With how hectic our everyday lives currently are, it's hard to find time to set up a romantic date, much less a place to do it with most places to dine either closed or without seating because of the pandemic. But what if you knew that you could take your romantic night home instead of dealing with the stress of finding a place that will allow you to dine across from one another? Sure, it'll take a little more effort than just calling a restaurant and booking a place, and it sure will take a lot more time to do, but wouldn't your date appreciate all of that so much more? Here's a simple way to create the most memorable dinner date at home.

Keep It Scheduled
Scheduling it may seem a little hectic, but you don't want any hitches and snags to interfere with your plans. If you've got roommates, make sure you let them know ahead of time that you are looking for some private time so they can also adjust their calendars around your dinner date. If you've got children, now's the time to take advantage of babysitting favour and have them watch your kids while you're busy setting up the dinner and for the night of.

A Prepared Menu
If you were the one being surprised with a romantic dinner, you'll want your date to have prepared your most beloved dishes. So cook up your partner's favourite foods or at least foods closely related to them if you aren't too skilled in the kitchen. It's the thought that counts. Make sure to create a menu around the night so it flows naturally from appetizer to dessert.

Time To Shop
Writing down an organized grocery list is not everyone's strength, but it will be once you see all the hassle that it'll save you from. Start by making categories by dish, and underneath those categories, list the ingredients for each. About two days prior to the dinner, you should already have a menu picked out and ingredients researched, so when you get home, there won't be a risk of a forgotten item.

Meal Prep
About a day or night before the big dinner, take out your ingredients and preparation. Marinate what needs to be soaked for hours or chop up the ingredients that you know will be extremely time-consuming if done on the day of. Place them in containers and refrigerate so that hours before the dinner, the actual cooking won't b prolonged by the preparations.

The Dinner Date
You've made it to the dinner night. You've got a few hours before you start cooking, so what do you do now? Now is the time to prep the dinner table, or if you don't want to go fancy with the decor, just take some time in making sure your home, apartment or kitchen is up to snuff and is presentable. You'll want the room to be clean and spacious and the dinner table to have the right ambience. Set up some candles (scented if preferred), or even set up a centrepiece of roses. It is all about the effort and the ambience. After which, you're all set for a romantic dinner right at home.