Couples Who Eat Together, Stay Together

Did you ever think the question, “Pass the potatoes please?” could bring you and your partner closer together? With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, it may be the perfect time to pull up a seat next to your loved one and share a nice meal.

A recent article from USA Today shares some ideas about how the simple act of cooking and eating together can help strengthen your relationship. Romance novelist, Kate Douglas, talks about her first date she had with her husband at a Cuban restaurant and the fact that his willingness to try exotic new things helped solidify their relationship. Douglas says that if a couple prepares and/or eats at least one meal together a day they will keep their relationship healthy for years to come.

Douglas believes that just by experiencing the taste of food together a couple can heighten the romance between them. Douglas says, “In sharing a bite of a sandwich, watching someone enjoy the taste of something, the sensual pleasure of taste can transfer over to the sensual pleasure between two people.”

It makes sense that eating together daily can have a positive effect on our relationships since it is the one time a day you can truly focus your attention on your spouse, share thoughts, or simply talk about what you did that day. Some no-brainer tips to add a little romance to your dinner would be to turn the TV and cell phones off, light some candles, and set the table. These simple details will help to drown out any distractions and put a spotlight on you and yours during meal time.

Some more tips on how to spice up a special romantic meal are to make a meal you normally wouldn’t prepare together, like a nice breakfast after a date with your partner the night before. Having a private cocktail party for you and your partner could also be a fun thing to try. Serve new cocktails you’ve never tried before and make finger foods you can feed to each other.

Do you think preparing or eating at least one meal a day with your partner could strengthen your relationship?

What types of meal ideas do you have for Valentine’s Day or your next date night?

By mrsgalvan
02.09.11

YES! Eating at least one meal together can strengthen your relationship together. As busy as my husband & I are, @dinner time as I prepare dinner, I ask for his help. He said if I don't ask him to help me, he won't cuz he can't read my mind. , I ask for his help at dinner time and we have A LOT of fun preparing dinner together, even just sandwiches because it gives us the chance to talk & laugh & just enjoy each other. I love to cook! I am a diabetic, so I try hard to prepare healthy meals. I love trying new vegetables & fruits & am open to almost any cuisine. My hubby is actually planning a picnic in our backyard for Valentine's Day lunch (unless the weather is bad & then we will end up in the den) with some of our fave recipes, Curry Chicken Salad, Raspberry-Apple juice & some other things he hasn't told me yet. I'm working on a fabulous cheesecake recipe (he loves cheesecake) made with Greek yogurt. Have a Happy Valentine's Day & enjoy it with the ones you love the most! Leslie
By msfriendly
02.09.11

Yes! We eat and cook together all of the time. We will probably do so for V-Day too...cook our favorites together!
By andreaestes
02.10.11

Yes, I agree! I write a food blog. http://www.rockthatplate.com My husband is obsessed with our dinner time. He even takes cell phone pics to share at work. I may not be well versed in sports but, this is definitely our common ground. We both have adventurous taste buds. Travel is not in our budget but, it is on our plates! I love sitting together discussing our day and enjoying a meal. He tells me all the time that he respects not eating out of a paper sack!
By MadHatter
02.10.11

I think so because you get to talk about a lot of things that have been going on that you didn't have the time to discuss before. for v-day? i normally just opt to go out for dinner and not making anything! HAHA
By girl17
02.10.11

I totally agree that preparing and eating meals together brings couples closer. My husband and I totally bonded over cooking classes!! We now cook and eat together all of the time. We make an event out of it too with music and wine!
By minds2587
02.10.11

Yes, I think eating/preparing at least one meal a day with your partner strengthens your relationship. I love dinner time when we can just be together and talk! Out next date night is this weekend and I think we are going to go out to a Desert bar! I can' wait!
By springlove21
02.11.11

Every day my husband and i eat together it a good way to communicate we taake turns cooking and sometimes even cook together
By MamaofAllTrades
02.11.11

I totally agree with this article. Bonding over meals is definitely something that can bring couples closer together. We'll probably make an adults-only meal on Valentine's Day after the kids go to sleep.
By MeganG
02.11.11

I agree - one of the things my husband and I love to do together is go out for a really nice meal. While we can't afford to do it too often, it's fun for us to try each other's meals, discuss the different tastes and consistencies in the food - it's so much fun for us!
By tabby24cat
02.12.11

Yes! My family always eats together. It gives us a time out to focus on each other and stay connected. I look forward to this time together.

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