the menu, even if it sounds a little gross or weird. Even if the option you go with isn't very tasty, it might make a good story. If you do end up enjoying it, you will have expanded your palette.
If you have trouble locating a restaurant that works for you, you could ask around. Your friends or family members might have some suggestions that you can try. If this avenue doesn't pan out for you, consider searching online. There are plenty of websites and apps that may give you the information you are looking for. You can also search through reviews and recommendations for new places. Trying new places each time you go out could be a good way to keep it fresh and exciting.
Location, location, location
Sometimes, it isn't what you eat but where you eat it. If you want to be adventurous but also want to enjoy a more mainstream meal, you could mix up the location instead.
Consider picking up takeout from a tried-and-true favorite restaurant. You might consider bringing an insulated bag along with you. Depending on where you decide to have your dinner date, you may have a bit of a drive ahead of you before reaching your destination. Be mindful of the item you choose as well. If you are in for a bit of a trip, you might avoid foods that don’t travel well.
When you are considering the location for your dinner, think about the places that you and your partner enjoy being. If you love the outdoors, for example, pick your favorite hiking spot and enjoy a picnic-style dinner in the woods. Since this taps into the things you are passionate about, you get the romantic aspect out of it while being adventurous and keeping it interesting.
Have a destination dinner
Many adventurous couples enjoy traveling. When you are planning your dinner date ideas, consider making it a road trip. Different cities and towns offer different types of food. Chicago might be the best place to get pizza, for example. Seafood is often best somewhere near an ocean. If you are up for an adventure, plan a dinner date in a different city or state. Do your research and go somewhere that embodies the culture of the place you are visiting. You can also take this time to explore the city and get the full experience. In New York, for instance, there are plenty of food vendors along the road that serve food so you can eat while you tour the city.
Dinner date ideas can also be planned while you're on vacation. Add a few restaurants to your itinerary. The hotel or resort staff may have recommendations that are sure to impress. This could be a great way to spice up a vacation and make date night more memorable.
Making dinner at home
You don't always have to get dressed up and go out when it comes to adventurous dinner dates. You can get similar results from a cozy night in as well.
There are two ways you can approach this. The first would be with a plan. Go online and find a new recipe that neither of you has tried. The more off the wall, the better. Compile your grocery list and take a trip to the store. Once you have all your ingredients, come home and give it your best shot at recreating the recipe at home.
The second way to approach this is a little more spontaneous. Take a trip to the grocery store and peruse a new aisle. Most stores have sections for ethnic foods that you may not have tried. If you aren't the best cook, there are plenty of boxed dinners perfect for the average chef.
When you opt to have dinner dates at home, there could be many added benefits. The bonding time that you get from cooking dinner together may add a romantic aspect to your date night. Eating at home might also be easier on the wallet. You can also be comfortable at home on the couch while watching your favorite TV show with your partner. These are the nights that you may remember for years to come in your relationship.
Consider starting with simple meals, such as sheet pan bakes (there are some excellent one-pan dinner recipes for chicken thighs) or air fryer meals, then working your way up to more complicated recipes, so that you and your partner can grow your cooking skills together.
Have a movie dinner date
Perhaps a good way to spice up the average dinner date idea is to add a second activity along with it. Pairing your dinner date with a movie could be a great way to kick it up a notch.
When your goal is to have an adventurous date, you might have to get creative to get the right effect. Think outside the box when it comes to choosing a movie to watch on your date. For maximum results, pick an obscure or foreign movie to watch. This could add an air of uniqueness to your date. It might also add something new that you might not have experienced before. As with most other date ideas here, you can enjoy these memories for years to come.
Find a festival
Festival food might not offer the most balanced meal, but it could be tasty and adventurous. There is a wealth of festival options, ranging from music-based to actual food-based options.
Dinner and a concert could be another great way to add a sense of adventure to any date. Even if you and your partner aren't particularly interested in the genre of music, you can go anyway. You never know if you might pick up a liking for a new artist or band. Even if you don't enjoy the music, you may enjoy the change of pace and the shift in scenery. The mood and culture surrounding music festivals could offer an upbeat and fun way to enjoy a date night with your partner.
If you choose a food festival, there may be many directions you can go. Many food festivals advertise all different kinds of food options. If you happen to find a food truck festival, the options might be friendlier on the wallet. You could opt for smaller portions from each truck so that you can enjoy more than one type of food for your dinner without being too full.
Adventurous relationship problems
If you are having problems in your relationship, planning a dinner date might not always be the answer. In this circumstance, it could be best to seek out a licensed professional's help to solve your relationship issues. Mental health professionals like relationship counselors and therapists are equipped with tools and resources to guide you through common obstacles in romantic partnerships.
Problems in relationships aren’t always easy to talk about, though, especially in a clinical environment like a therapist’s office. Some couples report feeling more at ease in an online setting. Online counseling is also more convenient for couples since it can be scheduled day or night, leaving more time for travel, work, and family.
