Is The Way To A Man's Heart Really Through His Stomach?

New Survey Reveals Powerful Insights Into the Relationship Between Love and Food

News provided by

Oct 04, 2013, 06:00 ET

NEW YORK, Oct. 4, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The verdict is in regarding the "300 sandwiches for an engagement ring" debate, thanks to a new survey by YourTango.com – the leader in love and relationships. It turns out you can be a feminist and still enjoy preparing meals for your partner according to 85% of respondents.

The survey explores the role that food plays in love. And while it confirms the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, this is true only for a slight majority of men. What's surprising is that nearly half of women indicated that food is the way to their hearts. The vast majority agreed that food plays an incredibly important role in their relationship.

"We were thrilled to discover that almost 80% of people felt preparing a meal for someone is a significant act of love!" says Andrea Miller, YourTango CEO. "Conversely, only 21% reported that food is a source of tension or conflict in their relationship, with 7% claiming they could not agree on what to eat. Less than 1% said it was because the person responsible for meals doesn't cook well."

In fact, 90% of people surveyed say a lack of kitchen know-how is not a deal-breaker for them.

Additional survey findings:

Over 50% surveyed admit that they tend to use food (especially junk food) to compensate for negative emotions, like heartbreak and loneliness.
Less than 20% indicated that meeting for a drink or coffee is best for a first date; 48% prefer dinner.
More than 40% say being with their significant others inspires them to cook more.
In the age-old debate about whether a man should pay on the first date, over 60% responded yes.

Through October 11, YourTango.com is hosting its second annual Breakfast, Love & Dinner campaign. Users can enter a sweepstakes for a chance to win prizes from Destination Dinners & Max Brenner's Chocolate Shop.

About YourTango
YourTango is the leading media brand dedicated to love and relationships. Our mission is to help our nearly 10mm unique visitors/month live their best love lives. Whether the topic is dating, sex, marriage, intimacy, divorce, or celebrity love, YourTango offers an abundance of entertaining, engaging text and video content, providing an active forum for this all-important, never-ending conversation.