A first date can be nerve-wracking, but there’s good reason to keep things from getting too spicy.
It turns out spicy food is one of the absolute worse things you can eat on a first date. At least, that’s according to a poll of thousands of adults tasked with identifying some of the top foods to avoid on a first date. When it comes to the top 20 foods to avoid, people in the survey chose spicy curry as number one, so the first date is probably not the night to try out something new on the scoville scale. Other specific things they suggested avoiding on a first date included chicken wings, fajitas, burritos, tacos, and stew.
There’s obviously a time and place for spicy food, but it may not always be right for the first date.
It wasn’t just spicy hot food that made the list. Lots of people suggested you not eat noodles or spaghetti, simply for the mess factor. That was also the case with ribs and corn on the cob. It’s hard enough trying to impress someone new when you’re also worried about spilling your food or slurping your food. Most people surveyed felt it made sense to choose the least messy selection on the menu on a date, especially on a first date. There are all kinds of things that can go wrong on a date, and you probably don’t want spilled food to be one of them. Those surveyed also put the axe to oysters, sushi, and seafood.
As for some of the best things to eat on a first date, most people chose something simple like a chicken dish. So, what about cooking for someone new? Many of those surveyed said it would make them nervous, but if they did cook, they’d probably make something easy and quick. Of course, about one in 10 people in the survey said they’ve purchased take-out food before and tried to pass it off as their own.
