If you’re married, then you know how special and important moments, gestures, and words are to your daily life. Chances are you have formed these things – these habits – early on in your relationship, probably before you married each other.

You can do a lot to nurture a healthy, long-lasting marriage. These acts can be big or small and may look something like catching up on each other’s day, hugging and kissing, expressing gratitude, date nights, occasional surprises, saying I love you, and more. But have you ever tried cooking together?

5 Perks of Cooking as a Couple

We aren’t sure if you and your spouse divvy up responsibilities so that only one of you handles food and meals, or if you tackle this task together. Either way, some very important reasons exist for why you and your lover should strive for a healthy food relationship. We think they’re pretty cool!

1. From Dreamy to Dream Team

We’ve got nothing against getting lost in each other but you will be amazed at what you each can do when your heads are down doing some food prep. It’s cliché, but two heads are better than one, as are four hands and an extra taste-testing mouth.

Cooking together can take some work but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy yourselves. It improves your communication and trust in unique ways, from requesting specific measurements of salt to faith that your spouse won’t burn the fish while you dress the salad, or simply sharing stories from your day.

This time together also allows you to observe each other’s movements. Humans interact with the space around them in very different ways. No matter the size of your kitchen, you two will learn each other’s movements even more and begin to move seamlessly around each other like the dream team you were meant to be.

2. Eat Healthier and Smarter

If you were thinking that ordering takeout and setting the table or getting microwave dinners counts as cooking together, it doesn’t! We understand that couples’ schedules won’t always be in sync, unfortunately. But you can save a lot of money if you buy fresh ingredients as opposed to pre-cooked or packaged foods. And if you want to spend money, you’ll be able to get so much more bang for your buck (and health) if you avoid easy-way-out dinners.

Junk foods are almost always high in sugar or sodium which, over the years, can have negative health effects. Opting for healthier food gives you at least some peace of mind knowing that it’s seasoned and prepared exactly how you like.

Cooking together gives you and your spouse complete authority over what you buy, cook, and eat! Scan the grocery flyers and find the deals that make the most sense for you.

3. Try New Things

Like we mentioned above, different deals may mean different meals! It’s easy to fall into a routine of the same dishes every week, but let this be a challenge – venture out into your local grocer and attempt something new!

If you’re just starting to cook with your loved one, you might want to save this perk after a month or so of cooking together. Take time to learn your kitchen dynamic. Then at the start of your second month, sit down to plan your meals and throw some different cultural dishes in there.

Cooking new meals together will broaden your palette, excite your taste buds, and encourage you to learn those seemingly complex cooking terms together and how to use them in your cooking! Of course, it won’t always look or taste great the first time. But the process nonetheless will help you grow individually and as a couple.

4. Less Screen-Time

This one might worry people the most! No phone? No iPad or tablet? What about my favorite television show? We acknowledge that those are all valid questions to ask when you trying to form a new couple-habit.

Here’s something to think about:  your phone can go with you to work tomorrow, but your loved one can’t. Make the most of cooking together because you’ll cherish those moments more than the highest level on your latest app.

If you want to take this perk one step further, keep your phones away from the dinner table. It will be a legitimate challenge but doing this lets each of you know that you are actively listening and wholly invested in your time together.

5. Your Loved One Finds It Sexy

According to a HelloFresh survey, about thirty-six million people – that’s around fifteen percent of US adults – admit they have cooked naked! What’s even more interesting is that a good cook is a turn-on for about 20% of Americans. Judging by the numbers, an extra apron might be on your next shopping list.

The survey also found that 29% found cooking an enjoyable meal more satisfying than sex. Though interestingly, 24% try cooking in order to turn on their special someone.

There is definitely something to be said about cooking naked and cooking to seduce. But we’ll leave that to you and your hubby or wifey.

The Best Part

You get to eat your labor of love! And you know how the saying goes: A family that eats together stays together.

Meals to Try with Your Loved One

• Try this dinner and dessert to de-stress your bodies.

• For those hectic days where you can’t catch a breath, these slow cooker recipes are a lifesaver.

• Lastly, this hearty, easy-to-prepare, sweet and tangy sloppy joe recipe is also healthy (and great for kids)!

The post Couples who cook together have a happier relationship, study suggests appeared first on The Hearty Soul.