Shutterstock
We share a lot of dating advice here at BroBible and that’s because we know what a minefield of disappointment and misery it can be at times. So any time we think there is something that might help you find and/or keep that relationship you desire, we simply have to share.
And today we’ve got something VERY interesting to share with you when it comes to dating. Online dating site and app Zoosk undertook a MASSIVE study involving the analysis of over 3.7 million dating profiles, over 360 million first messages people have sent, and surveyed over 7,000 singles to get some insight into how food and dating intersect.
They then took what they discovered and compiled it all into basically the ultimate singles guide to food and dating.
Here’s some of what they learned…
1. Daters’ favorite holiday for food is definitely Thanksgiving
58% of singles asked said that Thanksgiving was the best holiday meal by far. Christmas was second with 25% and Easter was last with just 2% of the vote. 4th of July (9%) and Super Bowl Sunday (6%) came in third and fourth.
Zoosk
2. Talking about food in your profile makes you more attractive (but not yams)
Some foods, such as guacamole, potatoes, and chocolate are particularly successful at increasing the amount of messages (users with these foods in their profile have over 100% more incoming messages than the average).
The words salad, sushi and avocado also saw an over 90% increase in inbound messages.
There are a few exceptions, however. Interestingly enough, despite the fact that it is both delicious and wonderful, mentioning fried chicken in a dating profile results in 15% fewer messages and yams are vastly unpopular resulting in 70% fewer messages.
3. Protein is the most popular food group
When it comes to food groups, protein is the big winner with 36% more messages than the average, followed by fruits (34%), vegetables (19%) and grains (16%) with dairy coming in last at just 2%.
4. Foodies are sexy
Profiles that contain the word foodie receive 82% more incoming messages, while those who mention the word cook receive 26% more incoming messages.
5. Chatting about food will only help you a little (except for eggplant)
For the most part, mentioning food in an initial message doesn’t result in many more replies. But there are some exceptions, the most surprising of which is eggplant, which gets 10% more responses than the average.
Some words, such as burrito, fried chicken (again), and pizza may even hurt your chances of getting a reply.
6. There’s no longer a stigma against vegetarians
If you say you’re a vegetarian in your profile you can get up to 52% more incoming messages. Being a vegan is a plus as well. People who mention vegan in their profile get 62% more incoming messages than the average.
7. Getting fast food on a first date is no problem… for men
The majority of women (59%) have a negative perception of their date when they suggest a fast-food restaurant, while only a quarter of men (25%) feel the same way. In addition, 10% of women said going to a fast-food restaurant for a first date is an immediate deal-breaker.
8. Sorry, Aziz, the Whole Foods line doesn’t really work
In his Netflix show Master of None Aziz Ansari had some success on dating apps using the line, “Going to Whole Foods, want me to pick up anything?”
Turns out that when guys use that line it has almost zero effect one way or another on the reply rate.
Zoosk
9. Seafood is the most popular food to eat on a date
19% of online daters prefer seafood, but surf and turf are both popular items with steak coming in second with 18% of the vote. Mexican (12%), pasta (9%) and sushi (8%) also scored well.
Zoosk
10. But stay away from the buffalo wings and ribs
When asked what foods they avoid on dates, 23% of online daters said buffalo wings or ribs. Other unpopular date-night foods are Indian food and anything that’s hard to pronounce.
Zoosk
11. Chocolate covered strawberries are the sexiest food
Chocolate-covered strawberries received 34% of the vote when people were asked what the sexiest foods are. Wine and cheese came in a close second at 28%, with ice cream coming in third at 12%.
As far as the least sexiest foods? It was a three-way tie between caviar, sausages and hot dogs.
Check out rest of the study (there is much more) over at Zoosk.com.