If you’ve ever found yourself feeling bloated and overfull after an incredible meal, you know that a great dinner doesn’t always lend itself to great sex shortly afterward. It can be tricky to figure out how to have a sexy dinner without it being so decadent that it overwhelms your entire evening. You need a meal that complements your plans instead of derailing them, so what’s a sexy foodie to do?
Set the Stage
First things first. Sex is a feast for the senses, so your pre-sex meal shouldn’t only be for the tastebuds. A lush tablecloth, classy dinnerware, enticing aromas, and arousing music can make even humble takeout the best sex starter you’ve ever had. Yes, this is all about food, but beware of concentrating on the food so much that the ambiance is lost. Ideally, your meal should be part of a sumptuous seduction, part of the foreplay itself.
Think Twice About Three-Course Meals
Menu Moments
Here are some general suggestions for delicious debauchery:
• A small Caprese salad for its juicy, fleshy mouthfeel, an avocado stuffed with crab salad for the sexy textures and loads of protein, and watermelon sorbet to settle the palate and awaken the senses. This is a great summer dinner, and it can easily be made vegetarian. If you make extra Caprese, it can serve as a nice midnight snack later once you’ve worked off dinner.
• Lightly-seasoned fish fillet grilled or baked to avoid overly rich preparations, sauteed mixed vegetables with sliced almonds for texture and extra protein, and sliced apples with honey to feed to one another. This can be a very low-fat preparation if desired.
• Small portion of steak cooked to taste for the visceral satisfaction meat-eaters get out of it, fresh corn on the cob, and a chocolate fondue with dippable fruit. Corn on the cob has a reputation as a mood-killer, but between the butter dripping down your chin and the strategic use of teeth, I can’t think of anything more viscerally sexy for adventurous partners to enjoy together.
To fuel an exciting night in the bedroom, try to avoid heavy carbs like bread and potatoes, and instead lean more toward protein-rich foods that will fuel your evening like fish or quinoa. Vegetables are always a good choice, although of course avoid the usual suspects (asparagus, onions). It’s easy to go overboard on dessert, considering the cultural attention placed on decadent desserts when it comes to sexiness, but moderation here will help out, too. Skip the mocha peanut butter ice cream pie and go for small and sensual instead: strawberries and whipped cream are a classic for a reason.
Surprises Suck
You might want to surprise your partner with a grand meal, but unless you know them very well, you may want to leave less of it a surprise than you’d think. Food allergies and sensitivities abound, and you may not know your mattress buddy’s gastrointestinal preferences as well as you know their turn-ons and limits. Some allergies and sensitivities are strangely specific, so making assumptions based on what you’ve seen them eat before isn’t always the best choice.
For example, if you saw how happy pasta with tomato sauce makes one of my partners, you’d probably be shocked at how instantly and violently ill actual tomato pieces make him—an evening-killer for sure. Or if you saw me thoroughly enjoy sauteed onions over a nice steak, you might be confused if I refuse to eat your onion-heavy salsa: I’m not allergic, but raw onions make my sweat smell like onions for a full day afterward. Not too sexy, unless you’re really, really into onions...
Water, Water Everywhere
When most of us think of a romantic dinner, we usually think of a “fancy” drink to go with it. Most of the pros and cons of mixing sex and alcohol are common knowledge, but dehydration is often left off the caution list. Sugary drinks can leave lovers feeling a little heavy, and carbonation can be a gas producer. While coffee can rev you up for sexy times, it can also upset the stomach, and some people don’t care to deeply kiss a coffeed-up mouth.
It may not seem particularly sexy on the surface, but water really is your best bet. Try adding a slice of lemon or lime for a little more elegance. Using water glasses with a sensual shape can help sex up your beverage, too. If you feel the need for a little caffeine pick-me-up, try a flavored black tea. It will offer you less caffeine than coffee while still giving you a noticeable bump, and many high-quality teas are extremely flavorful and easy to brew. Warm beverages in teacups or mugs also warm up hands for foreplay.
A note of caution: Don’t overdo it! A glass or two of water is plenty, and only a small cup of tea if you choose to have some. You don’t want to call for a bathroom break at the worst possible moment in your festivities.