Valentine's Day is right around the corner, and this year, you may want to treat your loved one to a romantic dinner at home - so, what are the options this year?. Each year, the major UK supermarkets offer a Valentine's Day menu for couples looking to do a quiet night in. Each year, chains push that these options are better for money, as they give you a tasty meal with a starter, main, side, and dessert, so you don't have to cover the cost of all the ingredients. This year couples across the country may be considering this as costs continue to rise and budgets continue to be stretched.
When it comes to Valentine's Day, it's important to remember that it's the thought that counts, not how much you spend on the person you love. If you are unable to stretch this year, you should not feel pressured to do so, and you should talk with your significant other about this. However, if you do fancy something a bit different this year, such as a home-cooked meal, then here are your options. Below, we explain the dishes and drinks you can get at each of the major chains, the cost of the deal, and whether you need a loyalty membership to get it.
M&S is one of the main go-to options for Valentine's dates in, as it markets itself as a little more upmarket than other supermarket chains. This year's offer will set you back £25 - so £12.50 per person - and you get a starter, main, dessert, side and a bottle of wine. There are also none alcoholic versions for those not drinking. According to the chain, its Valentine's Day menu offers more than 40,000 possible combinations, including vegan and gluten-free options. For starters, you can choose from baking burrata with nduja and ciabatta crumb, prawn and lobster thermidor gratins, or dumpling bao buns.
For your main, you can go for a British Wagyu beef pie or fillet steak beef in Wellington. Fish options include salmon and prawn en croute, and there’s a vegan butternut squash and spinach pie, too. To accompany the dish, you can get Mediterranean-style roasted vegetables, mashed potatoes, and salt and pepper wedges, as well as others. For afters, you can get M&S chocolate and caramel pots, Sicilian lemon possets, tiramisu cheesecakes and more, including a chocolate praline heart.
M&S has a wide range of wines available as part of its Valentine's Day offering this year, as well as mojitos, passion star martinis, and pina colada cocktails. For those not drinking alcohol, the supermarket chain also offers alcohol-free Frizzero rose and pink raspberry lemonade. Coming in a little cheaper than M&S' £25 deal is Waitrsoe offering dinner for two for £20, which includes a starter, main, side, dessert, and a drink - either a fine wine, cocktail, beer or non-alcoholic option. Starts at Waitrose include prawn cocktail, moules marinière, vegetable antipasti arancini with basil pesto, and goat's cheese and lemon bakes with wild garlic pesto.
For your main, you get a few options ranging from British beef flat iron steaks, cheddar potato dauphinoise, paella, spinach in puff pastry, beef bourguignon, truffle chicken kiev, and Juicy Marbles plant-based steaks. Sides are very similar to M&S and include maris piper mash, triple-cooked fries, and roasted garlic and buffalo mozzarella flatbread. Finally, for your Valentine's Day sweet treat, you can get melt-in-the-middle chocolate puddings, raspberry panna cotta desserts, sticky toffee pudding, and Sicilian lemon tarts,.
Dinner drinks include a range of wines - both still and sparkling - and cocktail tipples such as negronis, old-fashioneds, and cosmopolitans. For booze-free drinks, the options include DA-SH raspberry-infused sparkling water. Sainsbury's is offering shoppers a choice of 35 items for this year's Valentine's Day deal - but you will need to be a Nectar Card member to get it. The deal for two diners will set you back £18, and you get the usual starter, main, side, dessert and a drink.
All of the dishes and drinks on the menu are part of Sainsbury's premium Taste the Difference range, with options for meat-eaters, veggies, and vegans. To start, you can get things such as a vintage cheddar and leek tart, scallop gratin, tempura king prawns, and a vegan antipasti platter. For the main, you can choose from sirloin steaks with heart-shaped butter, duck legs with cherry teriyaki glaze, or a mushroom Wellington. For your side options, again, you can get things like dauphinoise or hasselback potatoes with pink peppercorn butter, creamed spinach, triple-cooked chips, and cauliflower cheese.
Desserts are very much the same across the board with these supermarket deals and with Sainsbury's you can get either a lemon tart, chocolate melt-in-the-middle pudding, morello cherry cheesecake, or a sticky toffee pudding. Finally for your drinks, you can get a range of different wines - both straight and sparkling - as well as orange gin and tonics and diet and normal coke. Morrison's Valentine's Day deal is the second cheapest deal of the lot setting you back £15 for three courses and a tipple. To get the deal, however, you will need to be a Morrisons More card member. The deal offers you a choice of dishes as part of its The Best range for meat-eaters, veggies and vegans.
