Tips For a Great First Date (That Don’t Include Heartburn)

While it’s hard to avoid first date jitters, you can help yourself avoid heartburn with these simple tips

No matter how old we get, first dates are always a little bit nerve-racking. There are a lot of questions that come along with them, like “will we really click?”, “What if they don’t get my humor?”, and “How do I avoid saying something dumb?”

If you deal with occasional heartburn, there’s a whole other question: “What do I do if I get heartburn in the middle of the date?”

Here are a few tips to keep heartburn symptoms from ruining a good time between you and someone special — although if the date is truly going south, exclaiming “oh my heartburn is terrible!” and running out of the restaurant is always a possibility!

Tips For a Great First Date

Skip the Fitted Attire

Tight clothes — specifically things like tight pants and belts that restrict the stomach area — may trigger heartburn symptoms. Yes, we all want to look our best when meeting a date for the first time, but opt for something that makes you feel both confident and comfortable.

Go Easy on the Alcohol

If you’re of drinking age and have decided to meet up for cocktails for your first date, it’s important to know that alcohol can also trigger heartburn by relaxing the sphincter in your stomach and allowing acid into the esophagus. (It can also make you think your jokes are funnier than they are . . . )

Take Small Bites

Eating a large meal, and taking large bites, can trigger heartburn. Even if you’re nervous, try to take small bites and chew them as well as you can before swallowing. A bonus to taking smaller, more careful bites: less of a chance of something ending up in your teeth for the remainder of the night.

Spice Up the Conversation, Not Your Meal

Spicy foods are another heartburn trigger, so when ordering drinks or meals, keep the heat level to a minimum — but don’t be afraid to spice up the conversation with some fun questions that will keep your date on their toes.

Keep It Light

It’s easy to let stress and butterflies get the best of you during a first date, but staying grounded and finding humor in the awkwardness can help wring some of that anxiety out and replace it with a little bit of confidence.

Above All, Be Yourself

Not to sound like your parents, but the most important tip for having a great first date is to be true to who you are. It can be tempting to try to act like some kind of “perfect” version of yourself on a first date, but the more real you are, the easier it will be to know if the person across the table from you is a good match.

Whether you’re going on a first date or your hundredth date, taking TUMS Chewy Bites along for the ride to treat occasional heartburn, sour stomach, and acid indigestion if it sneaks up on you. And since heartburn is pretty common, don’t forget to bring some along for your special someone — you could earn yourself some extra brownie points!