ANYONE planning a cosy night in for Valentine’s Day should look no further than their nearest supermarket.
Most of them offer great deals on a three-course meal, often with a bottle of bubbly or chocolates thrown in.
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Amongst the offerings for 2023 are all varieties of steaks, herb crusted lamb, beef wellington and coq au vin.
There are also some delicious desserts on offer – and definitely some great savings to be had.
A dine-in meal is a perfect way to celebrate if you’re watching your pennies during the cost of living crisis.
“Valentine’s Day is designed to part you from your money so you’ll need to be careful what you buy,” explains consumer expert Martyn James.
“But there are some good deals to be had. It’s worth doing some research first to find out how much items cost individually to check if you are getting a good combo deal.
“Pick the big ticket items and cash in.
“You could stock up your freezer and be eating like a King for weeks.
“Get there early too – many of the best deals sell out while most of us are still snoozing.”
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To whet your appetite ahead of the big day, we asked mum-of-three Lynsey Hope, 41, from West Malling, Kent, to round up the tastiest deals.
Here she shares her verdict:
ASDA: 10/10
- £15
- The deal: Starter, Main, Two Sides, Dessert and either a bottle of wine or box of chocolates.
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Menu includes: Roasted mushroom arancini hearts, chicken liver pates with raspberry jelly and brie wedges to start, duck breast with cherry and balsamic sauce, cod fillets with Sicilian lemon and herb butter, sirloin steaks and slow cooked ox cheek beef parcels.
Sides include truffle macaroni Cheese, braised red cabbage, triple cook chips and marabel creamy mash and salted caramel billionaire’s pudding and cherry panna cotta for dessert.
We tried: Slow Cooked Beef Tartlets with Truffle Mac ‘N’ Cheese, Slow Cooked British Ox Cheek Beef Parcels with a mushroom and peppercorn sauce, Chantenay Carrots with Yuzu and Lime dressing, Dauphinoise Potatoes, Espresso Tiramisu Cups and Asda Extra Special Sauvignon Blanc.
Lynsey says: “I was really impressed by Asda’s combo deal.
“Firstly there is loads to choose from including plenty for vegans and veggies.
“And once you have chosen, there is SO much food so it looks impressive before you’ve even taken a mouthful.
“The Ox Cheek Beef Parcels tasted delicious.
“It is worth putting a bit of baking paper under them in the oven as they did stick to the tray a bit during cooking but the meat had a lovely, rich flavour and I really felt like I was enjoying a special meal rather than any old pie.
“The carrots were elevated by the yuzu dressing and the piece de resistance was the espresso tiramisu cups.
“These are presented beautifully in a small espresso glass, which can be reused.
“I thought Asda deserved extra points for this as it was so much better than the plastic most others were offered in.
“It’s amazing value for £15 and comes with a bottle of wine or chocolates.
“No fizz I’m afraid but that’s the only negative.”
- TASTE: 10/10
- VALUE: 10/10
- ROMANCE: 10/10
- OVERALL SCORE: 10/10
M&S: 9/10
- £20
- The deal: Starter, Main, Side, Dessert and Bottle of Drink.
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Menu includes: Prawn cocktail, duck parfait with orange glaze and leek and cheese souffle tarts to start, rump steak with peppercorn sauce, herb-crusted lamb rack or a three-cake bake for mains.
“Carrots, purple sprouting broccoli and cheesy spring greens feature among the sides whilst desserts include raspberry profiterole stack and a mini cheese selection.
We tried: Coquille St Jacques, Sirloin Steak with heart shaped garlic butter, Triple Cooked Chips, Chocolate Melt in the Middle Puddings and M&S Conte Priuli Prosecco Rose.
Lynsey says: “The Coquille St Jacques was lovely.
“It’s basically a fancy fish pie but packed with delicate, delicious fish and it has a lovely texture.
“The steak was good quality and flavoursome and the heart-shaped herb butter to put on top was full of flavour.
“The chips were perfect, proper pub chips.
