Everything changes when you become a parent, and your kitchen is no exception.
You may have been bordering on gourmet chef before your kids, but the best you can do now is a quick family-friendly shepherd’s pie. You don’t have the time to whip up a storm anymore. Even if you did, your kids would refuse to eat it. They like what they know, and you’re happy to accept the easy life right now.
The trouble is, you also have to eat what you dish up. Your sophisticated palette will have to make do with basic flavors and simple combinations. And, your partner will have to put up with them too. That can be a blow if he’s used to you creating taste sensations. Before you know, mealtimes will become functional rather than enjoyable things. The only taste of gourmet you’ll come close to is the food you order while you’re out. Taste aside, your love for cooking will also be dead in the water. If it was a real passion for you, that could sting a little.
Hence why it may be worth reviving your old passion when you and your man fit in a date night for yourselves. It may be that this is a one off for an anniversary or special occasion. Or, perhaps you put in the effort to share a date night at least once a month. Either way, this is a fantastic opportunity to get back into cooking those meals you love. The kids are out with gran, and you can stick whatever on the menu you and your man fancy. To make sure you get the most out of this opportunity, though, it might be worth considering the following meal selections.
Aphrodisiacs
We had to start here, didn’t we? While the kids are away, the parents will play. Seriously, though. Incorporating aphrodisiacs into your date nights is a fantastic way to take things up a notch. Before you know, it’ll be far hotter in the kitchen than it ever gets on a weeknight. If nothing else, this is a fantastic way to make the most of your kid-free evening. It also ensures you can eat some tasty food that you might not otherwise.
There are the well-known options, of course, but there are plenty of aphrodisiacs which go under the radar. If you don’t fancy oysters, then, you’re in luck. Even just cooking a hot curry could see things getting sensual. The stimulation of spicy chili being fantastically aphrodisiacal. Before you know, your nerve endings will start firing. You might even have to take off a few clothes to cool down. Also on the aphrodisiac list are:
- Asparagus
- Avocados
- Salmon
- Chocolate (of course)
- Figs
And, that’s just to name a few. A sweet honey glazed salmon with an asparagus side, then, could be the thing you’re after. It’s also worth noting that dairy products are renowned for killing the mood. The hormones within them mess with both testosterone and estrogen. If you want to get it on, then, it might be best to keep pizza off your menu. Besides, the chances are you eat that plenty with your kids. Get creative, and take the opportunity to get sensual at the same time.
Foods You Can Share
It may also be worth embarking on foods you can put in the middle of the table and share between you. Sticking to your own two plates can feel somewhat limiting. It certainly won’t work to bring you together during this snatch of stolen time. Instead, then, make this a shared experience by sparing a thought here. It may be that you keep this simple, with something like fajitas you can both get stuck into. Tapas is also fantastic. Plus, there’s something sensual about the taste sensations it can bring.
Even seafood could work well here. By ordering crab online, you could quite literally get both your hands dirty, and make this an incredibly intimate affair. Equally, a lobster would work towards the same end. Even creating a sharing platter with meats and flatbreads would work well here. No cheese, though, remember! If you or your man get a little snappy about sharing food, you could always keep the main meal solo, and come together for dessert. That way, you get to eat your fill, and finish things off by sharing something sweet.
Either way, making things more social like this invites conversation and makes meals like this feel that bit more special. Let’s face it; doing this with the kids around would probably result in a mess all over the table. But, with only adults to worry about, it could be just the thing.
Bringing Back The Memories
If you want to get cheesy with romance, you could choose to make something which takes you both back to a time before kids. As we’ve already mentioned, the chances are that you’ve had to put a lot of your favorite meals to the side right now. So, a date night like this would be the ideal chance to revive them. How you go about this is up to you. You can bet it’ll bring a sense of romance to the night that you’ll struggle to achieve with even the best aphrodisiacs.
Think back to any meals which have been formative in your relationship. What about the first dish you ever cooked for your partner? Even something like a bowl of microwave noodles will work if that’s all you ate when you first moved in together. It’s not as much a step into the gourmet like the other pointers, but it’s still sure to get your fix of romance in there. Plus, opting for something like that would be a quick and easy fix, which brings up nicely onto the next point.
Something Simple Yet Sumptuous
This is a rare date night that you’ve managed to carve out for the two of you. It should be all about spending uninterrupted time in each other’s company. The last thing you want, then, is to be tied to your kitchen all day. Even having to spend an hour or more there in the evening means wasting time you could otherwise spend with your partner. Still, falling back on the easy meals of your weeknights isn’t exactly going to make this feel special. The trick, then, may be to find a happy middle-ground. Look out for meals which are sumptuous without requiring too much effort.
Steak is always a good idea here, as it’s luxurious and it’s fast. Equally, options like salmon are a good choice. It cooks fast and, as we’ve mentioned, gets those sexual juices pumping. Even something like a creamy fettuccine dish could bring the wow factor without costing you any time. It may also be worth sticking to cold foods which require no more effort than the time you spend prepping them. The cold meats platter we spoke about in the sharing section would be ideal for this.
Even if you do opt for more elaborate meals, choose things you can prepare through the day and assemble come the evening. Pies are fantastic for this as you can prepare both filling and pastry ahead of time. Equally, a stuffed chicken dish is easy enough to get ready. All the better for making the most of this time you get with your partner.
Those Foods Your Kids Refuse To Eat
Given that this night is about making the most of being without kids, it may also be worth making those foods they refuse to eat. You know the stuff; you’ve tried, but they won’t budge or even give it a go. This varies across households, but there are some common offenders. Greens like spinach and kale often fall into this category. Many kids are also skeptical of trying to fish if it isn’t white and in a batter. When you have a date night coming up, then, sit down and consider what’s off the menu where your kids are concerned. Then, with those essential ingredients to hand, you can cook up meals you would never have the chance to eat otherwise.
Take Out
Okay, so this may seem like a bit of anti-climax. The chances are that you get take out when your kids are around, too. Still, this gets expensive when you’re buying for a whole family, so you may well not do it often. If you’re just paying for the two of you, however, you’ll find that expense much easier to justify. What’s more, this fits in with the idea of an easy meal which allows you to spend as much quality time as possible together. Nothing could be better for that than calling straight through for your food. If you want to snuggle up on the sofa together, then, put take out on the menu.
It’s not difficult to get date night meals right. As you can see, there are plenty of options to keep your romantic nights fueled for a long time to come.
