At-home date night ideas

Whether you're looking to save some money, without a babysitter or currently in a lockdown thanks to a pandemic (!!!), here's some great ideas to inspire some fun date nights at home. Make some new memories and keep things fresh with these 10 ideas.

1. Prepare and cook a 3 course meal together

Make a date night out of dinner time by preparing and cooking together a 3 course meal together. Select your starter, main and dessert, pop the wine open and have some fun. Be sure to dress up as though you were going to a restaurant! (Perhaps after the messy aspects of cooking). Head to BBC Good Food for some inspiration. 

2. Dance Hall

After some fizz and appetisers, why not re-create a good old dance hall in your living room (or for a more romantic flair your garden?) Blast out the hits and boogie - be sure to try a little twist, shimmy to salsa and twirl in a tango. If you’re not a natural dancer, try following a YouTube video together. You may both learn a new move or two! Create the mood by hanging up a disco ball, finding some fairy lights or lighting some candles (just be sure you don’t knock into these while dancing!)

3. Date Night: Bob Ross Edition

You’ll need some basic tools for this one, but improvising and adapting always adds to the fun. Order two canvases, some paints and follow a Bob Ross tutorial together. We recommend a glass or two to add in some extra laughs here! When the tutorial ends - stop painting. Viola, a new masterpiece for the hallway (maybe...). Either way, it's impossible to dislike a date night full of "happy little trees."

4. Board game night

Board games aren’t just for Christmas! Spend a night without any technology and search the cupboards for the often-forgotten but brilliant board games you own. Jigsaws and chess boards welcomed too! Don’t have any games around the house? Make it virtual by trying games such as Jackbox, Chess or download the Monopoly app.

5. Double billing

Pop the corn and pour the drinks - it’s time for a home cinema night! Choose a favourite film each and enjoy together, phones away. Perfect for finally getting them to see the film you KNOW they’ll love but they keep refusing to watch (without a phone to hide behind).

6. Pamper night

Bring the spa home with a few special touches. Some face masks, nice drinks and DIY foot baths create for some great fun (that’s oddly relaxing!). Perfect for some laughs and good conversation. We’ll let you decide if you want to add in the manicures (or massages...)

To create your DIY foot baths, any cheap plastic tubs you can fit your feet into will do. Think washing up tubs, storage boxes etc. You can also create some DIY face masks, click here to see our recipes. 

7. Wine tasting

Ah yes, it’s woody... yet fruity... with notes of... pepper?!
Test your vocabulary (and taste buds) with an at-home wine tasting night. Order a kit or buy smaller bottles from the supermarket, arm yourselves with some paper and pens and get sipping! Don’t forget to swirl the wine in your glass first, give it a sniff, then sip and hold in your mouth for a few seconds before actually drinking. This allows you to really taste the flavour! Rate each wine out of 10 and write down any flavour notes you can taste. Add a French accent if you’d like to feel extra fancy!

8. Make your own pizza

Mamma Mia! Making your own pizza is surprisingly easy to do. Not only does it taste delicious, but it’s guaranteed to be a favourite as YOU choose all your toppings (and desired amount of cheese). Try some fancy flavours or stick to old classics - this is a great one to add some garlic bread and enjoy a beer together. Our favourite pizza dough recipe can be found here.

9. Picnic in the garden

Lay out the picnic mat, load a hamper (or some chopping boards, charcuterie style) and admire the stars with a picnic in the garden. Put up the fairy lights or break out some candles and pop a bottle open. Perhaps a little challenging in the colder or wetter months, you could always picnic in the lounge?
If picnicing in the lounge, we recommed putting this video on the TV and pretending you're in the Alps somewhere!

10. Take a virtual exercise class together

An unusual one we know - but unusual dates are usually the best remembered! Find an online yoga class, cardio or HIIT workout and try it together, side by side. Make some protein shakes or homemade fruity water and have fun!