Working on blending tastes as newlyweds? There are many things that we develop as we grow from infants to adults. Among those is a sense of taste. We become used to what we knew from our childhoods and develop dislikes for certain foods. This is very natural and should be expected.
However, it must also be realized that the foods you favor may very well differ from the ones that your spouse would choose. The beginning of a marriage is all about recognizing and embracing those differences. It can be difficult, especially when two picky eaters are paired together and left with very few foods that seem to overlap.
The best thing that you can do for your marriage if food is a source of disagreement – and even if it’s not – is to share the duty of making the evening meals, and also the responsibility of grocery shopping. You will eventually come up with some common ground and recipes!
Go to the Grocery Store Together – Shopping for food together is a great way to find common tastes. There are many foods that might be overlooked when discussing the topic in your kitchen, which will become more apparent as your loop through the aisles of the local grocery store. For the first few shopping trips, allot you and your spouse extra time and don’t try to follow a list directly. Instead, walk together and pick out foods that you both like, which could be incorporated into meals that both of you will be happy eating.
Preparation – Once you have stocked your kitchen with foods you agree on, it is time to cook. Seasonings, rubs, marinades, sauces, and more go into the very best meals and that means finding common ground on these issues as well. Don’t panic if he or she likes the sauce a bit spicier than you can tolerate. The great part about marriage is that it is all about the two of you being happy. Also, don’t be afraid to do things in your own way. If you know that you both love chicken parmesan, but he likes more heat, then simply split the sauce into two small pans and allow him to add some more peppers and onions to his. Small efforts like this can go a long way toward maintaining the peace and happiness in the household.
Be Open Minded – Easy to say and hard to do, but even if you think you will hate a favorite food of your spouse’s give it a try…you might surprise yourself and like it! Even if you don’t, ask him what aspects of the dish make it his favorite…maybe it’s the sauce or how the flavors meld together. This information can help you create a dish that is similar, but something you will like too.
How are you handling blending tastes as newlyweds? We’d love for you to share any solutions or funny stories in a comment!