Dating in the modern age is tough- especially when COVID-19 has changed the way we think about intimacy and closeness with other people. As a foodie and a writer, I've struggled with how to infuse my love of food without being too overbearing. Here are some ways I've cultivated over the years to add food to any dating app profile (Tinder, Bumble, Hinge, etc.)!
Use a food-related hook when you match with someone!
Haven't you heard that "hello" is a terrible greeting for a potential match? A good hook or question makes a match think "hey, this person is different from the rest!" and can really set the tone for the rest of your conversation. It will also give you something to talk about beyond the typical "hey, how are you" or "what are you studying." Here are some of my favorites to ask when you muster up the confidence to start a conversation:
You're going on a road-trip and stopping at a gas station. What snacks are you getting?
Tell me about your dream ice cream sundae!
What restaurant in [place] have you wanted to try, but haven't been to yet? (bonus points if that's the place for your first date!)
What is the weirdest (but best) pizza topping you've ever had?
(For something a little more forward) It's the morning after our first date, what are we making for breakfast?
Add a picture of you cooking or at your favorite restaurant.
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A picture says a thousand words! They're often the first think people notice about your dating app profile, so it's important to start off on the right foot. If you want something hip, have a friend snap a candid of you staring adoringly at a taco. If you're a traveler, you might want to include some photos of you enjoying macarons in Paris or a fruity cocktail by the sea.
Add food-related interests to your profile.
Tinder now allows you to add up to five interests on your datin app profile. They include "working out" and "climate change" but also food-related tags like "coffee," "cooking," "tea," and the all-encompassing "foodie." These are great ways to see what your matches are interested in before starting up a conversation.
Suggest restaurants for your first date!
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Tinder and other dating sites are a great platform to meet potential partners, but ultimately isn't the end-all of your dating experience. You're the expert when it comes to food here (unless your date is a secret Michelin-star rater...), so you have a lot of power in choosing where to go for your first date. If you want to go classic romantic, a small Italian place would be perfect. Feeling like something with less strings attached? Maybe go for a coffee shop with some breakfast pastries.
Always be authentically yourself.
In a world of catfishing and photos of bros actually catfishing, you owe it to yourself to be the truest you can be. If food (or really anything) is important to you, you should be proud to show it. Chances are, your match will enjoy eating (because who doesn't), so it can be something to bond over!