Whatever your reason for staying in this Valentine's Day, you and your loved one can feast like a king for very little effort in the comfort of your own home.
Forget braving the elements for an overpriced table for two at your local restaurant or pub this year - for supermarkets have cottoned on to the stay-at-home market and have pulled out all the stops to tempt you.
Whether you go for a bargain £12 deal at Co-Op or push the boat out for the Waitrose or M&S menu at £20, you'll be quids in compared to dining out.
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Most supermarkets are offering a deal designed for two people to share and include some kind of multi-course combo – a starter, main, dessert and sometimes even a bottle of wine or other drink chucked in for good measure.
As well as offering a massive saving when compared to eating out, these bundles also offer good value when compared to buying all of the items individually.
M&S was runner-up in the annual Good Housekeeping roundup of the best-tasting and best-value meal deals, but the winner was Aldi, even though the German discounter does not offer a Valentine's Day package like the rest of the supermarkets.
The upmarket magazine praised Aldi's range of romantic Special Buys, priced from 99p to £7.49, in store now, which you can mix and match as you please.
On the menu are dishes such as king prawn & scallop thermidor, British lamb shanks with a mint & balsamic glaze and Yellowfin tuna steak, with heart-shaped macarons; or chocolate melt in the middle heart for pudding.
"Despite its reputation as a budget-friendly supermarket, Aldi has pulled out all the stops this year with its seriously premium produce," said Good Housekeeping.
"It’s not difficult to see why Aldi took our hotly contested top spot for 2022."
Here we round up what's on offer on the rest of the high street for a romantic evening on February 14.
M&S
- Price : £20
- Availability: From Wednesday 9 February
- What’s included: Starter, main, side, dessert and a bottle of drink or box of chocolates
- Menu highlights include leek and cheese souffles or ham and cheese crumpets to start, nine mains such as rump steak with peppercorn sauce or prawn ravioli, with asparagus or a truffle mash on the side. For pudding, there’s tarte au citron or a raspberry profiterole stack. Wash everything down with a bottle of wine or prosecco or a box of Swiss chocolates. For vegans, there's an entirely plant-based menu, including vegan duck croquettes, smoky saffron aubergine steaks, sweet potato fries, churros and a bottle of Prosecco.
Tesco
- Price : £15 with Clubcard
- Availability: From Wednesday 9 February
- What’s included: Starter, main, two sides, dessert and drink
- Tesco Menu highlights include an antipasti platter or feta and red pepper tartlets to start, mains of duck breast with raspberry hoisin sauce or burgers with heart-shaped cheese, accompanied by heart-shaped potato croquettes and a green vegetable trio. Puddings include millionaire’s tarts or raspberry and passion fruit cheesecake slices. Also included is either a bottle of wine or prosecco, a four-pack of beer, or a non-alcoholic alternative such as a passion fruit martini. For vegans, the choice is vegan crispy mushrooms, vegan wellingtons and a vegan chocolate brownie.
Morrisons
- Price: £15
- Availability: Available online and in stores now
- What’s included: Starter, main, two sides, dessert and wine
- Morrisons Menu highlights include scallops and prawns or camembert tear and share bread, mains of classic beef wellington or a rolled sole with a duo of smoked haddock and salmon with a mature cheddar and prosecco sauce. You also get to pick two from seven sides. Choose from crème brulée or vegan pink gin jelly shots for pudding and wash it down with a bottle of white, red, prosecco or a fruity raspberry lemonade. Vegans are included with a fully-vegan menu available.
Asda
- Price: £15
- Availability: Available now
- What’s included: Starter, main, two sides, dessert, wine or box of chocolates and a free Sky Movies voucher
- Asda Menu includes starters of tempura prawns or antipasti platter, mains like slow cooked lamb shanks, chicken parmigiana, sides include heart shaped garlic flatbread, triple cooked chips and a green veg medley, while desserts span Parisian-inspired macarons to raspberry panna cotta. Vegans can feast on vegan crabless croquettes and vegan coq au vin pie for their starter and mains. Booze on offer is prosecco, red and white wine or a box of Lily O-Brien chocolates instead. Asda has also thrown in a Skystore Movie voucher to complete the night.
Sainsbury's
- Price: £15
- Availability: From Wednesday 9 February
- What’s included: Starter, main, dessert and drink
- Sainsbury's Menu includes starters of mussels in white wine or quattro cheese bake, followed by a main of sirloin steak with butter and sides such as triple cooked chips, truffle mash and a vegetable medley. Desserts on offer include hot chocolate melting puds or a classic cheese assortment and you can also pick up a bottle of fizz, white wine, ginger beer or elderflower and raspberry. Vegans are well catered for with Plant Pioneers chicken buffalo wings for starters, followed by Beyond Meat burger patties.
Waitrose
- Price: £20
- Availability: From Wednesday 9 February
- What’s included: Starter, main, side, dessert and drink or box of chocolates
- Waitrose Meni includes fish pie and rump steaks with chimichurri butter for mains, served with sides of maple roasted vegetables or cauliflower cheese, followed by a choice of raspberry panna cottas, espresso martini chocolate tortes and more. Starters on offer include Heston Blumenthal’s bloody mary prawn cocktail or baking camembert. Plus, your drink of choice can include a bottle of wine or fizz. Vegans can pick up mains of vegan beet wellington with a side of of vegan dauphinoise potatoes.
Co-Op
- Price: £12 with a non-alcoholic drink, £15 with alcohol or chocolate
- Availability: From Wednesday 9 February
- What’s included: Starter, main, side, dessert and drink or box of chocolates
- Menu includes starters of smoky paprika soft set scotch eggs or Mediterranean style vegetable tarts, for mains choose from Hereford steaks with peppercorn butter or roasted butternut squash gnocchi bake and more, served with thick cut chips or a garden vegetable medley. If there’s still room, choose from sticky toffee pudding or lemon cheesecake among others for dessert. Included in the £12 deal is a rhubarb and ginger presse, alcohol-free G&T or four glass bottles of Coca-Cola, or for £3 more, opt for prosecco, red or white wine, or a box of luxury chocolates.
