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When it comes to cheap date ideas, you’ll find plenty of standard, run of the mill suggestions on the internet. Game night at home with board games and homemade pizza. Sneak in your own popcorn at a drive-in movie. Head out on a bike ride for ice cream. A free concert. Gallery hopping. Your local bar’s trivia night. The list goes on.
And all of these recs are…fine. But you’re here because you want the all-time greatest, most affordable date idea of all time.
Well, good news. This date idea shows you’re not a standard, run of the mill guy. This cheap date shows you’re thoughtful and fun, while keeping you on budget.
Allow me to introduce you to:
the grocery store date.
This is, 100% guaranteed, one of the most fun date ideas around when you’re not trying to spend a lot of money.
Yes, better than happy hour at a local brewery. Or a slam poetry reading at the indie bookstore downtown. Sorry not sorry.
The first time I went on a grocery store date, I was in college. (College lends itself to low-cost dates, but rest assured I’m a fan to this day.)
It was a sweltering summer day, I was starving, and so we decided to stop by the local grocery store and each buy items for the other person to try.
I went with my all time favorite salty-sweet snack: Fluff and pretzels. He picked up some kind of vegetable chip if I’m remembering correctly.
We took them to a little outdoor picnic table at a local park and snacked and chatted. While I didn’t go on to become Mrs. Fluff Pretzels, the date remains a really fond and romantic memory.
The grocery store date in action
A recent styling client told me that he about a recent second date he went on that followed this cheap date idea to a tee. They hit up a Korean grocery store and then to the park to eat Pocky and play badminton (he had brought a set, pro move!). Nedless to say, it was a major success, and there will be more dates to come.
“Talking about what to buy provided a great opportunity for conversation,” he said.
***
It’s been years since my first grocery date, and I’ve zeroed in on a couple of critical elements to get right.
There are also variables to take into account depending on the person you’re dating, the region you’re in, the weather, etc.
So let’s break down the perfect cheap date idea: the grocery store date.
1. Avoid big chain grocery stores.
This is critical.
You’re aiming for artisan cheesemonger hole in the wall store-vibes, not Wal-Mart.
One of the best parts of this date is the actual trip to the grocery store. There is something about mimicking the domestic bliss of food shopping together while you’re still in the dating phase of a relationship that is both erotic and tender.
After all, food shopping together is something that – if things go well – you will one day do together as a couple.
Taking that intimacy and translating it into the context of a date is romantic, whimsical, and also super practical.
But it can easily go sideways if you pick the wrong place.
So, opt for smaller, local markets that have some character, and support small businesses to boot!
Of course local farmers markets are great, but they’re also pretty obvious and maybe even a little cliched!
If you live in a city with a Chinatown, Little Italy, or other neighborhood densely populated with a community that’s maintained its cultural roots, see if they have grocery stores where you two can try new food together.
And sure, these markets might be a little pricier than your average retailer, but they’ll still be a more budget-friendly date idea than going out to a restaurant.
And this should go without saying but when you get to the register? Pay the bill for both of you!
2. Plan where you’ll go next after picking up your snacks.
Once you’ve acquired your exotic munchies, you’ll want to sit down to eat and chat.
Consider these things when picking a place to get settled:
- proximity to the grocery store
- amenities
- safety
It should be close enough that you can walk, or take a quick Uber or drive.
Try to pick somewhere that has tables or seating already available or be sure to think ahead and throw a picnic blanket in your car or bag.
Also? Pick somewhere that is user-friendly.
Meaning: don’t pick a state park that you have to hike a mile to a flat surface. Or a beach where you have to navigate through a bunch of tic-filled sand dunes to get to a clearing.
Chances are she’s going to be wearing something she feels her best in and unless you’ve agreed that you want this to also be a date that requires physical exertion, she will not want to get blisters just arriving at your picnic destination.
You also don’t want to pick somewhere too remote. This will give, and I mean this in the nicest possible way, serial killer vibes.
Choose a well populated area where there will be other people around. This also will make for great people watching, another critical aspect of this date (and every date.)
Finally, consider amenities! Parks and beaches with public bathrooms are the best place for these kind of dates. Or, ones that are close enough to retail areas or restaurants that she can pop in somewhere when she inevitably has to pee.
This will require some reconnaissance work on your part. The day you bring her to this park or beach should not, under any circumstances, be your first time there.
Scope out the scene beforehand so you know everything from the parking to the layout of the area.
3. Make sure you’ll have somewhere to sit.
No picnic tables at the park? make sure to bring chairs or at the very least a blanket.
If you’re trying to get a woman to like you, you want to make sure that she won’t feel like there are ants crawling in her sundress the whole date.
4. Bring an activity beyond eating.
You can pack something active – like a badminton set, croquet, a frisbee – if you think she’d be up for it. Something that requires minimal or no set up, and that you can play together.
Or, if she’s more of a lounge around type of gal (hi, it’s me!), bring low-key activities to keep you two occupied while you’re relaxing, like a deck of cards.
You might not end up using them, but if you find yourself with a lull in conversation? Boom, problem solved.
What to wear on a budget-friendly date
This is definitely a more casual date – no suit and ties for a grocery store run and a picnic.
Still, you want to look your best and appropriate for the occasion.
A casual date like this one means you can wear a laidback outfit you feel great in. That could mean high top sneakers and your favorite pair of jeans.
If there’s ever a date to break out your best shorts, a grocery store-slash-picnic date is it.
RELATED: The Guys’ Guide to Shorts
Of course, this outfit would look equally stylish with a pair of pants if shorts don’t make sense with the weather report where you live right now. Just swap the slip-on sneakers for boots or a laced shoe.
One last thing…
To PDA or not to PDA in Public?
This is obviously something to decide for yourself more broadly, but picnic-y dates like the grocery store date present a very specific PDA opportunity.
As someone who’s not super into PDA, I would be freaked out if a date went in for a full make-out sesh with me in full view of a bunch of people out for a jog.
Thankfully, there are ways to turn the heat up on your picnic date that are both sexy and won’t get you arrested for public indecency.
Try leaning in mid-conversation and asking go give your date a kiss. It’s something straight out of a romance novel, and if the mood strikes, I absolutely endorse this move.
MORE DATING & RELATIONSHIP STORIES FROM SG HQ:
How to have good conversation on a date
The before, during, and after of a great first date
What’s a beige flag anyway?
