Hi friends! Not my usual kind of post but I started compiling ideas for my own benefit and thought why not share it here? As parents, my husband and I don’t get out much. It’s not that we don’t want to… because we really want to get out, trust me. But it can really add up if we go out all the time and we are at a place in our lives where we are very focused on saving saving saving.
But the thing is, why should we sacrifice date night? It doesn’t (and shouldn’t) always be some fancy thing or expensive dinner. Date night can be just about anything with the right person. So here are some ideas that I have come up with and want to be able to refer back to the next time we put the girls to bed early (yay for early bedtime – who’s with me?)
- Make some popcorn and your favorite drink (alcoholic or non – I am a non person), grab a big blanket and take everything outside. Cuddle up on some patio furniture or a blanket on the grass and snack, chat, and watch the sky.
- Have a chess match – with snacks (did I mention that most of these at-home date night ideas include snacks? Just assume snacks are involved from here on out.)
- Make a skillet cookie for two and dig in. Don’t forget the ice cream!
- Play your favorite card game. Make it interesting with “if I win/you win” rewards.
- Put the kids to bed and THEN make/eat dinner. This is important if you are a parent. We eat with our kids every night… so it is extra special when we wait to put them to sleep and then have dinner together. Put on that Restaurant Jazz Spotify playlist, light a candle, and make it feel like you are out to eat.
- Light the fireplace (or a few candles) and sip your favorite cup of coffee/tea together with a side of good conversation. This is especially fun if you look up “first date questions” or “questions to get to know someone” and go back and forth. You never know – you might learn something new about your other half!
- Make s’mores – fire pit, stovetop, or oven… I am not here to judge how you make this happen. Just MAKE. IT. HAPPEN!
- Kick a ball around in the backyard – I’m not kidding. Sometimes when we are outside, my husband and I will just kick the kids’ soccer ball back and forth and talk. This isn’t exactly a date, but it is something fun and unexpected.
- Pack a picnic for the backyard.
- Better yet, grill and chill. Love a good Beyond Meat burger on the grill with all the fixings. It’s nice to sit outside and chat while dinner is being made and then eat under the stars or while the sun is setting.
- Put together a puzzle.
- Ice cream night! Grab your favorite ice cream and toppings and make sundaes together.
- Build your own pizzas. Or make it interesting and build a pizza for one another instead.
- Take the “Five Love Languages” quiz and see where you both land. This is a great conversation starter for the night, too.
- Listen to a band or artist you both really love. Cuddle on the couch while you listen. If you are music people (like us), you will appreciate this. (Our “mutual love” band is 311, by the way).
- Have a “taste test” night. Instead of a big or fancy dinner, grab 5-6 new snacks/products that you have both never had and taste test together. This is especially fun when you are taste-testing vegan products. Rank/rate them, obviously.
Really simple ideas here but they really do feel special when you are not able to get out of the house much and are sticking to a budget. Making the most of your alone-time is important! I hope a few of these ideas spoke to you and inspire your next date night. x
