It's kind of ironic that dating is synonymous with eating, since the two really don't mix well.

As if dating isn't anxiety-inducing enough, having to content with where (and what) to eat can make it even worse. Nobody wants to be the zero-craic girl nibbling on a single lettuce leaf, yet the fear of bad breath, sauce dribbling down your chin or getting the meat sweats can leave you staring blankly at the menu for half an hour. Here's our top ten list of ordering faux pas that you should probably avoid on a first date... 1. Spagetti Unless you're a semi-professional spaghetti twiddler, this is definitely one to avoid. Even if you get away with not having to hoover up stray strings of pasta or remove 'leftovers' hanging from your mouth, you'll still have to contend with ragu horns adorning your upper lip. 2. Corn on the cob Nobody can pull this off. Nobody. Apart from the fact that you will resemble a chipmunk whilst eating it, yellow bits will stay in your teeth for years. 3. Ribs There's something very Henry the eighth about eating ribs, if your date's not really your bag and you're only in it for the food - go for it. The whole cavewoman thing could even save you having to have the whole "I just didn't feel a spark between us" conversation. 4. Pesto You have a little something in your teeth... No just there... Just to the left, beside your front... Oh forget it. 5. Tuna Unless you want to be associated with a bang of fish. 6. Garlic bread Stating the bleedin' obvious here, just in case like. 7. Spicy food Several risks here. The first is breath from hell, the second is smelling and sweating like a burrito factory worker, the third is the spice sweats, and finally there's the squits gamble. Our advice? Steer WELL clear. 8. Spinach You might assume innocuous salad leaves are safe. Sadly, no. Just when you think you've discreetly picked out the last piece, here comes another that was hiding at the back of your mouth. Anything that's hard to pronounce Don't make a tit of yourself in an effort to impress. Stay away from the Worcestershire sauce, gnocchi, and chipotle side of the menu. Pricey dishes Don't go showy and order the lobster and Dom Perignon, but don't go cheap and stick to the soup. Nothing says dine and ditch like "I'll only have a starter."