Prepping for your alcohol-free date night

From Dutch courage beforehand, to the obligatory dinner and drinks, and even all the way to a drunken one-night stand - alcohol, relationships and dating have certainly got history. Take a look at our alcohol-free date night top tips to help turn your next rendez vous into something really special. No champers required.

An almost guaranteed way to level up your date is to put some research into creative date ideas. Try to think about what your date might like to do based on what you know about them. And, of course, it goes without saying, to also consider your own comfort levels as well. If you’re struggling to get started, why not ask friends and family for their opinion, or if you feel you’d rather not share with loved ones at this point, you could also turn to the internet or more forum-based social media such as Reddit. If you’ve joined the Dry January and Beyond online community, you could ask group members for their ideas and experiences on the group feed. We’ve heard some real corkers from past participants when it comes to creative date ideas, ranging from Escape Rooms and indoor rock climbing, to scrapbooking and trips to car boot sales!

In a relationship? Nothing says romance like putting effort into a date night, no matter how long you’ve been together for. A little thought goes a long way.

Let’s face it, each and every one of us has a completely individual relationship with alcohol. So, whether or not your date will be drinking themselves, it’s fairly likely they are going to want to know what motivates your decision not to drink right now. It’s a topic that might well come up, so why not be prepared with a short and snappy pitch that covers the reasons you’re not drinking at the moment in a level of detail you feel comfortable with. This could be something as simple as: ‘I’m not drinking today because I’m working towards a goal at the moment’, or you could go into more detail by saying something like: ‘I’m staying alcohol-free at the moment because I want to feel healthier, give my mental health a boost and save money’.

Whatever your pitch sounds like, have it ready in your head so you can feel confident and assured when the inevitable question ‘why don’t you drink?’ comes up. Having your pitch rehearsed will also help strengthen your resolve if you do happen to go to a more typically boozy date location, such as a bar. Polish your pitch so you can get back to the much more important task in hand of turning the charm up!

In a relationship? With any luck, your partner is amongst your bigger cheerleaders when it comes to your decision to cut back on alcohol. If you haven’t felt able to tell your partner about your decision to take on a dry challenge up to this point, could you take this opportunity to organise a date night and find a moment to outline your reasons for making the change and what things they can do to help you achieve that?

Boost your confidence the organic way with a little hit of self-talk! Simply take a few minutes to say out loud some of the things you like about yourself and qualities about yourself you admire. Some people find it useful to talk to themselves in the mirror to help strengthen the effect. While it can be uncomfortable to do this at first, it doesn’t need to be narcissistic, but rather a way to show yourself compassion and remind yourself that you’ve got this! As cringey as self-talk can feel for some of us, many people agree that confidence is an attractive quality in a partner. So, what have you got to lose?

In a relationship? No problem! Feeling good about yourself is a great foundation for happiness. If your self-esteem is where it needs to be, you may find yourself having a better outlook on life, and in turn, better able to support your partner. So, if you feel like it, practicing a bit of positive self-talk ahead of your date night with your longer-term partner may still be beneficial to you.

Exercise is shown to heighten our sense of self-esteem, reduce tension and even release feel-good chemicals in the brain. So even if you’re not an avid gym goer, getting out and active ahead of your date might just give you the feel-good factor you need to approach your date with confidence.

In a relationship? You know what they say...couples that train together, stay together! So, why not organise a game of your favourite sport or activity, or attend a gym session together with your partner for your next date night? Get that feel-good factor and have fun together. Win win!

Ever struggled to think of questions to ask on a date and find yourself dreading an awkward silence? Well, turns out so does everyone else.

Hop on to Instagram or TikTok and search the hashtag ‘#dateicebreakers’ (or similar) for tonnes of ideas from different creators. See if you can memorise your favourites or save the posts you like, to help you feel primed and ready when you meet your date.

In a relationship? Why not make it interesting by thinking of questions you and your partner have never asked each other before? (If you’re looking for a quick fix on this one, you could try the AGAPÉ app, which generates a daily question for you and your partner. It can be used with or without a subscription). You could even make flashcards and take some time out of your night to pick the questions you’ve selected at random. Even if you’ve been together for a long time, you might just discover new things about yourselves and your relationship.