Are you looking for some new ways to have fun with your partner? If you’re bored of the same old activities, why not try something that’s both useful and creative? Science shows that couples who cook and work well together in the kitchen are more satisfied in their relationships. Let’s consider why and how you and your love can become the perfect cooking partners.
How Does Cooking Influence Relationships?
Love is a biological necessity. We need it just as much as we need food, water, and air to live a happy and healthy life.
When you find love, you need to nurture the relationship, care for it, and let it grow. Cooking as a couple is a great way to do this since you can be in each other’s company while working toward a common goal. Cooking together achieves the goal of providing food, but it goes deeper than that.
Studies show that cooking is actually a way to connect with others and show them that you care.
Cooking influences relationships in different ways. Experts say that food is key when dating, as many dates are planned around going out for meals together. Besides going out to eat, many couples also choose to prepare meals together as an exciting activity that lets them be creative and have some fun.
Before you reach for the takeout menu or call up your favorite restaurant for a reservation, seize the opportunity to try out one of those romantic dinner recipes you have saved to your Pinterest board. (Or browse our Pinterest boards for inspo!)
4 Reasons Why You Should Start Cooking as a Couple
Cooking together is one activity couples can try that doesn’t require immediate expertise. In fact, it’s something that you can improve upon together the more you do it. Cooking also allows you to share your favorite foods and meals with your partner and vice versa.
Is there a recipe handed down in your family for generations? This is the perfect time to share your culture and personality with your partner in a way that you might never have before.
Food connects us all, so here are four reasons why you and your honey should try whipping up a delicious meal or two together in the kitchen.
1. Fosters communication and teamwork
In most households, couples say that splitting the chores equally is essential in their relationship.
Rather than looking at cooking or meal prep as a responsibility that falls on one person, see it as an opportunity to conquer something together—and put your communication skills to the test.
Since you’re both working toward a common goal, you need to listen to each other and communicate about how to split up the preparation duties.
It’s easy to get heated in the kitchen if things aren’t going right, so be sure that you keep calm and focus on communicating in a healthy way.
2. Helps deal with stress through shared creativity
The thought of cooking stresses some people out. But did you know that cooking is actually a proven way to relieve stress? It gives you the opportunity to focus on just one thing: creating a mouth-watering and nutritious meal.
The first step is to think up some fun things to cook together with your partner. Creativity and collaboration both come into play here, so you can work on your communication while letting your imagination run wild.
3. Enhances sensorial experiences between couples
Eating is one of the few activities that uses all of our senses.
The smell and taste of the food.
The texture and visual appeal of the ingredients.
The sounds of the kitchen.
These are just a few of the ways that you engage your senses while cooking. Romantic couples in the kitchen can use this to their advantage as they plan out their date night meals to cook together.
As you cook with your partner, let them have a whiff of the ingredients and taste test the food. Put some mood music on and find ways to create an immersive and exciting experience together.
4. Promotes a healthy lifestyle
Creating couples meals that not only taste good but are nutritious as well can help to promote a healthy lifestyle.
Research shows that families that take the time to prepare food and eat together can have healthier habits overall. This includes eating well and focusing on nutrition, which can help you reach your goals. Furthermore, some studies suggest that making nutrition and fitness goals as a couple can lead to more permanent lifestyle changes.
Not only that, it gives you time to connect and talk with your partner or family without interruptions.
Healthy and Romantic Meals You Should Try Cooking Together
A couple’s relationship needs a little romance here and there. A couple cooking together at the end of the day is a great way to unwind and relax. It doesn’t have to be gourmet every day. In fact, you can create healthy, delicious meals in as little as a few minutes together. If you have more time, some romantic meals that never fail include:
- One-pan steak with avocado butter
- Spaghetti squash chicken pad thai
- Low-carb mini meat loaves
- Chicken shawarma pita pizzas
- Smoked salmon alfredo
Start Sharing Cooking and Fitness Goals as a Couple
If you and your partner are looking for fun ways to spend time together, cooking is something you absolutely need to try. There are so many benefits to cooking as a couple that can help strengthen your relationship.
Having a wellness buddy is a proven way to help you stay accountable, stay motivated, and share progress. Who better to partner up with in your nutrition and weight loss goals than the person closest to you? Using tools like MyFitnessPal can help make it easy to track your nutrition, making cooking and eating smart even easier. So grab your recipe book, tie up your apron strings, and get ready to create something tasty with your love!
