We haven’t had a date of dinner and dancing …well, ever. Like a lot of military couples, throughout our dating and married life there have been separations for training, schools, work-ups preparing for deployments and deployments. To be completely honest, dancing in public isn’t our forte as a couple anyway. But doing it in the comfort of our own home – what a great way to feel comfortable, learn a new skill and have fun. That is what this months’ Date Night In Box was all about.
Dinner
Dinner was almost completely provided this box. Included was Weisenberger’s pizza crust mix that required only the addition of water, Porzio’s Sauce, parmesan packets and Italian Seasoning packet. To complete the pizza, we bought toppings as suggeted on the included recipe card. The card suggested roasted garlic, cheese, pepperoni and mild banana peppers. This combination is something we hadn’t tried before, and it was so delicious. And man oh man, is roasted garlic so easy to make and delectable to eat! While it does take 30 minutes for pizza crust to rise, putting it all together is relatively easy and it was fun! This will be an activity we repeat because pizza can be anything (reuse of leftovers!)
Dancing
The local (to Date Night In headquarters) dance studio of Burns Dance Studio provided three instructional videos on three dances – hip hop, a fun dance for a wedding and the Carolina Shag. To be honest, I loved that a local studio was used and the videos were well done so we could actually follow along. Over 30 minutes of lessons were included, well worth the price of the date, and we were at home, with blinds closed so no one could watch our out of sync moves. I was laughing so hard I was crying at one point. It was so much fun. We learned new skills that we can practice all while having a blast!
Dessert
A new addition to this months’ box was a recipe card. The bonus of this is that I can keep the card in my recipe book so it can be reused! Cannoli dip was the included dessert and it did not disappoint! Our local grocery store didn’t have canoli shells or pizelle’s to use to dip into the dip as suggested, so we used mini nilla wafers. I also utilized dark chocolate chips since that it what we enjoy when we have cannolis. The beauty of this dip is that is a blank canvas – add any topping that you usually like for your canolis – pistachios or heath chips perhaps. Add it to add a level of walking down memory lane or creating a new flavor profile.
And More
Two games were included for additional fun in the box. A card game called “30 Second Date Dash” and a quiz on “What Pizza Are You?” The card game asked questions like “Name 5 songs with the word Love in it” and to do it in 30 seconds. It was funny to hear some of my spouses answers, and we both laughed when we were stumped by some questions that we thought were so easy – but that 30 second timer pressure gets to you!
The Which Pizza Are You Quiz was a fun and lighthearted way to end the evening. After doing a lot of traveling, it was a wonderful way to reconnect to each other as we prepare for the busyness that the fall season brings. August starts the school season around here, so we enjoyed a relaxing evening before it all begins.
Beyond the Date
The beauty of each date box is that the date doesn’t just happen that night. We have new skills (like dancing or a new recipe) and a new tool (like a game that we can continue to utilize together. These dates provide opportunities for us to grow together through fun and enjoyment that we probably wouldn’t otherwise have. Our lives are busy – school, work, extracurriculars, parenting, etc – and who doesn’t have busy lives? Having items that we can continue to use extends the fun, and makes the investment very much worthwhile.
Will you date night in?
Speaking for busy season – fall is coming, and then the holidays of Halloween, Thanksgiving, Hannukah, Kwanzaa and Christmas. There is so much filling up the calendar. Don’t forget to date your spouse and partner through this season. Consider a Date Night In. Be surprised with what you will do as a date next month, and save money while you are at it! Consider a short term commitment with three dates in the next three months using this link. August’s date box is a Tropical Island date – the perfect way to feel like a date on vacation when the ability to go on vacation just can’t happen.
Poll: When was the last time YOU and YOUR PARTNER went out on a dinner and dancing date?
We were given this box for free to provide honest opinions, but are not ambassadors for this company and do not earn commission on any purchases.
