By Maggie Zhuomnivorescookbook.comSometimes, husbands need a little motivation. Back when you were dating, he’d move the mountains and the sea for you. Now, he’s sitting on the sofa in his underwear not batting an eye when you ask for help taking out the trash.
But that’s ok. You can totally whip him back into shape to act the way he did during those days when he was courting you. It doesn’t matter where your husband is from. Every man thinks with a certain part of his body.
Oh no! Not there! We’re talking about the stomach here. You can motivate even the most lethargic of husbands by speaking to his stomach. Not with gurgling sounds, but with delicious food, the kind you’d get when you order takeout.
Of course, not everyone can afford to order takeout every night of the week. The good news is you don’t need to. You can make it yourself right in your own kitchen!
So how do I do that, you might be asking yourself? Simple! Follow these tips for motivating your husband with home-cooked takeout-style food!
- Determine his favorite foods
Sure, you might know he likes pizza, but does he like other Italian dishes? What about Chinese, Thai, or even Indian cuisine? If he likes all of these things, then it can be as simple as rotating them into your weekly meal plan to spice things up.
- And speaking of spicing things up
Unless he has a complete aversion to spicy foods or they make him ill, don’t be afraid to add a little heat to what you’re making. It doesn’t need to light his mouth on fire, but putting a little more spice into things will definitely get his attention, in a good way.
- Focus on dishes he
likes If you know what dishes your husband likes to order when you get takeout, try to focus on those first before branching out into new territory. For example, if he’s always ordering sweet and sour pork at the Chinese restaurant you guys love to order from, learn how to make that. Not only will he gobble it up but he will be absolutely impressed that you can make it yourself.
- Try new things based on flavors he gravitates toward
Once you master a dish or two from your favorite takeout place, try making new dishes he hasn’t tried by focusing on flavors he usually picks. Look at his habits with Chinese food. Does he always order sweet and sour pork? If so, trying out orange chicken won’t be such a far stretch that you risk him disliking it. However, if he likes to try lots of different things, you can really have fun experimenting with the spices and sauces.
- Make ribs
Unless he’s vegetarian or vegan, there isn’t a man alive who won’t look at his wife with absolute adoration and agree to anything she asks him to do if she makes him ribs. You can make them in your slow cooker for absolutely perfect fall-off-the-bone meat that just about melts in your mouth. Plus, you can use your newfound cooking skills to add unique twists to them. Ribs are always great with barbecue sauce, but if you really want to grab his attention, make him ribs with an ethnic twist. You can try using garam masala to give them an Indian-flair, or add Chinese seasonings to make them taste just like those pork ribs they serve for appetizers in every Chinese restaurant across America.
Now you will have his undivided attention. As he’s savoring every bite of the new dishes you’re preparing, his eyes rolling back in heavenly bliss, ask him to help you wash the dishes, take out the garbage, mow the lawn, wash the car, or anything else you need him to do. He won’t say no. How could he? He doesn’t want you to ever stop cooking like this. Remember, this is your leverage now. Use it wisely to motivate your husband to do everything you wish!
Maggie Zhu is the author of
The Chinese Stir Fry Sauce Cookbook and the owner of
Omnivore’s Cookbook since 2013. Her passion is sharing modern Chinese recipes that teach you how to cook better food with a less labor-intensive approach. Her website was featured by Yahoo News as one of the seven food blogs you should be following for Asian cuisine. She is originally from Beijing, and now cooks from her Austin, Texas kitchen. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.
