NEWS COPY
Millions of couples are opting for romantic nights in – with half of 'date nights' ending in sex, according to new research.
In a bid to keep their love lives alive, three quarters of mums and dads regularly have a date night – two a month on average.
Over a third of respondents said they have more romantic evenings with their partner now than they did a year ago, with seven in 10 saying they have a 'very positive' effect on their relationship.
The research of 2,000 parents in a relationship was commissioned by supermarket chain, Iceland Foods, and parenting site, ChannelMum.com.
Nick Canning, Joint MD of Iceland said: "Why spend a fortune eating out when you can save a small fortune but still enjoy decadent dishes like chateaubriand and lobster from your freezer?
"US-style date nights are now so cool, we’re seeing a huge boom in couples snapping up luxury dine at home meals - with sales up by 333 per cent in the last month alone.
"These dishes can be made in no time at all, leaving couples more time to spend with each other.
"Not only do men get to show off their cooking skills, they have uninterrupted time with their partner looking lovely and the chance of some romance - all for under £30."
Becoming a parent has resulted in an increase in date nights for over a third of respondents.
While over a quarter of mums and dads said they were having more sex directly as a result of their romantic nights in.
One in five couples said they experiment with different sexual positions during their nights together and 19 per cent play party games like Spin the Bottle.
Two thirds of respondents get dressed-up for their nights together and almost half don sexy underwear, while 42 per cent spay put on expensive after shave or perfume.
Romantic music and low lighting are key to having a perfect date night among four in 10 of those surveyed.
And steak is the number one dish of choice, followed by Chinese, curry, pizza and fish - while other key ingredients for an evening together night include a bottle of wine and a fancy pudding.
With an average date night costing £25.71, seven in 10 people said romantic nights allowed them to enjoy time together without breaking the bank.
Three quarters of parents said the biggest emotional benefit of date nights are feeling closer to their partner and enjoying uninterrupted time together.
When it comes to organising the evening together, 30 per cent of women take the lead compared to 15 per cent of men.
However twice as many people claim men rather than women should organise the night in - dubbed ‘Daddy date nights’.
Siobhan Freegard, founder ChannelMum.com said: "Daddy date nights are the fastest-growing phenomenon with young couples.
"Not only do men get to show off their cooking skills, they have uninterrupted time with their partner looking lovely, and the chance of some romance, all for under £30."
ENDS
