Date night is fun.  Eating delicious food is fun.  So why does a dinner date sound so boring you want to stab your eye out with a fork?  Take this classic night out with your sweetie up a notch.  Here are some awesome, food-related, date night ideas.

Food Truck Bonanza

By now you’ve got your fave food trucks’  locations on lock down via your Twitter feed.  Use this social media app to dictate where you dine on your next date…how very 2014.  Drive to at least three different food trucks to make a complete meal (apps, entrée and, of course, dessert).  You can even take it a little old school by flipping a coin to see who picks the next truck stop.

Cocktail Contest

Who doesn’t love friendly competition?  Give date night a Bond-like shake with a cocktail contest—okay, this doesn’t technically include food, but it does involve delicious recipes.  Buy a bartender’s recipe book, download your favorite mixology app or let creativity rule.  Grab fresh, muddle-worthy ingredients and a variety of spirits to see who can make a cocktail that merits a toast.  This is also great for a double date.

Mini Road Trip

You know all the hotspots in your area, but how about the town 45 minutes away?  Look up restaurants outside of you zip code, hop in the car and make a mini, evening getaway out of dinner.  If you have the time, start early and hit up cool and kitschy tourist attraction along the way.

Cooking 101

Just like you make him earn a kiss goodnight, you both can earn your meal.  Take a break from your usual restaurant haunts and hit up a cooking class.  From sushi to French cuisine, burgers to baking, there are classes for every palate.  Also great idea for a first date since so you have something to talk about.

Picnic

Beach picnic, hike and a picnic, park picnic…all are great options for a picnic.  Pack your favorite snacks or stop at deli and have them pack a picnic with a gourmet punch.  Make this ultra romantic by planning your picnic around sunset.  For the early birds, pack a couple pain au chocolates, coffee and turn your dinner date into a breakfast date by picnicking at sunrise.