• Food is officially a love language, as new Waitrose research finds nearly two thirds (65 per cent) say cooking and sharing meals is one of their favourite ways to show they care
• Almost a third of UK adults (30 per cent) say not being able to cook is a dating dealbreaker, with homemade meals beating candlelit dinners as the ultimate romantic gesture
• The festive period is a key time for expressing love through food with 73 per cent saying they will use cooking to make Twixmas (the period between Christmas and New Year) feel special.

Forget words of affirmation, a new study has found that food is the love language of 65% of UK adults; just under a third of people (30%) admit that a partner who can’t cook would be a dating dealbreaker.

The Waitrose study, surveying 2,000 adults, found that homemade meals are the ultimate way to say “I love you,” with time and effort on a homemade meal ranked as the gold standard of romance for 36 per cent, narrowly beating the traditional candlelit dinner (35 per cent).

While two-thirds of UK adults claim food is their love language, not everyone feels fluent in the vernacular. The majority (35 per cent) described themselves as merely “conversational,” while 13 per cent consider themselves beginners, and an unlucky in love 11 per cent say their efforts often get lost in translation. Even so, more than a third (37 per cent) will still attempt to cook for someone as a way of showing their affection.

For those still learning the language, a cosy breakfast in bed (23 per cent) or an easy-going picnic in the park (22 per cent) are easy-to-create moments that rank among the most popular ways to show care.

Chris Wynn, Director of Communications at Waitrose said “Food is a love language all of its own. It helps us show how much we care on a deeper, more thoughtful level, and perhaps say something that words just can’t. Different dishes, settings and intentions can each say something unique, but nothing says it better than food.”

The research also revealed that food is often used to smooth things over, with 30 per cent saying they have used food to make amends with a loved one; successfully leading to forgiveness for 77 per cent of this group. This included cooking a loved one’s favourite meal (21 per cent) or relying on something sweet, such as chocolate cake (14 per cent).

Confused about what to cook? Someone’s favourite meal emerged as the clearest sign of care (52 per cent), while nostalgic food plays a role for over a fifth (22 per cent), who enjoy recreating meals shared on trips with loved ones. Another 1 in 5 (22 per cent) believe a simple cup of tea and biscuits in bed speaks volumes.

But if you’re looking to turn a date off, foods least likely to be cooked for potential partners include hot wings (26 per cent), fish pie (24 per cent), and anything involving anchovies or sardines (38 per cent).

Christmas is a key time for expressing love through food. Even after the main celebrations, 73 per cent say they will use cooking to make Twixmas (the period between Christmas and New Year) feel special. Almost a third of food lovers (31 per cent) get creative with festive leftovers, while 15 per cent revisit favourite seasonal dishes to relive the feelings they enjoyed the first time around.

The findings also echo the 2025 Waitrose Christmas campaign, in which Phil (played by Joe Wilkinson) showed his love for Keira Knightley by cooking her nan’s turkey pie recipe – which you can find here; a reminder that food is often the most meaningful way to express affection.

Chris Wynn continues “Christmas is about togetherness, and food is central to bringing people together and creating culinary memories – whether it’s cooking for someone or enjoying a shared meal. And it’s not just about Christmas Day itself; many of us are getting creative in the kitchen in the days that follow to show family, friends and loved ones they care.  Waitrose is here to help food lovers say it with food during the festive period and beyond.”

TOP 10 FOODS THAT SAY ‘I LOVE YOU’:

1. A homemade bake (e.g., cake, cookies etc.)
2. Chocolate
3. Breakfast in bed
4. Steak dinner
5. Roast dinner
6. Chocolate cake
7. Strawberries
8. Full English breakfast
9. Pizza
10. Pasta