“My only complaint problem with this is that you really need two sides to complete the meal.
“It was a bit lacking in vegetables.
“The chocolate puds were gooey and moreish, without being too sickly.
“The light rose Prosecco was lovely and again, this would cost £12 to buy itself so the deal does seem amazing value for good quality food.”
- TASTE 10/10
- VALUE: 9/10
- ROMANCE: 10/10
- OVERALL SCORE: 9/10
WAITROSE: 7/10
- £20
- The deal: Starter, Main, Two Sides, One Dessert and a bottle of drink or chocolates.
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Menu includes: Scottish mussels in garlic butter, bacon, leek and Roquefort tartlets and a Spanish tapas platter to start, followed by slow cooked duck with apple ketchup, beef bourguignon, sea bass fillets with tomatoes and olives for mains.
Sides include cauliflower cheese, green vegetable medley and Mediterranean roasting vegetables and puds include churros, espresso martini chocolate tortes and fruit salad.
We tried: Extra Mature Cheddar & Emmental Soufflés, Parmigiano Reggiano & Truffle Chicken Kiev, Potato Gratin, Melt in the Middle Chocolate Puddings and San Leo Prosecco Rose.
Lynsey says: “A huge selection on offer at Waitrose for £20 and this was all very easy to prepare.
“I loved the hint of truffle in the kiev that made it feel a bit more special for Valentine’s day rather than your average Tuesday night dinner.
“It was huge too so felt lavish.
“The chocolate puds were lovely and gooey in the centre.
“The delicious prosecco rose costs £10.49 by itself outside of the deal so this felt like good value and a really special treat for February 14.
“Yummy, yummy.”
- TASTE 7/10
- VALUE: 8/10
- ROMANCE: 7/10
- OVERALL SCORE: 7/10
SAINSBURY’S: 9/10
- £15
- The deal: Starter, Main, Side, Dessert and Drink
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Menu includes: Italian antipasto and scallop gratin to start. Sirloin or rump steaks with triple peppercorn butter, a no beef wellington and a salmon, spinach and cheddar en croute for mains.
Sides feature triple cook chips, rainbow chard vegetable medley and Maris piper mashed potato followed by chocolate tortes, Belgian white chocolate profiteroles and raspberry and white chocolate slices for pudding.
We tried: Taste the Difference Slow Cooked Crackling Pork Belly, Peas Be Mine, I Love You Berry Much Chocolate Tortes and Taste the Difference Conegliano Prosecco.
Lynsey says: “The slow cooked pork felt really special for Valentine’s Day.
“It does take an hour in the oven but there was little to do other than shove it in and wait for it to cook.
“I started to get hungry as the smell of it started to seep around the house – it smelt delicious.
“Sainsbury’s don’t have as big a selection as other supermarkets but what they are offering looks great and there is a good selection for vegans too.
“Again, the fizz on its own would cost £10 so you’re essentially getting all the food for a fiver.
“It’s a great deal and lovely quality from Sainsbury’s.”
- TASTE: 9/10
- VALUE: 9/10
- ROMANCE: 9/10
- OVERALL SCORE: 9/10
MORRISONS: 7/10
- £15-£17 – £2 more if you have a My Morrisons card
- The deal: Starter, Main, Two Sides, One Dessert and Drink.
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Menu includes: Camembert heart wreath, vegan cauliflower wings and antipasti selection to start, beef wellington, coq au vin and spaghetti carbonara for mains and triple cooked chunky chips, cauliflower cheese and carrots, greens and beans for sides.
Puds include options from Gu as well as mango and passion fruit cheesecake and caramel profiteroles.
We tried: Beef wellington, garlic bread slices, triple cook chips, raspberry panna cotta and Prosecco.
Lynsey says: “Starters are limited but the huge beef wellington looks impressive and provides the perfect centrepiece for a lovers’ feast.
“It cooked perfectly in the allocated time, the pastry was golden with the perfect texture and the beef was melt in the mouth delicious.
