During this time when we’ve all been at home more often, I’ve seen some fun ideas floating around for date night! One of the at home date night ideas that have stuck out to me are at home taste offs. I have a friend who posted videos of her and her husband comparing different things toward the beginning of social distancing. And then I saw fun At Home Taste Off dates using the kits that The Utah Taste Off was putting together each week. Now that Utah Taste Off has a pick up location in Davis County, I wanted to share two different ways to have a fun taste off for an at home date.

Where: Your house (Davis County At Home Taste Off Kits are picked up at Barnes Park in Kaysville)
Cost: $45 - At Home Taste Off Kit (cost varies for DIY version)

At Home Taste Off from The Utah Taste Off

Watching those in Utah and Salt Lake Counties participate in a fun taste off every week was making me jealous. So a month ago, when they started bringing their kits to Davis County each week, I was really excited! The Utah Taste Off provides everything you need to have a fun taste off date or family activity at home. It’s the perfect way to support local businesses and experience goodies from various businesses in Utah. And it’s a fun way to break up the week during this time when all of the days start to run together.

How does The Utah Taste Off’s At Home Taste Off work?

Every Thursday afternoon, The Utah Taste Off announces what their next week’s At Home Taste Off will be. The next morning (Friday), the open pre-orders for that week’s kit. They usually sell out fast, and pre-orders close sometime during the weekend, so vendors have time to prep for the high volume of product they need to make. The next week, you’ll pick up your kit on the assigned day and time. Each pick up runs from 4:30pm to 6:30pm on the area’s assigned day of the week. Utah County picks up their kits on Tuesday, Salt Lake County picks up on Wednesday, and Davis County’s day of the week for pick up is Thursday. After you pick up your kit, you go home and have your taste off, then vote online and watch social media for the final results.

What’s included in an At Home Taste Off Kit?

Your At Home Taste Off Kit includes everything you need for two people to participate in the taste off. But there is usually so much food included that more than two people can fill up on that week’s delicious theme! You’ll receive two of whatever each business has provided. So two of every sugar cookie, kind of salsa, sweet roll, donut, etc. Depending on the week’s theme, there will generally be four to eight vendors participating.

The kit that you pick up will also include the scoring sheets, information on the vendors and an instruction sheet. The Utah Taste Off makes it next to impossible to not enjoy and have a successful taste off at home! I love the details on the scoring cards, and how they guide you to pay attention to specific factors as you’re eating. They also provide you with information on how to submit your votes online so yours can be counted with the rest of those who are participating.

Are the Utah Taste Off At Home Taste Off Kits worth the price?

Recently, the price of each At Home Taste Off kit was streamlined. Each week’s kit costs $45 and that covers the cost of the product, packaging and materials, and the employees who prep and hand out your kits. When you purchase an At Home Taste Off kit from The Utah Taste off, you’re supporting a small business who is supporting other small businesses. And you’re being introduced to vendors and food that you might not have otherwise known about. Some weeks definitely feel more “worth it” to us, but that’s generally based on personal preference.

For the amount of goodness that you receive in each box and the care that goes into arranging and prepping for each week’s taste off, it’s well worth the price! I consider what we would pay if we’d decided to do this ourselves, traveling across the state to pick everything up and the time it would take us to arrange everything. I love the opportunity that The Utah Taste Off is providing all of us to try so many new and yummy goodies. And the support and opportunity they are providing the vendors who participate each week.

What are some fun ways to use your At Home Taste Off Kit?

I really love the idea of making a mid-week date out of your At Home Utah Taste Off! It’s something different to do together, without having to plan or put any of it together yourself. You just have to reserve your kit the week before, and drive through the pick up location to grab it on the day you signed up for. I’ve seen couples split the box and enjoy the whole experience together. Or split one half of the box, (because like I said, there’s usually a lot of food), and share the rest of their kids the next day. Make a night of tasting yummy treats and discussing the points on the ballot before deciding your final scores.

You can also make a night of it as a family! After dinner, sit down together and divide the contents of your box among everyone. (Or replace dinner with your taste off, I won’t judge!) Your kit only includes two labeled place mats and voting sheets, but you can copy more if you need them. Or just give everyone the information they need to participate. Maybe put one place mat in the center of the table as a guide for where each vendor’s submission should be situated in front of them. An At Home Taste Off is a fun way to change up your nightly routine and an easy way to win points with the entire family.

DIY Taste Off At Home Using the Utah Taste Off Templates

Maybe you’re not able to participate in The Utah Taste Off’s At Home Taste Off event. The night of your pick up might not work with a work schedule or something you have going on. Maybe the price isn’t in your budget at the moment. Or maybe you just want to create your own taste off with a food that wouldn’t work well for The Utah Taste Off to distribute. The good news is, you can put together your own taste off at home, using blank templates that The Utah Taste Off has provided!

How do I put together my own taste off night?

Putting together your own at home taste off is easy! The biggest taste is deciding what you’re going to taste off and compare for your date. Then arrange for pick up the items, whether they can be grabbed from the grocery store in advance or gotten fresh right before you plan to enjoy them. And the good news is, after that, I have information for where you can get your rating system and how you can keep the brand of each item straight. The Utah Taste Off created templates just for a DIY At Home Taste Off, so you can print them and use them yourself.

Where can I get the templates to use for my taste off?

The Utah Taste Off put together DIY Taste Off Kit printables that you can use at home. They have created their place mats and scoring sheets for four, six or eight vendors. Each one is blank, so you can fill them in with the vendors and type of food that you decide to use for your taste off. They’ve also negotiated discounts with a few vendors throughout the state, so if you are doing your taste off for cookies, donuts or other baked goods, be sure to take advantage of those. Click here to download and use the DIY Taste Off Kit printables from The Utah Taste Off!

What kinds of foods should we try for our at home taste off?

The sky is the limit when it comes to what the two of you can “taste off” together! You could take a trip to the grocery store and find some things to try there. Maybe you want to find the best store bought salsa or chips OR salsa AND chips. You could compare name brand and store brand of various foods. Ice cream, sauces, snack foods, treats, etc. Or you could drive around town and get the same item from different restaurants to see who makes it best. I’ve seen DIY taste offs with hamburgers, chicken sandwiches, french fries, milkshakes, cookies, donuts, a common appetizer, a specific type of mixed drink, and so much more. Go for something the two of you can never agree on, or that you really want to find “the best of”.

A taste off can make a really fun date night, and one that you can do over and over again. It will always be different because the foods you’re tasting will be different! I know some fans of The Utah Taste Off who participate every single week, or whenever a favorite treat of theirs is being featured. You could make your DIY Taste Off a date that you do once a month, on one of those weeks when you aren’t going out together. The goal is to have fun, and find your favorites around the state or your local grocery store! And as always, happy dating!