NEW YORK–HelloFresh, the world’s leading meal kit company, and Tinder, the world’s most popular app for meeting new people, are introducing a new relationship phase, Forking Season. New data gathered by HelloFresh has revealed that the fifth date is usually when couples go from casual to committed, typically through the power of a homemade meal. In fact, “Cooking” is among the top 20 Interests Tinder users add to their profiles. With 81% of Americans agreeing that hosting a date for a home cooked meal for the first time signals a relationship is becoming serious, couples enter their Forking Season when a relationship evolves from meeting out in public spaces to meeting up at the kitchen table.
“We love this partnership with HelloFresh because these Date Night Delights create more opportunities for new couples to get to know each other and unlock a new phase of connection.”Post this
Ahead of the annual surge in Cuffing Season couplings, with over half (51%) of surveyed singles looking for a match this fall,2 HelloFresh and Tinder have teamed up to help new couples with an exclusive Date Night Delights recipe series. Knowing that deeper connections are created in the kitchen, the exclusive recipe series was curated specifically for couples and designed to make those first shared meals at home unforgettable. HelloFresh and Tinder are also launching a limited-edition collection of Forking Seasonings for couples looking to bring some extra spice to the kitchen, with sweet and savory chef-curated spice blends that both enhance flavor and excite the senses.
Date Night Delights Recipe Series
When it comes to dinner dates, many of those surveyed admitted to feeling the pressure to impress (56%).1 HelloFresh and Tinder are taking the stress out of preparing an impressive homemade meal with the launch of a Date Night Delights recipe series, available exclusively for HelloFresh subscribers. Featuring a mix of both customer favorites and new recipes, the series is curated specifically for couples and designed to make any cook feel confident. Each meal includes all of the pre-portioned ingredients and easy-to-follow instructions to make mouthwatering mains, appetizers, and desserts such as:
- Beef Tenderloin With Cheddar-Gouda Fondue With Asparagus, Fingerling Potatoes, Apple & Baguette
- Lemony Spaghetti With Brussels Sprouts Sprinkled With Toasted Panko & Chives
- Rosemary Fig Pork Tenderloin With Kale & Sweet Potato Jumble
- Pan-Roasted Chicken & Shallot Sauce With Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus & Mashed Potatoes
- White Chocolate Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake
- Grand Cru and Cured Meat Board
New Forking Seasonings Add Extra Spice to Date Night
To enhance flavors and stimulate the senses, HelloFresh and Tinder are also releasing a limited-edition collection of spice blends called Forking Seasonings. Each bundle includes three exclusive blends: Ignite (cinnamon, cloves, and ginger), Spark (saffron and salt) and Kindle (vanilla and sugar) along with tips on how to utilize the spices in food and drink recipes. Forking Seasonings are available while supplies last for $14.99 (including shipping) through HelloForkingSeason.com, where couples can also take a fun, interactive quiz that determines the spiciness level of their relationship.
“We were inspired to learn that four out of five Americans agree that a relationship is becoming serious when you start cooking for your partner,” said Kirsten Walpert, VP of Brand and Creative, HelloFresh US. “With food playing such a central role in how couples connect and create memorable moments, we’re excited to be partnering with Tinder to introduce Forking Season and give consumers everything they need to prepare easy and delicious meals at home.”
“When date nights out lead to date nights in, things are getting serious. We know Tinder users are looking for a match to get cozy with this Cuffing Season, from the 96% increase in users talking about ‘Cuffing Season’ in their profile bios.3 We’ve also found that today’s singles are looking for new date ideas that are more interactive than sitting across from each other in a restaurant,” said Stephanie Danzi, Senior Vice President of Global Marketing at Tinder. “We love this partnership with HelloFresh because these Date Night Delights create more opportunities for new couples to get to know each other and unlock a new phase of connection.”
Forking Season Survey Reveals Strong Connection Between Cooking and Relationships
With 70% of survey respondents saying that cooking something for or with their partner is more intimate than fooling around,1 Forking Season demonstrates the powerful role cooking plays in a relationship. Other fascinating findings include:
- Playing It Safe with Reliable Recipes: When cooking for a date for the first time, 60% of respondents want to impress by sticking to a tried-and-true recipe they know they can successfully prepare instead of trying something new and potentially complex.1
- Yes, Chef!: The ability to cook ranked among the top five traits that singles found to be the most impressive in a potential partner.1
- Takeout-fishing is Real: Is that homemade or takeout? A quarter of respondents admit that they’ve claimed the credit for a meal they actually purchased.1
- A Date Who Cooks Or A Date Who Snores?: When a partner is a good cook, respondents are willing to overlook certain flaws including snoring (33%), being messy (22%) and stubbornness (21%).1
- Couples That Cook Together, Stay Together: Nearly a third of respondents believe that cooking together often helps lead to lasting relationships (31%).1
To learn more about Forking Season and to purchase the limited-edition Forking Seasonings, no subscription required, please visit HelloForkingSeason.com.
Methodology
1 HelloFresh x Tinder Forking Season Survey, October 2023
2 HelloFresh Valentine’s Day Survey, February 2022
3 Internal Tinder Data, Sept 2023
About HelloFresh
HelloFresh is the world’s leading meal-kit company. Founded in Berlin in November 2011, the Company now operates across 18 international markets. In 2022, HelloFresh furthered their mission to “change the way people eat forever” by delivering more than 490 million meals to customers across the U.S. HelloFresh was voted the Most Trusted Meal Kit Delivery Service in America in 2021 and 2022 by Newsweek. HelloFresh has offices in New York, Chicago, and Boulder. For more information, visit www.hellofresh.com.
About Tinder
Launched in 2012, Tinder is the world’s most popular app for meeting new people and has been downloaded more than 530 million times. The app is available in 190 countries and 45+ languages. More than half of all users are 18-25 years old. In 2022, Tinder was named one of the World’s Most Innovative Companies by Fast Company.