Internet-based counseling for couples has been researched extensively, and the results are encouraging. A recent study found that therapy for couples was effective when delivered online and included positive outcomes like mental health gains and increased relationship functioning.
Takeaway
The counselors and therapists at Regain are fully licensed and ready to help you with any challenges you might be facing, either individually or within your relationship. The platform is entirely online, making it one of the most easily accessible and convenient ways to get the support you need. When you sign up online, you can connect with a therapist who is compatible with you and your partner. Before long, you may be well on your way to solving your problems and getting back to planning fun adventures together.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs):
What should I make for a romantic dinner?
Making a romantic dinner often involves making a dinner that is special or intimate, which can make a highly variable date night from couple to couple. Dinner ideas run the gamut, from preparing the first meal the two of you ate together to make a meal that reflects a locale you hope to travel to together. Dinner ideas for a romantic evening do not have to be terribly complex to be romantic and are best delivered specially or uniquely to the two of you. If you bonded for the first time over grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup, grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup could be a wonderful romantic (easy weeknight) dinner idea.
Another solid, seemingly unfailing date night dinner idea is this: in the days or weeks leading up to your dinner date, poke around to find out what your paramour’s favorite meal is, or what dinner they’d most like to try, and do your best to make it for them. Learning how to make a new meal can be daunting, so it may be useful to try making the dish at least once before you have to make it for your date.
Standard romantic dinner ideas can also be useful, as not all couples have specific dinners that correspond to monumental moments in their relationship. Common dinner ideas for romantic dinner dates include marinara pasta dishes, such as lasagna and chicken parmesan, sushi dishes made from scratch, and middle eastern dishes rife with spices. All of these dishes can be intimidating to make for the first time, but plenty of recipes can make even difficult, decadent recipes relatively easy to manage. If you want to try a new recipe for your date, add a simple “for beginners” to the end of your recipe search or search “easy dinner ideas.”
Valentine’s Day is often one of the many days in the year that prompts an interest in romantic dinners and the notion of the perfect date, making both feel a great deal of pressure. Valentine’s Day dinner ideas do not have to be extravagant, despite the pomp often surrounding the day. To make your time with your partner special, Valentine’s Day ideas can be simple, inexpensive, and understated. Easy weeknight dinners can be elevated to create the perfect date; after all, even a box of macaroni and cheese can benefit from the application of bread crumbs, parsley, and a touch of paprika. Ultimately, date night recipes do not have to boast a wide array of difficult to find, expensive ingredients; Valentine’s Day ideas run the gamut from simple and easy weeknight dinners to grand gestures befitting the “perfect date” idea perpetuated by movies, television, and music, and the perfect date for Valentine’s Day will depend entirely on you and your date’s tastes.
When should you cook for a guy you're dating?
Cooking can feel extremely intimate, and it can be difficult to discern when the appropriate time is to make a meal for someone you are dating. Dinner ideas can also change depending on the place the two of you are in your relationship: if you are in a new relationship, you might make something simple, like a pizza, fish tacos, or another easy weeknight dish. If you are in a longer-term relationship, you might want to make a more “serious” dinner and go in search of dinner ideas that convey intimacy and romance rather than your standard easy dinner ideas.
To determine the best dinner ideas for your guy, ask yourself the following questions:
- How long have we been dating? Dinner ideas for date night can vary from simple and fun, easy-night dishes to the involved and tedious romantic date night spreads. If you’ve only been dating for a few weeks, you might want to show your fun and spontaneous side and construct your own pizza dough and toppings. Then again, you might also want to impress your date by whipping up a specialty meal. If you have only been dating for a short while and your date has not seen your home yet, a dinner date can be a simple, low-key way to introduce him to your space.
- What do I want to convey with this dinner? If you are trying to suggest that you take your relationship to the next level—commitment, physical intimacy, etc.—you can inform when you decide to make dinner for your date. An easy weeknight dish can convey this just as thoroughly as a more involved dish, as both provide domesticity to the relationship.
- What is the tone I want to set for the evening? If you want to have a more relaxed vibe, making dinner for your date early on can be fine. If you try to foster intimacy and create a more intense or serious atmosphere, making dinner for your date might be best left for a few months into your relationship.
If you cannot answer the questions above, it is probably a bit too early to cook on date night for the guy you’re dating, as it suggests you might not be comfortable with the prospect.
One possible exception to this rule is Valentine’s Day. Valentine’s Day ideas can be used for people who have only just begun dating—provided they have both talked about expectations regarding the holiday—and can involve easy weeknight dinners or more grandiose meals. Because Valentine’s day is considered a holiday for the oldest of relationships and budding new relationships alike, Valentine’s Day dinner ideas can be used for casual, fun date nights and more serious, loving date nights, both. To impress your new paramour for the day or express affection for your partner, search for date night dinners you’ll both enjoy and employ Valentine’s Day dinner ideas that match the intimacy and commitment level of your current relationship.
