The Waitrose study, surveying 2,000 adults, found that homemade meals are the ultimate way to say ‘I love you’, with time and effort on a homemade meal ranked as the gold standard of romance for 36% narrowly beating the traditional candlelit dinner (35%).
According to the study, a cosy breakfast in bed (23%) or an easy-going picnic in the park (22%) are easy-to-create moments that rank among the most popular ways to show care.
Chris Wynn, director of communications at Waitrose, said: "Food is a love language all of its own. It helps us show how much we care on a deeper, more thoughtful level, and perhaps say something that words just can't. Different dishes, settings and intentions can each say something unique, but nothing says it better than food."
But if you’re looking to turn a date off, foods least likely to be cooked for potential partners include hot wings (26%), fish pie (24%), and anything involving anchovies or sardines (38%).
Top ten foods that say ‘I love you’:
- A homemade bake (e.g. cake, cookies etc.)
- Chocolate
- Breakfast in bed
- Steak dinner
- Roast dinner
- Chocolate cake
- Strawberries
- Full English breakfast
- Pizza
- Pasta