“A great range of sides on offer and the triple cook chips were a real hit – I’d go back to Morrisons’ for these alone.
“The panna cotta was a bit underwhelming, but there was so much food I was stuffed by then anyway.”
- TASTE: 7/10
- VALUE: 9/10
- ROMANCE: 7/10
- OVERALL SCORE: 7/10
TESCO: 6/10
- £12
- The deal: Main, Side, Dessert and Drink.
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Menu includes: For mains, ranch steaks, tomato mascarpone and basil risotto, chicken legs in a mushroom, white wine and tarragon sauces.
Creamed spinach, chunky chips and heart-shaped potato croquettes for sides and white chocolate and raspberry pots, millionaire’s tarts and lemon meringue cheesecake slices for dessert.
We tried: Tesco Finest Beef Bourguignon Pies, Green Vegetable Selection, Raspberry Royale Profiteroles and Tesco Finest Prosecco.
Lynsey says: “Overall I found the Tesco menu a bit underwhelming – risotto and chicken legs don’t scream Valentine’s Day.
“No starter is included in the deal either.
“That said, the beef bourguignon pies were delicious.
“They cooked beautifully and the meat was tender and delicious.
“The profiteroles felt a bit special and the Prosecco hit the right spot.
“If you have a small appetite and don’t necessarily want to stuff yourself with three courses, this could be a good option for you.
“At £12, it’s one of the cheapest combo deals you can get.”
- TASTE: 7/10
- VALUE: 6/10
- ROMANCE: 5/10
- OVERALL SCORE: 6/10
Aldi: 5/10
- £8.67
- The deal: No combo deal though Aldi is offering a selection of starters, mains and puds that can be bought individually.
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Menu includes: Heart shaped lobster pasta, chicken love nuggets, lamb shanks, wagyu basted thick cut chips, a Vegan chocolate melt in the middle heart brownie, a Valentines heart shaped cookie and Pinot Grigio or Merlot.
We tried: Mini Garlic Bread Heart-Shaped Pizza (£1.99), Heart Shaped Lobster Filled Fresh Pasta (£2.69) and Grapevine Pinot Grigio (£3.99).
Lynsey says: “No set deal here but you can mix and match which is helpful if you want to set your own budget.
“Aldi’s meal doesn’t have the bells and whistles of some of the others, but it’s VERY cheap.
“The lobster pasta cooks in minutes. You can add a sauce or just add a swirl of butter and parmesan.
“The lobster pasta was delicious though I can’t say you could taste that much lobster and I’m not sure it felt special enough for a Valentine’s Day meal.
“If you can, I’d recommend spending a bit extra and buying a pud too.
“Overall, Aldi’s offerings won’t blow your socks off but they absolutely can’t be beaten on price.”
- TASTE: 5/10
- VALUE: 8/10
- ROMANCE: 5/10
- OVERALL SCORE: 5/10
ICELAND: 8/10
- £12.75
- The deal: Iceland’s luxury bundle includes either 28 day matured angus rump steak or angus beef sirloin steak, ridiculously chunky skin on chips, beer battered onion rings and a chocolate fudge cake. A ‘value’ bundle costs £11 and offers sirloin or rump steak, straight cut chips and garden peas.
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We tried: 28 Day Matured Aberdeen Angus Sirloin Steak, Ridiculously Chunky Skin on Chips, Luxury Beer Battered Onion Rings and Chocolate Fudge Cake
Lynsey says: “First things first, these steaks were delicious and cost just £6 for two, which is great value for any day of the week.
“The chips came out a bit pale but the onion rings were lovely and crisp – plenty left over in the bags for another night too.
“The chocolate fudge cake was amazing and the kids loved hoovering it up after my husband and I had finished our meal.
“Again it’s worth spending a bit more to add a bit of veg to your plate, but overall I was really impressed by the quality of Iceland’s food for the price.
“They’ve really upped their game just when it matters.”
- TASTE: 8/10
- VALUE: 9/10
- ROMANCE: 6/10
- OVERALL SCORE: 8/10
