Good Food or Good Sex? The United Kingdom Decides This Valentine’s Day

• Avocados help to boost energy, blood flow and mood, making them a perfect romantic ally.

• 1 in 5 Europeans prefer sharing good food to enjoying good sex

• In the UK: 23% of females prefer good food while 20% of men prefer good sex

Spice in the kitchen or the bedroom?

This Valentine’s Day, love may be in the air, but it’s also on the plate. According to a 2024 survey commissioned by the World Avocado Organisation, Europeans are choosing good food over good sex. While 1 in 5 respondents revealed they prefer sharing good food with a significant other, only 13% said they’d rather enjoy good sex.

Only 8% of women across Europe prefer good sex to good food, with 21% favouring a satisfying meal. On the other hand, men are more evenly split, with 18% preferring intimacy and 17% choosing food. As Europeans age, their preference for good food grows stronger. Among Gen Z, 20% prioritise good sex—the highest of any generation—but even they favour good food slightly more (21%). This preference for food continues to rise with older age groups, with less than 10% of Boomers and older age groups choosing intimacy over a delicious meal. Interestingly, Boomers are also the generation that places the most importance on healthy eating, with around 80% considering this to be either important or extremely important, compared to just 65% of Gen Zers and a respectable 75% of millennials.

Insights into the United Kingdom’s Valentine’s Preferences

This survey uncovered some fascinating insights into the United Kingdom’s relationship with food and romance.

In the UK, 1 in 5 people prefer a hot dinner over a hot date! But things get juicier when you break down men’s and women’s preferences with both sexes having completely different appetites.

The ladies prefer spicy on their plate over spicy in the bedroom, with 23% choosing a tasty dish over a romantic romp. However, there are still 10% of women choosing good sex.

But men, are on a different page of the menu with 20% choosing sex over food. While only, 14% of men would swap the bedroom for the dinner table.

How to Elevate Plates (and Heart Rates) this Valentine’s Day

What makes food such a strong contender for romance? The answer may lie in the aphrodisiac qualities of ingredients like avocados. Known as a “fertility fruit” by the Aztecs, avocados were once prized as a symbol of love and passion—and science backs up their allure:

• Getting Blood Pumping: The monounsaturated fats in avocados can support healthy blood flow, and cardiovascular health as well as an extra boost of energy.
• Energy for Love: Packed with potassium, B vitamins and vitamin C, they can provide stamina and combat fatigue, whether in the kitchen or elsewhere.
• Mood Enhancer: Avocados are rich in magnesium, which can help reduce stress and regulate the nervous system—perfect for a romantic evening.

Avo-Licious Recipes for Valentine’s Day

To inspire Europeans to get creative in the kitchen for their date, the World Avocado Organisation has compiled a selection of romantic recipes perfect for sharing:

• Antipasti platter to pick on over a nice bottle of wine

• Chicken and black bean quesadillas

• Avocado brownies to bring a sweet touch to the evening.

Charcuterie board

Serves: 4 people
Preparation time: 30 minutes

Ingredients
1 avocado
1 courgette and/or aubergine
1 red pepper
8 tbsp avocado oil
1 bunch basil (15g)
1 tablespoon pine nuts
1 garlic clove
100 g Parmesan cheese
1 mozzarella ball (125g)
1 focaccia or ciabatta
75g Parma ham
75g spianata romana
200g cherry tomatoes
75g (smoked) almonds

Equipment
Grill pan
Stick mixer
Grater

Method

1. Preheat the grill pan over high heat. Cut the courgette and/or aubergine into ½ cm slices and the pepper into 2 cm pieces. In a bowl, toss the vegetables with 2 tablespoons of avocado oil.
2. In batches, grill the courgette, aubergine and pepper for 4-5 minutes until grill marks appear.
3. For the pesto, blend the basil with the pine nuts, the garlic and 5 tablespoons of avocado oil until smooth with the stick mixer. Finely grate 3 tablespoons of the Parmesan cheese and stir into the pesto. Season with salt and pepper and place into a bowl.
4. Slice the rest of the Parmesan cheese thinly.
5. Halve and slice the mozzarella. Halve the avocados, remove the pits and peel off the skin. Cut into slices. Place the avocado and mozzarella slices on the board, alternating between the two and slightly layering each slice on top of the next.
6. Cut the focaccia or ciabatta into strips. Place the focaccia, Parmesan cheese, Parma ham, spianata romana, grilled vegetables and cherry tomatoes on the board. Add the bowl of pesto.
7. Divide the almonds over empty spots and sprinkle the ‘avocado caprese’ with the last tablespoon of avocado oil.

Avocado, Chicken & Black Bean Quesadillas

Servings: 4

Ingredients
2 avocados
1 red onion
200 g cooked chicken breast
4 sprigs of flat parsley
8 wheat tortillas
3 tbsp tomato salsa + extra for serving
125 g black beans, drained from a can
125 g grated (cheddar) cheese

Method

1. Halve the avocados, remove the pit, and peel off the skin. Slice the avocado. Cut the onion into rings and the chicken breast into pieces. Coarsely chop the parsley.
2. Spread 4 tortillas with the salsa. Top them with the avocado, onion, chicken, and beans.
3. Sprinkle with the cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover with the other 4 tortillas and press.
4. Cook the tortillas in a dry frying pan for 3-4 minutes, until the cheese has melted.
5. Cut the quesadillas into wedges and serve with extra salsa for dipping.

Recipe Tip

Use strips of steak or grilled vegetables instead of the chicken breast.

Avocado Brownies

Servings: 12 pieces

Ingredients
100 g coconut oil
3 tbsp honey
2 ripe avocados
1½ tsp vanilla extract
3 eggs
70 g coconut flour
50 g cocoa powder
1½ tsp baking powder

Equipment Needed
Stick mixer
Brownie or baking pan (18 x 28 cm) lined with parchment paper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC. In a saucepan, melt the coconut oil with the honey. Remove the pan from the heat.
2. Halve the avocados, remove the pit, and peel off the skin. Cut the avocado into pieces. Use the stick mixer to blend the avocado until smooth.
3. Using a fork, mix the oil-honey mixture, vanilla extract, and eggs into the avocado puree. Gently fold in the coconut flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Smooth the batter with the back of a damp spoon.
5. Bake the brownie in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until browned and cooked through. Allow the brownie to cool, then cut into 12 pieces.

Recipe Tip
Sprinkle 25 g pecans over the batter before baking.
For a sweeter taste, add an extra tablespoon of honey.