If the thought of spending Valentine’s Day in an overcrowded restaurant brings you out in hives (us too), then try planning a romantic dinner for two at home.
It needn’t involve too much planning as supermarkets are offering budget-friendly dine-in meal deals (all for £20 or under), meaning less washing up and, most importantly, no need to dress up.
Choose between steak or salmon, mac n’ cheese or camembert, bubbly or red wine – and make sure you don’t forget to bring a gift, check out of gift guides for him and her.
One Starter + One Main + One Side + One Desert + One Bottle Of Fizz = £20
While we were left bereft by M&S’s decision to cancel the original dine in for £10 deal we grew to love, fear not, their Valentine’s menu is just as good. But don’t think we didn’t notice the doubling in price, guys.
In our basket we’d have vegan sweet potato falafels, 2 baked ricotta stacks, truffled cauliflower cheese, profiteroles stack, milk & dark chocolate hearts and Conte Pruilli Prosecco.
If you’re a meat eater there are plenty of other mains including beef bourguignon, turkey paupiettes and sirloin steak with heart butter. Super cute. If profiteroles don’t do it for you, you could also choose apple and almond slices or macaroons.
Available in store from 12to 16 February.
One Starter + One Main + Two Sides + One Bottle Of Wine OR One Box Of Chocolates = £20
Stuff yourself silly on Waitrose’s very generous menu of mushroom arancini to start, 2 ribeye beef steaks with bearnaise butter on a side of Mediterranean roasting vegetables and seasonsed Charlotte potatoes washed down with a glass (or two) of Les Dauphins Côtes du Rhône Villages and 2 chocolate tortes.
You’ll need to be rolled out the kitchen once you’ve eaten all this.
For those who are veggie, sadly there is only a vegan beef wellington on the menu. Pescatarian’s however can dine on cooked mussels with tomato and chorizo sauce or yellowfin tuna steaks on a side of asparagus tips and finished off with a Sicilian lemon cheesecake.
Available in store from 8 February.
One Starter + Two Mains + One Side + One Desert + One Bottle Of Wine/Prosecco OR One Box Of Chocolates = £20
The ultimate comfort food menu of a goats cheese tartlet and flat iron steak with a camembert sharing bread to start, triple cooked chips on the side and passionfruit cheesecake topped up with a Cahors malbec will warm up the coldest of evenings.
Veggie options are limited to just the goats cheese tart but big meat eaters can choose from beef wellington, lame shank or chicken in a champagne sauce and you can switch out your desert for potato dauphinoise or a selection of green vegetables.
Available in store from 8 February.
One Starter + One Main + Two Sides + One Dessert + One Bottle Of Wine = £15
Treat yourself to a hearty meal of Cornish camembert with a slow gin and cranberry dip, chorizo wrapped chicken with piping hot mash and an asparagus, tenderstem broccoli & kale medley, luxurious salted caramel tarts and a bottle of sauvignon blanc. Don’t mind if we do.
For veggies, we’d recommend the beetroot & spinach melts, portobello mushroom & lentil gratin with skinny smoked paprika fries and a sweet dark chocolate & brownie dome to finish.
Available in store from 7 February.
One Starter + One Main + One Side + One Desert + One Bottle Of Fizz = £18.25
This Valentine’s Sainsbury’s is offering two meal bundles to pick from, one with prawns (£18.25) and one without (£15.75).
The rest of the meal includes 2 rump steaks with heart-shaped pink peppercorn butter, crispy triple cooked chips in beef dripping, Gü zillionaires salted caramel cheesecake and Edizione 789 Di Mondelli prosecco. No options for veggies unfortunately.
Available in store from 6 to 26 February.
One Main + One Side + One Dessert = £7
The most basic meal on our list, but for as little as £7 for a three course meal, we’re not complaining. In our basket you’ll find sirloin steaks with pink peppercorn butter, triple cooked chips and raspberry panna cotta.
If steak doesn’t suit your tastebuds, you can instead choose lightly smoked Scottish salmon fillets paired with a green vegetable trio and polished off with belgian chocolate hearts. As an add on, pick up a bottle of Australian Shiraz.
Available in store from 12 February until stocks last.
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