As the old adage goes, “the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach,” but don’t forget that women love to eat too.

Cooking for your loved one (or potential loved one) can be beneficial on multiple levels; it can be a subtle way to show them you care, give them a thing to add to the list of your good qualities, or serve as a way to get out of the doghouse if necessary — all while saving cash.

Before you cook for your significant other, be sure to give the notion some thought before your trip to the grocery store, which can be a bit overwhelming. Try to remember what their favorite foods are to win you some extra brownie points, and don’t forget to check for food allergies. Also, be sure to look up recipes before you start, sometimes winging it isn’t the best option.

Below is a very simple three course meal for those who know that cooking isn’t their strong suit. Don’t hesitate to add or take away any items.

APPETIZER: Classic house salad — extremely simple, do this last, or while everything else is cooking so it stays fresh. All you need is any kind of green and add vegetables, preferably not onions. Remember to make salads colorful.

Greens — iceberg, romaine and/or baby spinach

Tomatoes — cherry, grape or sliced tomatoes

Pears or apples — for a gourmet touch

Crumbled blue cheese

Vinaigrette dressing — I recommend Newman’s Own Balsamic Vinaigrette, but feel free to experiment

If you’re in a rush, those prepackaged salads come in handy, but be sure to buy them the day of since they tend to go bad pretty quickly. Add any kind of vegetable you think they’ll like. Fruit adds a nice touch also. Put the dressing on the side and mix right before serving so it doesn’t get soggy.

MAIN COURSE: Fettuccine Alfredo with shrimp — This is the perfect main course. It seems complicated when you’re done and impresses easily, but is actually quite simple to make.

Fettuccine pasta — One box will do, maybe less depending on how much you eat

Alfredo sauce — I recommend Bertolli’s brand

Precooked medium-sized shrimp — Can be found in the groceries’ fish section

Usually you can buy the shrimp prepackaged and frozen, so as soon as you get home just soak them in cold tap water until they thaw. It takes about 15 minutes to cook the pasta, but taste every few minutes or so after it starts to boil. To make the sauce, just empty the bottle into a pot on low heat and stir regularly. If you’re feeling confident, taste the sauce and add salt, pepper or other spices accordingly. Once the shrimp has thawed (which you can tell by squeezing it with your fingers), add it to the sauce to soak in the flavor.

To serve, pour the strained pasta into a serving bowl and empty sauce on top. Arrange shrimp aesthetically.

DESSERT: Chopped strawberries and whipped cream — very simple and pretty self-explanatory.

Cut tops off of strawberries and then divide into halves or fourths. Put on a plate and put whipped cream on top. You can prepare the strawberries while the pasta is cooking but be sure to cover them with plastic wrap and put them in the refrigerator. Put whipped cream on last, and voila!