The Best Date Night Foods

Is it unconventional to use an article titled “Best Date Night Foods” as a dating profile? Possibly…but I’ve done worse things, so let’s give it a shot. As both the most single man on the planet and a deeply hopeless romantic, it’s ironic that I’m both the least and most qualified person to write this. I’ve wandered the aisles of the grocery store longing to use the foods around me to create the perfect date night at home. Let me walk you through all the eats I’d grab from the store to woo you, single readers (or I suppose you could pick up these date night foods for your next at-home date night if you’re already in a happy relationship).

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Kirkland Breaded Panko Shrimp

Obviously, I’m expecting my phone to be ringing off the hook after everyone reads this. That’s why the first thing I’ll be picking up for every first date is a few boxes of Kirkland Breaded Panko Shrimp. They’re twice as big as the other shrimp the Sporked team taste tested and since they come in a whopping 2.5 lb box, I’ll be able to feed all who inquire in my DMs! As managing editor Gwynedd Stuart recommended, I can pair these with rice, veggies, and a bit of yum-yum sauce to knock your socks off (but that’s as far as I’m willing to go on the first date).

Rao’s Homemade Marinara Sauce

Once we’ve made it to our third date, I’ll pass down the pasta-making knowledge my grandfather gifted to me. As we get to know each other more, this is the ultimate excuse to get close. I’ll wrap my arms around you as I show you how to run the dough through the pasta machine then wipe the flour from your nose as we lock eyes and you giggle as you turn your head to break the tension (did I miss my calling as a Hallmark movie writer?). More convenient than the homemade version, I’ll have plenty of Rao’s marinara sauce to smother our pasta in. Sporked contributor Danny Palumbo loved Rao’s for its high-quality ingredients and lack of preservatives, which make it a lovely, consistent, flavorful pasta sauce.

Pepperidge Farm Garlic Bread

Garlic bread combines two of my absolute favorite foods, garlic and bread, so this is my only dealbreaker. If you don’t love garlic bread, I can’t love you! Is this too early to use the L word? In Sporked’s ranking of frozen garlic bread, Gwynedd enjoyed Pepperidge Farm’s loaf of frozen garlic bread because it gives you options: the halves can be baked together if you prefer a squishy center or you can split them apart for crispy edges. As a selfless partner, I’ll let you choose how we prepare it. This is perfect for sopping up the leftover Rao’s on our plates.

Trader Joe’s Pork Gyoza Potstickers

Date nights don’t have to be difficult. As a break from takeout and to simplify our cooking, we can swing by Trader Joe’s to pick up their pork gyoza potstickers. In their taste test of the best frozen dumplings, senior writer Jordan Myrick was convinced they could eat 100 dumplings in a sitting. I’m not promising I wouldn’t attempt to do the same, but I do promise to share these dumplings, which Jordan described as “so juicy, flavorful and meaty. They’re gingery and, while super savory, have a hint of sweetness that is really pleasant.”

Trader Joe’s Triple Creme Brie

Our relationship has progressed and we’ve made it to Valentine’s Day, but we want to share the intimacy of the holiday by spending the evening at home and cooking for ourselves. To start our date night with a bit of snacking, we’ll create a charcuterie board with the main event: the triple creme Brie from Trader Joe’s. Hands down the best cheese the Sporked crew tried in their test of the seven best Bries, Jordan described this as decadently creamy with a pleasantly mild flavor that we can pair with dried fruits, toasted nuts, or a drizzle of honey.

Baker’s Real Milk Chocolate Dipping Chocolate

What would a Valentine’s Day date be without dipped strawberries? Baker’s was the Sporked crew’s pick for best of the best chocolate for dipping, thanks in part to its easy, mess-free preparation. This rich and thick chocolate comes in its own little microwaveable cup, and is perfect for clinging to a dunked strawberry. If all goes well and we have some leftover chocolate, I’m sure we could find a use for it elsewhere.