Why You And Your Love Should Cook Dinner Together (And Why You Sometimes Shouldn't) (Slideshow)
While there may be big obstacles to getting in the kitchen together, finding a shared hobby can lead to easy (and cheap!) quality time together, which will result in a happier, more fulfilling relationship. You can improve on your communication skills and your chopping technique, all while mixing up a delicious meal for two.
Should: Shared Hobby
Few things bring a couple together quite like shared interests and hobbies, so why not try out cooking? If you find that you enjoy making basic things together, such as baked chicken breasts with vegetables, you may find that you soon get more experimental in the kitchen. That can turn into trips to farmers markets, cooking classes, and new experiences together.
For 15 exciting ways to cook chicken breast, click here.
Shouldn’t: Lack of Interest
If one of you is a big gourmand and the other one has no interest in learning how to properly chop an onion or season a pork chop, you can't force it. If one of you is the primary chef and enjoys it while the other person would just much rather put their time into another hobby, let it be. Why do something that isn't fun?
Should: Quality Time Together
When you're in a relationship, it's all about quality time spent together. Cooking together assures that you and your significant other spend at least a little time together in the evenings as you prep your dinner, cook it, and then sit down to eat. This can lead to fun conversations and connecting with each other in new, exciting ways — all thanks to a jointly made whitefish with lemon caper sauce. And bonus: Cooking together can make for a cheap, enjoyable date night.
Shouldn’t: Different Schedules
Sometimes, cooking dinner together just isn't practical. If one of you works well into the evening while the other leaves the office at 3 p.m., it doesn't make sense for you to wait around and eat dinner at some ungodly late hour just so you can do it together. Of course, when you have time together — like on the weekends — you can still try and get in the kitchen at the same time.
Should: A Practice in Communication
Anybody who's made a long-term relationship work will tell you: Communication is key. And a cook will tell you the same thing. Reading ingredients to each other and helping each another with directions and cooking techniques can help you learn how to effectively work through problems in other parts of your relationship.
Shouldn’t: Different Skill Levels
Perhaps one of you has been cooking your entire life while the other doesn't know the difference between baking soda and baking powder. It can be frustrating for one person to teach the other how to cook, and it can be easier for one person just to carry the load. However, with a dose of effort and a lot of patience, teaching your love to cook (or learning from them) can be a highly rewarding experience.
Should: Equal Division of Chores
According to a 2007 Pew Research Poll, 62 percent of married couples said that an equal division of household chores is integral to a lasting, happy marriage. And though cooking is fun, it is a household necessity at the end of the day. If one person cooks, does the dishes, and cleans the kitchen while the other sits on the couch watching TV, it can build up resentment. Avoid those stresses by dividing up the kitchen labor equally for a happy life.
Shouldn’t: Your Kitchen Is Too Small
Not every kitchen is gorgeously designed for the best cooking experience possible. If your kitchen only has one foot of counter space and two burners on your stove, having two people occupy that space at once can be awkward, inconvenient, and stressful. Even if you want to cook together, it just may not be practical.
Should: You Can Learn Something New About Each Other
As you get in the kitchen together and experience something new with your partner, you may find out new bits of information about each other. Perhaps a favorite family recipe or childhood kitchen memory can be incorporated into your life, or maybe you just discover your love has a funny way of saying "Worcestershire sauce." Getting in the kitchen together will get you talking, laughing, and enjoying each other's company in a way few other household activities will.
Should: Why Not?
Cooking together may not always be the most fun activity, and there will be bumps in the road along the way. Like any part of your relationship, there can be communication breakdowns, differences in opinions, and maybe a burnt steak or two. However, if you can work through these things, you'll find that cooking together can be one of the most rewarding parts of a relationship, and your love life will improve because of it. So get in that kitchen (even if it's tiny) and start cooking dinner together.