Find the right partner is difficult and first dates are even harder. A first date can be a nightmare of anxiety as you want to make a good impression as you are terribly nervous, you have so many thoughts on your appearance, and rest of the time is spent rehearsing conversations in your head. So for God’s sake don’t ruin it all by ordering some foolish food at dinner that is likely to make you a source of comedy or embarrassment for the rest of the night. What are these danger foods, you ask?
We’ve helpfully compiled a list of the Top 10 foods that any sensible person should avoid when dining with a new companion. And don’t let the title of this post fool you. These rules are in force for every meal until you and your partner first hook up, and they apply just as much to business meetings
- Leafy Veggies
You can forego your health-food obsession for one day. Or if you can’t, don’t order in a dish with copious amount of spinach, mint sprigs etc. They will get stuck between your teeth, you won’t be able to tell in time, your date will look at you with a scrunched up nose. That will be quite mortifying, so listen to us.
- Salad
Aside from the above reason, don’t order a salad unless you want the date to go down the hill. It’s a very isolating food, to be honest. Yes, everyone wants to soak up some fruits, and some veggies but reserve them for your lunch dates. If you don’t want something heavy, order a vegetarian dish with a side salad. You don’t want to come across as a pretentious diva. Wait that out until maybe the third date!
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- Spicy Food
Yes it is very appealing to be going blood red, and hiccuping on your first date. Spicy food is only to always be consumed with friends you have known for ages, or in the comfort of your home. Unless you want to be chugging water all night, having water leak out of your eyes, your stomach struggling to be drama free – you needn’t order spicy food. If you like some hotness to your meal, as separately for chili flakes or a hot sauce!
- Cheeseburger
This is self-explanatory. It is super messy; these are usually huge with many layers and with one wrong bite everything dismantles and you come across as a child! Plus you can never look elegant while eating a burger, you have to literally dig your teeth in and eat it. Also, who eats a burger for a dinner date? #Judgement
- Unpronounceable Dishes
Firstly, chances are these are extremely expensive. Secondly, they could just as well be a live animal on your plate – sedated. Everyone wants to be impressive on their first date, but if you ask for something you can’t pronounce you will face three levels of doom. It will begin with you being confused with the syllables, slowly followed by you being shocked at whatever comatose seafood you ordered, and ultimately depress you with the amount you paid for it. Just don’t go down this path.
- Nachos / Chips
There is a lot of noise in consuming these. Constant noise, that will not only deter a conversation because of the background score, but also they are addictive as a food. Your date will not only think you have no dining etiquettes, because even the lowest eating sound is like a tractor running – but they will also think you are quite the glutton because you’ll keep dipping that chip in that sauce!
- Onion / Garlic
This is the most usual, and predictable no-no. These two equal bad breath, and that’s not good for conversations, amongst all the other things. If you are a big fan of the taste that comes with onion or garlic, just ask to server to be easy with the portions. Absolutely avoid sauces, condiments, broths that are heavy on both, because that’s simply a disaster!
- Spaghetti and meatballs
In the real world, spaghetti is a romantic deal killer. There’s nothing remotely sexy about watching you Hoover up wayward strands of pasta or listening to the constant screech of your fork against spoon or plate. And by the end of the meal, that hot outfit you’re wearing is guaranteed to be splattered with flecks of tomato-basil sauce. You still want pasta? Order
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- Lobster / Crab
This one is from personal experience. It’s hard to look at someone romantically while they are ripping apart a creature from the bottom of the sea with their bare hands.
- Wings and ribs
Any menu item that comes with a Wet Nap should be avoided at all costs.
