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Topics: Sex and Relationships, Life
Rhiannon Ingle
Topics: Sex and Relationships, Life
Heads up! There's a new dating trend on the horizon and people are going mad for it.
You've probably heard of submarining, bread-crumbing and even getting 'zombied' but there's a brand-new kid on the block when it comes to the world of romance.
We spoke to an expert to get the rundown on the latest phenomenon known as 'snack dating'.
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Kate Mansfield, UK's premier dating and relationship coach who also won relationship expert of the year back 2019 with Corporate Live Wire, told Tyla all the juicy details about the new dating trend.
Kate defined 'snack dating' as when: "People literally go for a snack, or coffee, as opposed to a longer dinner date."
Singletons in the search for a soulmate seem to be ditching the old school dating model in favour of a more casual, relaxed and more time-friendly alternative.
Effectively, the trend involves going on quick and casual dates that don't take up too much time or energy and is all about keeping things low-key and not putting too much pressure on the date itself.
A common reason why some people may not want to date is due to not being able to exhaust the physical time and mental energy attached to dating.
To remedy this, people are now purposefully opting for a shorter date in the hopes of by-passing such hiccups.
Natalia, a student from Leeds, told Tyla: "It's good if you want to see if there's a spark and don't want to waste a night on someone who you aren't going to click with if you're a 'like at first sight' person."
Georgia, an admin assistant from London dubbed the new dating trend as 'less intense and less pressure'.
She added: "Feels like it's an easier environment to get to know someone."
"It feels more authentic and less 'try hard'," said Cortney, a psychology graduate from Birmingham.
The dating coach explained: "Snack dating minimises the time investment and compared to normal dating, which can get very expensive, it is also cheaper financially too."
The expert noted some good ideas for a 'snack date' including visiting a free exhibition at an art gallery, going for a walk in the park, parking up at a local coffee shop and even playing a few rounds of crazy golf.
Wholesome right?
She went on to offer some key advice for those stuck in the loop of more serious or time-consuming dates who wants to begin 'snack dating'.
"Make 'snack dating' fun by weaving in something arty, creative or unusual to keep your date entertained, without a big restaurant check at the end," Kate outlined.
However, like any dating trend, there are always going to be hang-ups with some singletons not being totally on board with the new time and money-saving way to date.
Kate added: "Snack dating can be perceived as cheap or perhaps a bit stingy by women dating who might feel that men are not willing to invest in the date."
What do you make of it?