According to This Study, Cooking with Your Partner Is Far More Intimate Than Sex

You know that fancy Valentine’s Day dinner reservation that you made months ago? What if I told you studies show that it might be better for your relationship if you cancelled them and whipped something up yourself in the comfort of your own home instead? If you can’t fathom an at-home meal faring better than spending a nice penny on a high-class restaurant, allow me to prove you wrong.

According to Talker, “Seven in 10 Americans polled in a new survey agreed that whipping something up for their partner in the kitchen is far more intimate than having sex.” In the OnePoll study for HelloFresh, 2,000 Americans were asked the role that food plays in their relationships, and there’s a clear connection between the two.

Here are some more interesting facts: 

When asked about their idea of a romantic Valentine’s Day, 42 percent of the people polled named a home-cooked meal as a must-have compared to 25 percent that said they want jewelry. In fact, cooking skills could be such a deal-breaker that 43 percent of respondents said they’ve ended relationships in the past if their partner was a lousy cook.

It’s also essential to keep it within your skill level because 65 percent of responders say that the date will be bad if the meal is bad. So try not to go full-on Gordon Ramsay in the kitchen if you can’t actually match that energy.

But before you get your steak in red wine sauce started, you need to ask yourself, “am I even there yet?” because according to the survey respondents, it takes four dates for them to feel comfortable having a dinner date in a partner’s home, and five dates to host them in their own home. 

If you do decide to take your chances and whip something up for Valentine’s Day, you can try your hand at In Garten’s 5-ingredient cookies that are easy to make and sure to impress.

Do you agree with the idea that cooking is more intimate than sex? Let us know in the comments!