How To Have Dinner Dates At A Distance

As part of my 4 year LDR, my husband and I really wanted to do things in as normal a way as possible. Of course, being in a relationship thousands of miles apart may not be ‘normal’ to most people, but it was about finding what helped us feel close and continue with our marriage as best we could. In short, we found what worked for us.

Part of the ‘normal’ was going on a dinner date or having a meal together. This was something that we both really looked forward to as it created a sense of closeness – something which helped us through the tougher times encountered in an LDR.

As a way of helping anyone who is currently in an LDR, or about to embark on one, I thought I would share how to have a successful dinner date. If you have access to a video chat application on a computer, it makes the date easier, but it can be conducted during a phone call, which is the way my husband and I did it.

Plan ahead | Find a date/time that you can both spend time having a meal together, and also plan what food you will have.

Sort logistics | Once you have sorted out when it will happen, figure out how it will happen. You do not really want to be cooking whilst on the computer/phone, so make sure you have it all cooked and ready to go when the date begins – not forgetting getting the table sorted too!

Food ideas | If you are having a dinner date, like going out to a restaurant, you do not have to have the same food, but if you are having a ‘home’ meal, like if you were living together, cook the same food.

Create atmosphere | If you are doing the dinner like a date, set up the table like a restaurant to make it feel more like a visit out.

Use technology | So it feels like you are eating, sitting across from one another, place the computer (for video chat) or phone, facing you on the table. It makes it fun, and easier to eat!

Take photographs | Particularly when doing the dinner over the phone, but even if you video chat, take photographs of your table/food and send/email it to your partner. It creates a close atmosphere, and is a fun way to create some mementos of the date.

This certainly helped my husband and I, and I hope it proves useful to anyone in an LDR – and if you are, keep working out what works for you, you will find a rhythm and it will feel great.

Thanks for reading!

Molly