Home Cooked Dinner Self-Date

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These are six easy steps for you to create your own home cooked dinner self date, to help you spend quality alone time and learn how to be more comfortable with yourself.

Personally, I love cooking – I find it very therapeutic and calming. So if I can turn that into a great self-date, even better. Even if you don’t enjoy cooking, if you pick and choose the right recipe, if you make it fun and exciting – I’m sure you’ll enjoy it as well. You have to make it special and unique, especially if you tend to cook on a regular basis. Especially these days where many of us are in lockdown, and spend so much time at home, and can’t go out. So it’s a good date because we can’t go anywhere, but we have to put in an extra effort to make it feel different.

Even if you don’t enjoy cooking, or aren’t good at it, I still encourage you to try this self-date. Just like any art form, it can be therapeutic and calming, and even help you battle anxiety. You can also put on your favourite, fun music and just have a blast with it. Dance around, let go and loose, be silly. Don’t take it or yourself too seriously. This date can also help you develop your cooking skills, and even lead you to growing a love and passion for cooking.

1. Choose a fun and exciting recipe

First of all, and especially if you cook regularly, try to pick a recipe that will be different and make it feel special and unique. Personally, I like to choose a recipe that will also challenge me and will be very interesting and fun to create. Something that will spark some excitement in me, that will make it feel creative – much like an arts and crafts project. This decision will probably make or break your date. If you choose a boring one, that is too easy, you might be bored or even feel like it’s not worth it, or doesn’t feel special. If it’s too hard and complicated, it will just frustrate you and you may give up. So you have to put some thought into it and choose just the perfect one for you.

Find an instruction video on YouTube to make it easier
Make sure to check the whole recipe ahead of time to make sure it’s a good one for you, and that it’s one that you can cook.
Create a list of all the ingredients to assure that you don’t miss out on anything.
Choose a dish that you’re not used to cooking, or never have before, but also one you as certain you can cook.

2. Food shopping

Well, maybe not everyone is as extreme as I am – but personally I love going to the supermarket. Even if you don’t usually enjoy it, try to make a fun and exciting activity out of it, another way to spend some time with yourself. Make a list of the groceries you need to make the recipe you chose, and then head out to do some shopping. If you can, choose a place that you like going to, maybe even a market. I love going to the local market, it’s so vibrant and fun. It also makes the whole experience more unique and that much more elevated.

Again, make a list – it will help you remember everything you need, and save you the frustration of missing something halfway through cooking.
Go alone, as this is also part of the experience of the date, but also it’s a great opportunity to work on feeling comfortable alone in public and in your own company.
Take your time and don’t rush it too much, as it will only make you more irritated and you want to try and remain calm throughout.

3. Put on some music and make it fun

Or in other words, create a fun environment for you to cook in. Music always adds an extra, and much needed, good feel. Especially if you’re not one to enjoy cooking so much. Besides breaking the silence, which personally drives me crazy, you can put on something that you enjoy… Your favourite music that will add that fun vibes and atmosphere to work in. I know that for some people cooking doesn’t come naturally, and they may not like or enjoy it. So music can definitely lift the mood and give you that boost you need. Even put some sway into it.

4. Pair it with a great drink

Nothing quite like a nice drink to go with your special meal. If you can, try to go all out and pair it with something extra unique and extravagant. Like a fancy glass of wine, sangria, a cocktail you love, your all time favorite beer or anything else you can think of that you absolutely love, and will make you that much happier. It doesn’t have to be overly fancy or expensive, but it does have to be different and special. As this isn’t something you do every day, and you want to make it better than any other home cooked meal you have.

You can buy a pre-made cocktail, or the ingredients to make it if you want to go all out and have fun with it.
Or you can buy a bottle of wine or beer if you want to keep it simple, or if that’s what you prefer and like better.
If you buy beer or a bottle of wine, you can drink one glass / bottle while you’re cooking, it makes the process nicer and more fun.

5. Set up a special table

This is also super important to make it feel different. Especially if you’re used to cooking for yourself and eating alone. Because this is not just another home cooked meal, like any other day. Personally I like to go all out and just have a riot with it, make it fun with how extra I make it. You can light some scented candles and dim the lights, set your favourite dishes, maybe even flowers and a nice table cloth.

If you don’t have what you need at home, make sure to add it to the shopping list.
Make sure to eat at a table and not on the couch or your bed, as it has to be special.

6. Choose a nice movie or tv show to put on

I preach a lot about learning how to enjoy your own company, however, that doesn’t mean you have to sit alone in a silent room. Especially on a special date where you want to actually feel nice and have fun. You shouldn’t spend the whole date being distracted by other things, but you also don’t have to sit in a boring, quiet room. You definitely shouldn’t be on your phone chatting away with friends, or scrolling through social media… Just like you wouldn’t on any other date, or when you’re out with friends. But it’s certainly okay to have a nice, low-key and relaxing series or movie on while you eat your food.

You can definitely combine a home movie night with this date.
Make it something light and fun, that will keep you in good vibes.
Again, make sure to prepare in advance so you don’t spend an hour just looking for a movie to watch, and save yourself the frustration of not finding anything.

Give it your own special touch

This is both one of the easiest, and one of the trickiest self dates. On the one hand, you can do it from the comfort of your own home, and there’s not much to it. It’s not too complicated, it’s straightforward and simple. On the other hand, besides the fact that cooking isn’t for everyone… This date is mainly tricky because even if you don’t cook for yourself on a regular basis, you at least order in and eat with yourself. Which means you have to work that much harder, and put in a bit more effort than usual to make it extra special. And different from any other meal you cook or eat with yourself. It’s also worth the effort, because this is one of the best dates to help you feel more comfortable in your own company.

Happy cooking!

Stay safe, stay healthy and stay strong!
All my best,
Michal B.L.