How can I be romantic with no money?
Money is not necessarily romantic because romance is far less about spending exorbitant amounts of money and far more about expressing love, consideration, and devotion to your partner. Being romantic without money can be simple. Look for easy dinner ideas that will not break the bank (easy weeknight meals will do), plan a romantic date night at home replete with your favorite music streaming service and any cocktail ingredients or appetizers you might have on hand or even take a moonlit stroll around a local park. Romance does not require money but may require a bit of creativity and planning.
Although they are often associated with parents in the suburbs, easy weeknight dinners can be romantic and require the same amount of money you’d typically spend in your weekly grocery budget. A sprig of rosemary can make a simple chicken dish look and taste more expensive than it actually is, while a sprinkle of paprika and parsley can make a simple bowl of Kraft macaroni sing. Date night recipes often encourage you to try new things or spend extra money, but date night recipes can just as easily be old family recipes and recipes you’ve long had in your repertoire.
Date night dinners are made better by a partner's company, not necessarily the ingredients of the dish or the amount of money spent. Date night dinners can be extremely affordable, particularly if you arrange with your date to split the date's cost and effort. If you provide the main course, your date can supply their favorite appetizer and dessert. This way, you can get to know one another through your appetites and offset the cost of date night dinners. Easy weeknight dinners for you could be the height of sophistication and care for your partner.
What is the most romantic meal?
Ideally, the most romantic meal is one that you spend with someone you dearly love, respect, and care for. This is not always the only formula needed to develop reliable, romantic dinner ideas. Some partners may want something more uncommon or well thought out for a romantic dinner. The most romantic meal, then, might be any meal that involves a larger amount of preparation and thought, regardless of the actual food being consumed. What are the common elements of a romantic meal? Romantic dinner ideas can include:
- Candlelight. Although it may be a cliché, it is associated with romance for a reason. Candlelight is used to create a more intimate setting for a meal and make even a simple spaghetti plate seem more intense and substantial.
- Palate cleansers. Wine, cheese, and other palate cleansers can make up the ante for any meal, even meals derived from easy dinner ideas or cheap dinner ideas. This is because a block of cheese paired with some wine and fruit elevates any meal—even one you’ve eaten what seems like a hundred times before.
- Health and flavor. Romantic dinners are not usually those rife with grease and loaded with fat. Instead, romantic dinners often include lean proteins, rich sauces, and a healthy amount of vegetables. Forego chicken fingers and fries in favor of lean protein, a vegetable like an asparagus, all topped with a rich, hearty sauce or dressing.
- Spices associated with romance. Cinnamon, saffron, and rosemary can all be associated with rich, delicious meals and are all often associated with meals involving romance. If you want to make your date a memorable one, consider scouring your recipe books for dinner ideas (easy is often best) involving fragrant spices and even ingredients linked to aphrodisiac effects.
- Thoughtful presentation. A drizzle of olive oil can make even a simple lasagna look decadent. A swipe of coconut cream can elevate a soup from a winter staple to a fanciful delight. Whatever you make, whether complicated or simple, utilize oils, herbs, and other simple touches to make the food appear to be fancier or more complicated than is necessarily the case.
Romantic dinner ideas will vary from person to person, as the idea of romance as a whole differs from person to person. If you are on the hunt for romantic dinner ideas—easy or difficult—remember that the best date is a well thought out date, and to make your Valentine’s Day dinner, anniversary dinner, or another romantic event special, you need to do little more than putting some thought and effort into planning and presentation.
How do you have a romantic evening?
Crafting an evening of romance is often associated with spending a veritable horde of money, dressing to the nines, and engaging in behaviors that are outside of the norm for you and your partner. Although romance often involves unexpected or uncommon rituals or behaviors, romantic evenings do not necessarily require a large monetary investment or weeks of planning. Instead, a romantic evening can include the following:
- Attention to detail. As they say, the devil is in the details, and all truly great dinner ideas and romantic date ideas involve paying close attention to details. Details can be seemingly minute, such as the herbs topping meal, or more substantial, such as playing the same music you listened to on your first date.
- Closeness and intimacy. One of the most significant aspects of romance is the presence of intimacy. For this reason, a romantic evening is one that typically involves only the couple in question and does not add others to the mix.
- Plenty of time. Nothing will kill romance and render what was once the best date the worst date ever, like feeling rushed or overwhelmed. When planning a romantic evening, be sure to avoid making plans after or making plans immediately before. You and your date should feel as though you have all the time in the world to spend together.
- Limit distractions. TVs, cell phones, furry friends, and more can all detract from a romance by distracting you and your date from the moment and from placing your full attention on one another.
While television and movies would have you believe that romance is only found in grand gestures, romance is often simple and easy because the purpose of romance is, first and foremost, celebrating your partner and your partnership. If you are struggling to come up with good ideas for your romantic evening, talk to your partner about their particular ideas regarding romance—who better to give you good ideas than the source of your affection?
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