Major points:
- This article explains how you can prepare a great dinner date while following Neatic principles.
- The three ingredients added flavors, sweeteners, and sugar are mainly found in ultra-processed foods and drinks. Checking the ingredient list while shopping and exploring our recipes is worthwhile.
- Impress your date with a delicious meal, introduce them to Neatic, and instantly share a common interest.
Picture this:
You have found the person you want to date, and your first dinner date is set. Sounds great – except for one small “problem”: you have only recently started following the Neatic program.
To make sure your dinner date Neatic-style is a success, here are a few tips:
Step 1: The Preparation
Before you start planning the meal, you should first agree on a date with your partner. Since preparing a home-cooked meal takes some time, the weekend is often the best choice.
Once you have set the date, consider what you will wear. Choose an outfit that fits your personal style and makes you feel comfortable.
Step 2: Meal planning
Choose the right dish for your dinner date
Before selecting a recipe, ask your date about any food intolerances or dietary preferences. They may avoid certain foods, such as animal products, and you should take that into account. Fortunately, that is not a problem when cooking Neatic-style.
Browse through our recipe collection, where you will find dishes free from added flavors and sweeteners, with little to no sugar. You can also look up other recipes online and adapt them according to the three Neatic principles. Maybe you already have a favorite dish that you can tweak to fit the Neatic principles.
You will see that this step is not as difficult as it sounds. The three ingredients added flavors, sweeteners, and sugar are mainly found in ultra-processed foods and drinks. Since you are cooking from scratch, this will not be an issue. However, checking the ingredient list while grocery shopping is always a good idea.
A Neatic-style dinner date menu might look like this:
Starter: Salad with a delicious dressing or bread with a tasty dip.
Quick and easy recipes for various salad dressings (for example, lime dressing) or dips (for example, hummus, spicy bell pepper Dip, tomato-basil dip) can be found in our recipe category.
Main course: Lasagna
Lasagna is relatively easy to make but still impressive. You can prepare it with ground meat or try our delicious alternative here.
Dessert: Chocolate cream
Desserts are often loaded with sugar and frequently contain added flavors and sweeteners. To be on the safe side, try our quick chocolate cream recipe. Other great options include coconut milk rice and semolina porridge with nut butter and raspberries – all reduced in sugar and free from added flavors and sweeteners.
If you need a snack during the evening, you can prepare the spicy nut mix or the power balls.
The biggest challenge: beverages
Sugar- and artificially sweetened beverages typically contain added flavors, sweeteners, and sugar which contribute to obesity, and should, therefore, be avoided.
Here is a selection of suitable beverages:
- Water
- Coffee
- Tea
- Homemade iced tea
- Homemade fruit punch
- Wine in moderation
Be careful with cocktails: They often contain a lot of added flavors and sugar.
Depending on whether your date will need to drive home, you should also consider beforehand if and how much alcohol you want to offer.
Step 3: The final preparations
On the day of the date, start your preparations early so you are not stuck in the kitchen throughout the evening. Some dishes can even be prepared the day before. Alternatively, you could cook together with your date.
Right before they arrive, make sure your home is clean, set the table nicely (do not forget candles), and change into your outfit.
Now, everything is ready for your Neatic-style dinner date!
We at Neatic wish you a wonderful time, and who knows – you might even inspire your date to join you on the Neatic journey. That would be a great thing to share!
Do you want to watch a movie after dinner? We also have some snack ideas for that!
