5 eating dilemmas on a first date

First impressions matter. That’s why we spend hours in front of the mirror before a first date. But because such a meeting usually involves eating and drinking, the danger lies elsewhere. Because if you’re put off when your date doesn’t look like their Tinder profile anymore with a mouth full of food scraps, meat juices and unpleasant smells, the reverse can happen too. 

Festival Food

From a falafel or shawarma sandwich with a generous scoop from the free salad bar, to a hot dog with sauce. And don’t forget the pulled pork (strands of pork between your teeth) or that bone broth that pulls beard and ponytail toward it like a person with a fear of heights looking into the depths. Basically, all street and festival food is a no-go. Best bet: onigiri (just check here).

Sangria Mouth

Red foods in particular lead to red teeth, tongue, cheeks and lips. So be careful with young red wine, sangria, beetroot, cherries and, for example, redcurrants. No matter how romantic it is to bite into a cherry together.

Burping the Alphabet

A teenager who wants to burp the alphabet downs a bottle of cola. But even a sophisticated little bottle of champagne with a straw can lead to burpy scenes. And chocolate mousse? Same thing (provided it’s light and airy). Just like peaches or Brussels sprouts. Although the chances of the latter on a first date are fairly slim.

Storm Warning

Some foods cause more air displacement than others. It is generally known that beans and lentils lead to flatulence. Thanks to raffinose, stachyose and verbascose, which pose major challenges for intestinal bacteria. And if you eat sulfur-rich foods such as cauliflower or eggs, they come with quite a smell. Extra tricky with all those breakfast-and-egg dates.

Sour Beer Tongue

It sounds logical that garlic or onion soup is a no-no on your first date. But typical first-date drinks such as coffee and alcohol certainly don’t make your mouth smell like violets either. Never heard of sour beer tongue?

Also read:

• How (star) chefs impress their (first) date
• Dining etiquette for your (first) date
• Want to impress your date?