Columbia might offer quite a few date night options, but if you’re tired of movies and downtown, try staying in and having some fun with food. Yes, food.
Cooking can be fun for any couple, no matter where you’re at in the relationship. You’re creating something together and then enjoying the fruits of your labor. You might even learn something in the process. Aren’t new experiences what keep those I’m-completely-in-love-with-you-still endorphins going?
If you’re outdoorsy and the weather is nice, try grilling something. Get out the charcoal and relax together while it heats up. You don’t have to be an expert in cuts of meat to make this work. Hamburgers and hotdogs will do just fine for this laid-back atmosphere, but if you’re looking for something a little healthier, try veggie skewers or marinating vegetables and wrapping them in tin foil on the grill. This is perfect for group settings or simply relaxing with your sweetie.
Looking for something more romantic? Try making fondue. Unless you have a real fondue pot, you’ll have the best luck making this in a pot (be very careful not to burn it), and then transferring the chocolate to a bowl, so it doesn’t burn sitting on the stove. There are few foods more euphoric or associated with sensuality than chocolate fondue, so it’s a good choice for any date, especially if you can have fun thinking of things to dip in it. A few suggestions: bananas, strawberries, apples, nuts and marshmallows — the more things you sample, the more fun you’ll have.
Quick note: cheese fondue is also a delicious choice, but doesn’t carry the same _je ne sais quoi_ chocolate does.
Decorative desserts are possibly the most fun you can have in the kitchen. Try baking cookies and then decorating them for one other.
Angel food cake with whipped cream and fruit is another fun alternative, especially if the fruit is in season. Hy-Vee is kind enough to stock mini cakes and whipped cream in the fruit department, so you don’t have to do much searching. Think especially hard about trying whipped cream for a topping — it can be fun after dessert.
If cooking outside or getting messy with sweet treats isn’t your taste, it’s hard to go wrong with Greek or Italian dinners. The trick is keeping it light. If you stuff your face with pasta, you’ll probably end the night wishing you wore sweat pants and passing out uncomfortably on the couch. Instead, try grilled chicken salad — Greek or Caesar salads work well for this, and go great with wine. Any Mediterranean recipe using fish will probably have a more exotic flavor than most pasta, and it will be much lighter, avoiding that disgusting overstuffed feeling.
Date night food can be of any variety, the trick is having fun with the preparation and enjoying your creation together.