Time and time again, singles go out and date people who seem charming, funny, and good-looking. Things are going great until that one lunch date when you realize your potential significant other actually prefers Jimmy John's to Publix subs and you have to call the whole thing off. Food differences are irreconcilable differences.
It's hard to find someone whose taste buds perfectly align with yours, but these nine dating apps will get you one step closer to finding your foodie soulmate. A happy stomach is a happy heart.
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9. Restdejting
If you're single and live alone, it's easy to overcook and spend the rest of your week eating the leftovers out of Tupperware. And with every spoonful of cold spaghetti, you're reminded of the emptiness on the other side of your queen-sized bed. But there's an app for that! It's still only in Sweden, but Swedish farmer's cooperative Lantmannen has recognized the correlation between single people and leftover food and has made an app to join like-minded environmentalists through their leftover food. You list five ingredients in your fridge and you're paired with someone in need of those ingredients. One ad from the website reads "Large walnut looking for strong cheese. Meal for two? Look forward to hearing from you." rawr!
8. Singles With Food Allergies
From having to steer clear of seafood restaurants because of shellfish and avoiding Five Guys because of the peanuts, food allergies can be incredibly isolating. The founder of Singles With Food Allergies, Matty Thomas, knows that -- she's dairy-free, shellfish-free, and nut-free. When it comes time for first dates, it can be awkward to send your potential lover a text listing every allergy you have -- as if it were a second-grade field-trip form -- when he/she suggests somewhere to dine. The website lists wheat, milk, eggs, gluten, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, soy, and shellfish as potential allergens with which to join people. Besides, even if the date goes sour and you accidentally ingest something you shouldn't, at least you know your date already knows how to use an EpiPen! (And if it goes well, you won't need it to get your hearts racing.)
Sober singles have it the worst, worse than any other type of single out there. While many might look for solace from their loneliness at the bottom of a glass bottle of Moscato, sober singles must endure their pain with a BAL of 0.00. Imagine -- because I'm pretty sure this happens only in movies -- a potential suitor from across the bar offers to buy you a drink, but you must turn it down. "Sorry, I'm pregnant. I mean, on antibiotics," you stutter for the 342nd time. Sober and Single has your back! The site pairs on-the-wagon people together so you no longer have to worry about explaining your drink order: a Shirley Temple on the rocks.
Just about everything has gluten in it. From pizza to doughnuts and even certain toothpastes, it can be difficult to find someone who understands the burden of a gluten-free lifestyle. But Gluten-free Singles does and will pair you with your ideal GF partner. They distinguish between those with "Celiac disease," "Intolerant," and "Healthy Diet." And finally you can go on a date, order a hamburger without the bun, and not have to worry about the quizzical stare from across the table, because chances are your date will be ordering the same thing.
Whoever said that you don't make friends with salad? Oh yeah, it was Homer Simpson. Well, he obviously never met this couple (^) because clearly you can. You hold the bowl; he serves it romantically from under your armpits; it's a match made in heaven. After your animal-byproduct-free dinner, you guys can maybe go volunteer at an animal shelter together. Just remember, if things go really well, to keep a few of these and not these in your wallet.
4. Salad Match
Forget astrological signs; crudites are where it's at. Salads are like snowflakes, no two are alike. And how you top your salad really says a lot about you. Whether you prefer black olives and croutons, or hard-boiled eggs and French dressing, the possible combinations are infinite. Just Salad, a NYC-based restaurant chain, has released an app to help singles "meet their salad soul-mate." First you input your salad preferences: vegan, meat-lover, wraps, gluten-free, or chef-designed. Then the app matches you with others based on your salad preferences. Click the closed salad box for yes or the salad thongs to pass. They don't promise you'll find any other similarities besides how you top your salad, but the app's free, and at the very least you'll have a lifelong friend who'll never screw up your order.
3. Farmers Only
Old MacDonald might've had plenty of ducks, turkeys, cows, and mules on his farm, but what he didn't have was a Mrs. MacDonald to spend his evenings with. Assuming Old MacDonald's farm had internet access, a like-minded conservative woman from a rural area was only a few clicks away. At Farmers Only, you don't necessarily have to be a farmer to join, but you should at least want to date one. And to be honest, with their straw hats, overalls, and strong work ethic, they're pretty darned attractive.
2. 420 Dating
Nowhere on the site is marijuana, pot, hash, cannabis, Mary Jane, or any iteration of a controlled substance mentioned. Except for those three little numbers: 420. Now, 420 can refer to a lot of things: a time of day, a lucky number, or maybe your favorite unofficial holiday. But once the repeated background image of the namesake leaf finishes loading on the site, all doubts are answered. The site boasts a "worldwide database" and a "very serious" security and privacy policy. And you'll finally find someone who shares the same brownie recipes as you do!
It's founded by Brandon Wade. If that name sounds familiar (and it shouldn't), it's because he's the guy behind well-known Sugar Daddy sites SeekingArrangement.com, WhatsYourPrice.com, and MissTravel.com. (Classy!) But according to the website, bribes should not sound dirty because a bribe should only be "an incentive to go on a date with you." Basically the "briber" offers to take the "bribee" on a date and "pay for their half of the date activities including their own." This is perfect for the never-been-kissed millennial millionaire who wants to Instagram his date at five-star restaurant with a long-limbed beach babe. It's the perfect revenge against bullying jocks from high school and to starving waiting-to-be-found models. Plus, it's a win-win for all. (Or a lose-lose, depending on how you look at it.)
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