5 At Home Date Nights

1.) Charcuterie board & Wine

 

We enjoy making a huge board with all kinds of snacks on it which usually consist of: meats, cheeses, various breads, nuts, honey, jam, etc. I am a very creative person so I enjoy making it pretty while he enjoys the food aspect. No cooking is required so it is a simple & easy date to do for lunch or dinner.

2.) Three Course Meal

It sounds like more work than it is! 3 courses could be as simple as a salad, a main course, and a dessert. We like to each pick one new recipe and then pick the third one together. This makes for a fun evening of trying new foods and recipes. It can also be as inexpensive as you'd like it to be and no need for a babysitter. Limited on time? Then just cook a dessert together in the evening! Not spicy enough? Make it a competition and let the kids decide whose dish is better! 

3. Movie & LOTS of Snacks

                                               

If you haven't already noticed we love food! We enjoy picking a movie that is out in theaters and watch it at home on our TV with a bed or couch full of snacks, blankets, pillows, and our animals of course (because we have snacks!) Here is a little savings tip for movie night: I do a lot of amazon shopping to maximize my time, and because I don't care if it takes a few more days to arrive in the mail - when you go to check out on Amazon there may be an option for a media credit of $1-$3 per order if you bi-pass their 2-day shipping. I do this a few times a month which ends up giving me enough media credits to use for movie rentals on my fire stick. The newly released movies or movies in the theater are often a bit more pricey so this is my secret for a free date night at home! 

4. Card Games

As funny as it sounds we enjoy playing card games. It brings us to a playful place and always gets us laughing. Card games are a great mental stimulus for those with Traumatic brain injury as it helps with focus, counting, memory, etc.

5. Sip & Paint

I enjoy doing crafts and anything creative. Sometimes my husband will agree to things that are not in his wheelhouse but do it anyways because he knows it makes me happy. Painting is one of those things, well, any of my crafts in general. I add the Sip to Paint for the date because it coaxes him to be more willing to entertain my painting date. I set up a dollar store tablecloth and my paints and canvas, pour us some wine or beer, turn on some good music and we paint. Painting is a great tool for managing stress and anxiety. It helps you focus on just the canvas which re-directs your stressors. Painting has a calming effect and is a relaxing date in the comfort of your own home. Who knows maybe you'll discover a hidden talent!     

  

I hope this inspires you to try something new and reconnect! 😌

💗Savanna Burrell

HTH Representative Veteran Caregiver