It’s the weekend and you feel like staying in to watch a film, but instead of filling up on snacks why not make your meal part of the movie? Just like wine, movies have their perfect food pairings and they really can enhance your enjoyment of the film in question. There are the obvious ones of course: enjoying some hearty French cuisine whilst watching Julie & Julia or perhaps an Indian takeaway to go with The Hundred-Foot Journey but if you’re not planning on watching a film solely about food, then here are some more general recommendations for movie and food pairings. And if your skills are limited in the kitchen, or you’re after a classic movie and takeaway night you can browse local menus here.

Italian and Romance

If you’re thinking of having a romantic night in with your significant other then Italian is the best match for your evening. From classic romantic films such as Love Actually and The Notebook to the new and hotly anticipated Me Before You and The Longest Ride, you’ll be sure to find one that brings out your emotions. Spaghetti and meatballs are a great match and also a good comfort food. Make it even more exciting by pairing it with a best steak. If you’re looking for something a bit less messy you could always have a go at making your own love heart shaped pizza!

Chinese and Action

With all great action films, you never want to take your eyes off the screen so Chinese is the perfect pairing to make sure you don’t miss all those crucial moments. Appetizers and little snacks are great for this as you get a range of different options and can try out lots of great Chinese flavours while keeping up with the action. Take a look in the supermarket or on your local takeaway menu for spring rolls, prawn toast, steamed pork buns and most importantly, pork dumplings – a staple of Chinese cuisine and something you definitely have to try at least once. They come in small wraps so you won’t even need to take your eyes off the screen to enjoy them.

Burgers and Horror

Burgers can often be considered boring but you can spice up this classic fast food with bacon, blue cheese and onion rings or mix it up with cheddar cheese and spicy salsa for a Mexican take on a classic. This makes for the perfect horror movie food as you can eat it easily while looking at the screen and they’re a lot less messy than spaghetti when thrown across the room in fear! Whip up one of these burgers and sit down to enjoy haunting classic horrors or some of the terrifying new releases, which will leave you too afraid to turn out the light.