Published
Date night grocery list for beginners
Everything for a special dinner for two at home, planned so a beginner can pull it off.
Cooking for a date is more fun when you're not stressed. This list covers one dinner for two: a no-cook starter, a pan-seared steak (or salmon), potatoes and green beans that roast on one pan, and a dessert you make before anyone arrives. Each course is chosen to be hard to get wrong, and everything is bought in one trip.
Date night grocery list for beginners
From chompshopper.com/shopping-lists/date-night
The menu
Starter: Caprese skewers with balsamic glaze
No cooking: tomatoes, basil and mozzarella on toothpicks
Main: Pan-seared steak with garlic butter
Swap: salmon fillets, which cook faster and are hard to overcook
Side: Roasted baby potatoes and green beans
Both roast on one sheet pan while the steak cooks
Dessert: Chocolate-dipped strawberries
Make them first; they set in the fridge while you cook
Date night shopping list
Dinner for two, with a little extra in case a strawberry or two disappears early. Pick steak or salmon for the main.
Produce
- Baby potatoes1½ lbs
- Green beans12 oz (or 1 bunch asparagus)
- Cherry tomatoes1 pint
- Fresh basil1 pack
- Fresh rosemary or thyme1 pack
- Garlic1 head
- Lemon1
- Strawberries1 lb
Meat & Seafood
- Ribeye or New York strip steaks, about 1 inch thick2 (or 2 salmon fillets, 6 oz each)
Dairy & Eggs
- Unsalted butter1 stick
- Fresh mozzarella pearls8 oz
Condiments
- Balsamic glaze1 bottle
Pantry & Spices
- Flaky sea salt1 small box (optional)
Bakery
- Baguette1
Snacks
- Semisweet or dark chocolate4 oz bar or 1 cup chips
Beverages
- Sparkling water or sparkling cider1 bottle
- Wine1 bottle (optional)
Household
- Toothpicks or short skewers
- Candles (optional)
Check you have these at home
Most kitchens already have these. Check before you shop so you're not running out mid-recipe.
- Olive oil
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Garlic powder (backup for fresh)
- Neutral oil for searing (canola or avocado)
- Aluminum foil or parchment
Your game plan
- 1 hour beforeMelt the chocolate, dip the strawberries, and chill them on parchment. Take the steaks out of the fridge and salt them.
- 45 minutesHeat the oven to 425°F. Toss halved potatoes with oil, salt and rosemary and roast them.
- 30 minutesBuild the caprese skewers and set them out with sliced baguette. Add the green beans to the potato pan.
- 15 minutesSear the steaks in a very hot pan, then add butter and garlic and spoon it over. Check the temperature.
- ServeRest the steaks a few minutes while you plate the potatoes and beans. Dessert is already waiting in the fridge.
Tips for a Date Night Dinner
Buy steaks about an inch thick
Thin steaks overcook before they brown. Ask the butcher counter if you don't see the thickness you want; they'll cut it for you.
Use a meat thermometer
It's the one tool that takes the guessing out. USDA's safe minimum is 145°F for steaks, with a 3-minute rest, and 145°F for fish.1 An instant-read thermometer gives a reading in seconds.
Dry and salt the meat early
Pat steaks or salmon dry with paper towels and salt them 30 to 60 minutes ahead. A dry surface browns instead of steaming.
Prep everything before your date arrives
Wash and cut the vegetables, build the skewers and dip the strawberries ahead, so only the steak needs your attention at dinner time.
Shop the day before (or the morning of)
Buy fish and berries as close to dinner as you can. Everything else keeps for a few days.
Have a backup
Keep a box of pasta and a jar of good sauce in the pantry. If the main goes wrong, dinner still happens.
Make it your own list
We'll fill in this dinner's list in our free shopping list generator. Remove anything you already have, add a recipe URL for a different dessert or side, and get one list sorted by store section.
Make my listSources
- USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart, Beef steaks 145°F with a 3-minute rest; fish 145°F.