FacebookWhether you’re still getting to know each other or have been together for years, every couple deserves a date night. The perfect date doesn’t always have to involve splurging on an expensive restaurant or planning a marathon day full of activities. With the right menu, you and your partner can enjoy a lovely date night without ever leaving home.
Staying in gives you and your partner the chance to relax and enjoy each other’s company at your leisure. As a bonus for those with dietary restrictions, it also eliminates the stress and anxiety of finding a restaurant that can accommodate you.
Ideal for special occasions or casual weeknight dates, these gluten-free menus will help you create the ultimate date night at home.
Making Dinner Together is the Perfect Date Night In
Life can be hectic but a date night at home is the perfect opportunity to settle in and catch up with your significant other. While you can certainly plan your date night around an activity like board games, a movie, or a spa-like experience, sometimes all you really need for a great date is good conversation.
Preparing a meal with your significant other can be both relaxing and intimate. When your hands are busy, the conversation will flow naturally, and you’ll be able to fully enjoy the experience of simply spending time with one another. Even the simplest meal can be incredibly satisfying when it’s prepared with care alongside someone you love.
For individuals with dietary restrictions, making dinner together comes with an added benefit — you have the freedom to choose your dishes and prepare them in exactly the way you like. Instead of spending half the date poring over menus and asking questions, you can take full advantage of the time you have together and tailor the experience to your preferences.
3 Gluten-Free Date Night Menus
If you and your partner have different tastes, making dinner together is a great way to collaborate. Try to find ways to incorporate each other’s favorite flavors or take turns selecting menu items. There are no rules for a date night in, so take the opportunity to share your favorite dishes with your partner or decide that you’re both going to try something new.
To help you get started planning your ultimate date night at home, here are three menus featuring gluten-free recipes for appetizers, entrees, and desserts.
1. Flavors of the Mediterranean Menu
Appetizer: Savory Salmon Cakes
Warm and toasty with a touch of heat, these savory salmon cakes are a delicious way to start a gluten-free date night in. Gluten-free breadcrumbs are the key to forming these cakes and making them crispy.
Entrée: Tuscan Spaghetti with Spinach
Quick but flavorful, this spaghetti dish features olives, capers, garlic, and spinach to give it a Tuscan flair. If you want to make it a little heartier, try adding a fillet of grilled fish.
Dessert: Baked Apple Crumble
Sweet and satisfying, this recipe is surprisingly healthy. Serve this gluten-free crumble over apples or pears — whatever is fresh and in season.
2. Keep It Casual Menu
Appetizer: Schär-Cuterie Board
Grab an assortment of meats, cheeses, and dried fruits to serve with your favorite gluten-free crackers or crispbreads. If you’re looking for a creative challenge, arrange your charcuterie snacks artfully on a nice cutting board before you dig in.
Entrée: Chicken Parmesan Skewers with Marinara Dipping Sauce
It’s tough to find gluten-free fried foods in a restaurant, so a date night in is the perfect time to enjoy the classics like chicken tenders. Flavored with rosemary and parmesan, these chicken skewers are ideal for dipping.
Dessert: Almond Cake Pops
This recipe is a dessert and a craft project all in one. Made with gluten-free graham crackers and almond butter, these cake pops are fun to decorate and even more fun to eat.
3. Try Something New Menu
Appetizer: Lavender Honey Mermaid Toast
This recipe is deceptively simple. A unique combination of lavender and honey turns plain gluten-free bread into an artful delicacy that will get your gluten-free date night off to a delicious start.
Entrée: Pasta with a Pea Ricotta Sauce
This delicate pasta dish will be a pleasure on your palate. It features gluten-free spaghetti in a creamy ricotta sauce, lightly flavored with parmesan, parsley, and a pinch of nutmeg.
Dessert: Chocolate Matcha Truffles
Made with a simple white chocolate ganache and dusted in matcha green tea powder, these gluten-free truffles are simple to prepare but sure to tantalize your tastebuds.
Mix It Up with these Date Night Beverages
Whether you’re relaxing for a while before making dinner or taking a break before clearing the table, do it with a delicious beverage in hand. These recipes are simple to prepare but they’ll add a little flair to your date night in. Now is the time to pull the fancy glassware out of the China cabinet!
1. Old Fashioned
Muddle 1 cube of sugar in a rocks glass with 2 teaspoons of water and 4 dashes of Angostura bitters until the sugar dissolves. Add a large ice cube and pour 2 ounces of bourbon over it. Stir until well chilled then garnish with a maraschino cherry and an orange peel.
2. Virgin Mojito
Muddle 6 mint leaves in a cocktail shaker then add 1 ounce each of fresh lime juice and simple syrup. Fill the shaker with ice and shake until cold. Fill a rocks glass with ice and strain the mixture into it. Top it off with soda water and garnish with additional mint leaves.
3. Classic Margarita
Rub the rim of a rocks glass with a lime wedge and dip in coarse salt to coat. Pour in 2 ounces blanco tequila, 1 ounce triple sec, and ¾ ounce fresh lime juice. Fill the glass with ice and stir until chilled. Garnish with a lime wedge to serve.
4. Jalapeno Grapefruit Ginger Fizz
Muddle ½ cup grapefruit juice, 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, 1 sprig of fresh mint, and a slice or two of fresh jalapeno in a cocktail shaker. Fill a copper mug with ice and strain the mixture into the mug. Top with ginger beer, stirring gently to combine.
No two couples are alike, so don’t feel like you have to follow a script when planning your ultimate date night in. If you’re not sure where to start, have a conversation about what you each hope to get out of the experience and work from there. You can even take turns choosing elements of the date.
When in doubt, start with a tasty drink and see where the night takes you. If you’re not up to the task of preparing a meal, you can always order in from your favorite gluten-free restaurant or keep it simple with an assortment of gluten-free snacks.
