If you know me or have been reading my blog for awhile, you know I love a theme night! Usually we pick a country to plan our night around but Andrew had the idea of picking a decade. The 1950s is the first decade we’re going to tackle for a date night in and I’m excited to dig out my poodle skirt and cat’s eye glasses for the occasion.
What to Eat:
When I think of food in the 50s I think of burgers and milkshakes being served by carhops. Yes these were popular but food that was being whipped up inside actual homes was a little different. There were ALOT of super scary looking dishes. What was the obsession with jello and calling everything a salad? For a non gelatin entree try Salisbury Steak. Juicy seasoned beef patties drowning in an outrageously delicious mushroom gravy, serve with some mashed potatoes and yum! Bonus points if you serve it TV Dinner Style haha! Another great choice would be Chicken a la King. This was a staple at fancy dinner parties and weddings so it’s perfect for a date night. For dessert try your hand a Baked Alaska! I found a cheat version, because who has 12 hours to make a dessert? Not me! You can still use a blow torch if you want though. 🙂 Looking for something a little more fruity? This Pineapple Upside Cake will most definitely hit the spot.
What to Drink:
The 1950s were all about the cocktails. Shake up a classic Tom Collins, Sidecar , Mai Tai or Classic Martini. Not feeling a cocktail? Coke, Pepsi and 7-Up were the top sodas (Diet Rite was #1 but I can’t seem to find that locally). Add some grenadine to your coca cola to make a Roy Rogers.
What to Listen to:
Elvis was clearly King so any album by him is sure to put you in the right mood. I also like the 50s Party, 50s Sock Hop Party and The Birth of Rhythm and Blues playlists on Spotify.
What to Do:
TV hadn’t completely taken over households yet so board games were super popular during this decade. Dig out the old Sorry!, Scrabble, and Yahtzee games or if you have ALL night Risk. Card games, such as Bridge, Canasta, and Rummy were also quite popular in the 50s. Feel like a movie? The Seven Year Itch, To Catch a Thief, Roman Holiday, Gigi (one of my favorites), the original 12 Angry Men. There are SO many great movies from the 50s and many are available to stream right now.
Have some fun and dress the part. Don’t have a poodle skirt? No worries! Roll up those skinny jeans, throw on a cardigan, tie a scarf around your neck or in your hair…perfection. Men often wore jeans and a t-shirt or you could go Mad Men style with a suit if you’re feeling fancy.
Have a great date night in! 🙂
