Relationships 101: How To Avoid A Fight In The Kitchen

By Sponsor in Food on May 28, 2015 5:00AM

This post is a sponsored collaboration between Plated and Gothamist staff. Sign up for Plated today!

Relationships are all about division of labor. One person does laundry while the other tidies up; one person dusts while the other sweeps; one person takes out the dog while the other takes out the trash. This is the secret to staying strong for any healthy couple, and the idea extends to dinner, too. Even if you or your partner are hopeless in the kitchen, you can still team up to make great meals together. Here are three ways to make it easy.

1. One Picks the Music, the Other Picks the Movie

Dinner at home should be more than sitting on the couch eating from plastic bowls. Sitting down at the table with music in the background and a movie to look forward to after is a treat that can seem out of place on a weeknight, but there's no reason for that. Make the evening a little special and spread out the choice anxiety by having one person choose the dinnertime tunes while the other picks out the after-dinner entertainment.

2. One Picks the Wine, the Other Picks the Snacks

Some would say wine and snacks should be coordinated for full effect, but you don't have time for that! It's been a long day and you're just ready to unwind with a glass and a few bites to wake up your tastebuds for dinner. If you grab a bottle (or two... maybe it's Friday?) and they grab the cheese on the way home from work, you're already done prepping one of the best parts about staying in for a nice meal.

3. One Chops and Preps, the Other Stirs and Plates

The thing about cooking is not all of it—or even most of it—takes skill. Maybe if you lack knife technique, you wash the veggies while they man the cutting board. If the concept of "sear until browned" is lost on them, maybe they set the table while you get the chicken just right. Add Plated to the mix and you're set up for some breezy dinner prep. Just sign up, choose your dishes and a delivery date, and a box of fresh, pre-portioned ingredients will arrive at your home, along with a simple-to-follow recipe. The ingredients are seasonal, the menus are inventive, and you get to try out something new with every order. And just like that: no more excuses for not enjoying delicious meals at home.

Plated is extending a great deal to Gothamist readers ready to divide and conquer: Click here to check it out!