10 reasons why a couple should cook together for a better relationship


Last Updated on 2016-05-20 , 11:35 am

What is the first thing you think about when asked what constitutes a good bonding activity for couples? Staycations? Exercising? Café hopping? Sure. How about eating? Ahhh we Singaporeans can never escape that sinful indulgence. Most of us however would rather spend money and have a meal cooked for us at a restaurant due to our busy lives (while we entertain ourselves on our smart phones and tablets). We often forget the most fundamental things we do together as a couple that will really bring us closer and build a loving bond that will hopefully last a lifetime.

Thus it brings us to our topic of the day. Why should a couple cook together to build a better relationship? The reasons are simple. So simple you might go “Why has it never crossed my mind?” by the end of this article.

So here goes.

A couple who cooks together, stays together
The header says it all. When the both of you make it a point to cook together, you are also indirectly spending quality time with one another. This in turn fosters a sense of love and bonding which the two of you will look back on one day and reminisce together with your grandchildren.

Let’s grow old and fat together
Have you ever wondered why happily dating/married couples put on weight? That’s because it is proven that when someone is in a comfortable joyful relationship, the diet restrictions somehow fall off and they become jolly, merry folks. When a couple cooks together, they will eat the same foods together, grow fat together, laugh at each other, poke at each other’s bellies, and fall harder in love with each other. Doesn’t that paint a lovely picture?

Nobody understands my taste better than you
When you cook separately, most times then not you end up worrying how your other half will take to your culinary skills. If he or she doesn’t enjoy it, you feel bad. If your partner decides to hide the truth about how bad your cooking is, he or she feels bad. BUT! If you cook together, both of you will come to understand what ticks or doesn’t tick with your partner’s food preferences and you can be assured that any future surprise meals won’t be offered or received with trepidation.

Playing with food has never been more fun
What’s sexier than being able to play with your food? And what more with the person you love? Cooking together allows you and your significant other to experiment with various meats, vegetables, seasonings, and create THE dish that represents the both of your cooking styles and taste profiles. Cue lovey dovey daydream of opening a small café together and offering this very dish as a signature item that everyone will be scrambling for.

Tight spaces breed love
When you are stuck in a small space with the person you love, what do you do? If it’s cold, you cuddle. If it’s warm, you probably strip down to your bare minimum and cuddle. No matter what the situation may be, things will definitely get fiery! So imagine being stuck in the kitchen with him or her, sweating and cooking up a storm. If the mixture of heat (of a comfortable level preferably), and delish smells don’t get both your blood pumping, I don’t know what else will.

Let’s get messy together
For this, make sure your other half is not OCD about cleanliness. If he or she is, skip this and move on to point 7. Cooking together doesn’t always mean the kitchen has to be orderly Gordon Ramsay’s kitchen style. Since I’m assuming you will be using your own kitchen at home, feel free to play around, fling that flour on each other, sprinkle some soya sauce on your man or turn that water spurt towards your lady, all in good fun. This will make sure that the both of you enjoy your little kitchen adventure and will look forward to another session as soon as possible.

Of course, make sure the both of you clean the area up before bed. You don’t want uninvited guests in there having a feast of your mess while you are asleep.

Love means putting away that smart phone. Or tablet.
Making an effort to engage in an activity together also means the both of you are consciously putting aside time for the relationship. This also means you put that phone or tablet down and concentrate on the fun at hand. And since cooking requires the use of BOTH hands, you may focus all your attention on each other and remember why you fell in love in the first place. Hey, the kitchen does not have to be an unlikely place to reminisce!

“Honey, pass the no-salt seasoning”
How many times have you gone into the kitchen and had to shout out to your partner to ask where the salt is? In the beginning, your partner might have replied with a sweet “It’s in the cupboard above the stove honey!” but recently, it seems to have evolved into some sort of a growl almost “Look for it yourself.” If you find yourself in that situation, or maybe not, perhaps it’s time you and your other half spend some time together cooking up a storm and learning more about where things are placed in the kitchen. Trust me when I say, little knowledge like this will go a long long way for your relationship.

Gender equality
There are still men out there who feel that women belong in the kitchen. A modern, intelligent man however (Aha I got your attention now!), believe in an almost equal standing with their lady when it comes to cooking and generally being around the kitchen. This mindset will make you much more endearing to your woman and will even garner her respect for you which will extend to the other areas in your life. This in time will lead to an easier life for you in the long run.

So yes, cook together. Don’t expect your lady love to be the only one in the kitchen making you a sandwich at the end of the day.

Love is understanding
When a couple cooks together, it’s not just about understanding and learning more about each other’s food tastes. It’s also a chance for both parties to really bond over the hot stove while waiting for the food to be cooked, to talk about your individual lives and lives in general. There is no where else either of you can go (except if you need the toilet), until the food is cooked anyway. More often than not, you end up taking the conversation to the dining table. Results? A deeper understanding of each other which in turn will translate into a feeling of love and connection. You can’t get any more intimate than that.

Make it a date night. If you have never done this before, grab your other half, go get a couple of nice steaks, enclose yourselves in the kitchen, start cooking and watch the magic happen.