Grilling On Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is almost here, and you know what that means! That's right, it's once again time to dust off the grill. If you're a little confused, you obviously haven't learned all about the (many, many) reasons to grill on the Day of Love. Allow us to enlighten you by showcasing a few Valentine's Day scenarios where the grill is the main character:

When Should You Grill?

When You're On A First Date

So, you're on a first date, and you somehow roped yourself into planning a Valentine's Day dinner. (It's a classic rookie mistake; in the future, try to plan first dates on literally any other day of the year.) But you've already made the error, so now we'll just have to deal with it.

You want something romantic, but not too romantic, lest you come across as a creeper. You know what's perfect? A steak you grilled yourself!

Let's face it: If you take a date to a nice restaurant on Valentine's Day, your server will pull out all the romantic stuff, and it's gonna be awkward. But when you grill at home, you can make the situation a lot more casual and take the pressure off. As a bonus, your date will be super impressed with your cooking skills, which will help you secure the much-desired second date.

When You're Single

So, you're single, and you have no plans to make a date on Valentine's Day (who does that, anyway?) You could order a pizza, grab some hipster beer and plant yourself on the couch for a Lord of the Rings marathon, but do you really wanna be that guy? You could make the evening nearly 100 percent less depressing by substituting a grilled steak for the pizza (and by putting on some pants). The beer and The Lord of the Rings should stay, of course.

When You're In A Relationship

First of all, if you're dating a woman who demands to go to the fanciest restaurant in town on Valentine's Day, my condolences. There's really nothing you can do in that situation except put on your suit and say goodbye to your money. However, if the woman you're dating is actually cool, you can definitely make Valentine's Day super awesome by grilling up some filet mignon and then cuddling on the couch. Set the table with candles and wine, prepare a nice salad, and insist on doing all the cleanup yourself. She'll be thrilled, and you'll avoid the annoying Valentine's Day crowds. It's a win-win.

So, What Should You Grill?

Now that you're convinced, you may be wondering, "Okay, but what can I grill in February?" Glad you asked. The answer is, of course, "absolutely anything," but here are a few ideas to get you started:

1. Steak. Not to be too repetitive, but you really should grill steak for Valentine's Day. It's delicious, it's tender, it's juicy, and you probably want one right now. You always win with steak. Here's a guide for filet mignon, which is a Valentine's Day classic.
2. Chicken or fish. If you just absolutely can't grill steak because you're allergic or poor, know that chicken and fish are good ideas, too. Here's a delicious Lemon-Garlic Salmon recipe that's sure to impress.
3. Sides. Yep, you can cook your sides on the grill. Asparagus is a good side that looks fancy on a plate, so it's perfect for Valentine's Day. You could try sweet potatoes or baked potatoes, too.

And there you have it: Your Valentine's Day dinner is all planned out. Now you just need to figure out what to wear. We can't offer advice on that, but you really should consider changing out of the sweatpants, even if you're not leaving home that day. Good luck!