Married? Here's some advice on how food plays a role in your marriage from the book "How to Survive Your Marriage" (Hundreds of Heads Books, www.hundredsofheads.com, $13.95), straight from people who've done it:

“Cook together! I can’t stress enough how close this can bring you with your husband. Before we were married, mine didn’t even know how to cut a carrot or boil a pot of water. When you cook together, it makes you enjoy what you’re eating even more and it never feels like a chore.”
— Staci Kessler, Highland Park, Ill.; married 8 years

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“Always have dinner together with the TV off. It’s a great time to bond and talk about your day.”
— Renae, Atlanta, Ga.; married 3 years

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“My husband said early on that he was always going to tell the truth about things like how I looked or food I made so that when he said, “Great!” I’d know he really meant it. So one time, I’d made some tomato-rice dish for dinner. He looked up from eating it and said, ‘This tastes like ass!’ We still laugh about that all the time.”
— Katrina Currier, San Francisco, Calif.; married 3 years

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“I think it’s such a treat when spouses cook for each other. In my 35-year marriage, I’ve done almost all of the cooking. But in later years, now that my husband’s retired, he makes lunch for me almost every day. Usually it’s just sandwiches, but it means so much to me.”
— Mary, Allentown, Pa.; married 35 years

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“Determine who likes to cook and who doesn’t like to cook. And if you both don’t like to cook, live in a place where you can order takeout easily. My husband and I are both horrible cooks. But we really love to eat out.”
— Tracy, Atlanta, Ga.; married 4 years

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“Watch those cooking shows on TV with your wife. It makes you both interested in what’s for dinner and it’s easier to plan together when you have someone on the screen telling you what to do.”
— D.R., Evanston, Ill.; married 6 years

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“My husband pretty much insists that he cleans up when I cook. What’s really wonderful is that he also cleans up when HE cooks!”
— Christine Beidel, Rutherford, N.J.; married 3 years

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“Whoever is home around dinnertime should cook. The woman shouldn’t just be expected to whip up a meal because that’s what people think wives should do. Share the work and expect that the person who has time to plan a meal does so. If you’re both working and too busy to cook, then go out for a bite.”
— Steve, Buffalo Grove, Ill.; married 14 years

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Hundreds of Heads Books’ survival guides offer the wisdom of the masses by assembling the experiences and advice of hundreds of people who have gone through life’s biggest challenges and have insight to share. Visit www.hundredsofheads.com to share your advice or get more information.

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© 2007, Hundreds of Heads Books, Inc.