10 Home Date Ideas
Stuck inside? There’s no reason why you can’t have an amazing time with your partner thanks to our 10 home date ideas.
1. Picnic in the Lounge
Lay down some throws and pillows, light some lanterns and relax with a platter of breads, cheeses and fruit. This is a no-nonsense set-up that can be created easily with accessories you’re likely to already have at home and has made its way indoors to make people feel like they’re outside. However, it’s become so popular that rental businesses have shot up here, there and everywhere to supply the items required. Of course, if you’re fortunate enough to have a garden at home, there’s no reason you can’t do this outside. Top it off with a bottle of bubbles.
2. Movie-themed Meals
No doubt you’ve been watching more movies now than usual, so why not inspire your next date night with your favourite one? Turn your kitchen into an American diner and serve up burgers and shakes like Pulp Fiction; think James Bond and dress up in your finest clothes and sip martinis over a game of blackjack; or embrace your inner witch or wizard and mix up your own Butter Beer while dressed in your Hogwarts house gown and tie just like Harry Potter.
3. Naked Dining
Something you could almost never do in a restaurant, turn the risque factor up a notch and have dinner with your partner completely naked. It may be a bit funny at first, but can turn incredibly exciting when you discover that you find each other even more appetising than the food itself! Serve food in-keeping with the theme, such as aphrodisiacs or something you can eat off each other, and introduce a blindfold to tease your partner. If you want to be more comfortable, slip on some sexy underwear.
4. Games Night
Turn your home into a gaming emporium just for you and your partner - think Twister in the bedroom, mini golf in the living room, Boggle in the bathroom and beer pong in the kitchen. Go from game to game with homemade cocktails in-hand and fun canapes such as sliders, prawn skewers and arancini. Whoever loses each game needs to do a forfeit.
5. Wine/Beer Pairings
If you consider yourselves to have sophisticated palates or enjoy a bit of food and drink education, plan and cook a meal where each course is paired with a style of wine or beer. You can find loads of online recipes that include recommended tipples - from a fig and goat cheese salad with Sauvignon Blanc to a meat stew with a Porter. It’s a real focus on the flavours for you foodies out there!
6. Netflix & Chill
It’s become a modern classic for being easy and intimate, but can still be super special with a bit of effort. Make pizzas from scratch, grab your favourite bottle of wine, fill a bowl with popcorn and stick on either a series you both love, a new one you’ve been talking about starting for ages or a movie trilogy so you can settle in for the night. The privacy at home means that you can be much more intimate than you could in the cinema!
7. Cultural Cuisines
It can be difficult to come up with new recipe ideas for dinner at home, but if you’re missing experiencing new places, you can transport yourself and your other half by cooking up a feast inspired by different cultures and cuisines. Fly to Mexico with tacos and churros, try your hand at homemade sushi a la Japan, or take your time over a French coq au vin. Complement the theme with music, decorations and clothing.
8. Restaurant Recreation
Due to forced closures, restaurants around the world have launched home meal kits so that customers can recreate their favourite dishes at home. If yours hasn’t or you want to go one step further, try and find the individual ingredients and make a dish from scratch. Complete the experience by creating a restaurant in your living room, including a tablecloth, candles and even printed menus, to create the perfect setting to surprise your partner with a NoteCube!
9. Breakfast in Bed
Dates at home certainly don’t need to be confined to the evening. Going out for breakfast and brunch has become as popular a pastime with a partner as going out for dinner, so why not enjoy it in the comfort of your own home? Treat them to freshly-squeezed orange juice, buttery croissants and crispy bacon in bed - you don’t even need to dress up for the occasion! Better yet - give them the hotel experience with a tray, fancy tableware and some flowers on the side.
10. Bake-Off
Challenge your other half to a bake-off! Split the kitchen in two (you’ll probably have to share the oven, of course) and compare your skills. Whether you cook the same cake or something completely different, this is a fun, messy and hands-on activity. Post your creations on social media for friends and family to vote for the best-looking cake, but enjoy devouring them together. Just be prepared for a debate on who does the washing-up!
