Healthy Dinner Ideas for Two

Expecting the Impossible

Dating can be a difficult and challenging thing for many people. Everybody has their idea of who and what the perfect date should be. Hollywood for the longest time has set unrealistic expectations of what the person should look like, and where it can be hold. Most moviegoers and TV show watchers never stop to think that less that 1-percent of the entire population looks like movie stars, supermodels, and such. 

The same is true about the amount of us who can afford fancy dates at elaborate venues. The media depicts it as if it’s kind of fairy tale, and anyone who can’t measure up to that illusion is unworthy of being date material. To get a better idea of how people expect too much, you can read this article.

Another dilemma when it comes to dating is finding the right setting. Not everybody is interested in going to a five-star restaurant on the first date. Many of us feel that’s more appropriate for a fourth or fifth date once there’s a rapport between us. There are even simple things we can do such as meeting up for coffee, going for walks in the park, or visiting the local comedy club. Nobody knows whether a flare will be kindled, and the date will be a success.

A Fine Mess

We all want instant gratification in that we want to meet the right match the first chance we get. That’s what makes dating so difficult and often frustrating. This website shares a list of common difficulties face. It’s bad enough that advertising has placed for us impossible expectations for the longest time. 

What’s worse is when they tell us how to act and think. Most of the men out there in the dating pool aren’t going to look like Matthew McConaughey, Matt Damon, or George Clooney, nor will the majority women look like Scarlett Johansson, Emma Stone, or Halle Berry.

The James Bond movies are some of the worst when it comes to insecurities. They tell every man he’s supposed to wear fancy designer clothes, have dozens of gadgets and gizmos, and use cheesy one-liners whenever time permits. There’s a reason why those films are called fiction. They’re not real but only there for entertainment purposes. Perhaps one day, the entertainment industry will teach us to value substance over style, but that’s another story.

Dinner for Two

In addition to all this, not everyone wants to jump through hoops to set up a reservation for the most expensive restaurant in town; especially, when we know right off the bat that the date isn’t going to be a hit. No amount of money spent, superficial charm, or good looks can generate chemistry. That said, many of us have improvised in making a nice homecooked meal for our date.

Why not? It’s much cheaper than eating out, and you’re more likely to leave a good impression on your date if you show him or her that you’re a good cook. Most people appreciate a man or a woman with a bit of flare in the kitchen. If you want to know more about healthy dinner ideas for a pair, check out this page. There you can easily find you can find a great selection of meals to prepare.

Finding the recipes for quick and healthy meals is the easiest part of the equation. We have no way of knowing whether our dates may be allergic to certain types of foods or have certain sensory issues. I for one deplore blue cheese, mayonnaise, bologna, synthetic hot dogs, and processed cheese. One of the biggest challenges I had living in Thailand and in Vietnam is ordering fries. Always without fail, someone would bring out French fries drowned in mayonnaise and put more mayonnaise on my hamburgers.

Never Make Assumptions

I would go ballistic each time because I expected them to bring catsup with the fries and put mustard on the burger in lieu of mayonnaise. They all assumed that I liked it because the other expats. A few times, I would tell the servers, “I’m not Canadian or British.” Most of the locals assumed I was from Australia or New Zealand if they didn’t think I was from the UK or Canada.

I had to explain to them I’m American and that catsup and mustard are more common in my country; especially, the region where I’m from; the Southwest. There came a point in time where I specifically had to ask everyone not to put mayonnaise, bologna, blue cheese, or Kraft on my burgers or sandwiches. I’ve even had to do the same thing in Mexico. My default explanation was that I’m allergic to mayonnaise or whatever. That way they couldn’t argue.

When in Doubt Ask

The moral to the story is that it doesn’t hurt to ask your date what he or she likes specifically. Thus, you can prepare a meal that suits his or her needs and thereby increase the likelihood of the date being a success. We all love a great cook, but what we love even more is somebody who is a great listener and understands exactly what it is that works for us. If there’s anything I want the reader to take away from this article, it’s this. There’s no such thing as a stupid question unless you already know the answer.