Our shopping writer Beth Mahoney has put all of the best Valentine’s Day meal deals to the test.
Most UK supermarkets are offering meal deals this Valentine’s Day(Image: M&S / Beth Mahoney / YorkshireLive)
Valentine’s Day is here, which means it’s the perfect time to celebrate the special people in your life. Whether that’s a partner, a friend, or your family, Valentine’s Day is the ideal occasion to spend some quality time with your loved ones.
If you’ve not booked a table at a restaurant, there’s no need to panic – you can still celebrate at home with a supermarket Valentine’s Day meal deal.
My husband and I opt to do this every year rather than going out and it’s always a winner with us – it saves money and allows for a more relaxed and chilled out evening.
This year, with the help of my husband, I’ve put the Valentine’s Day meal deals from five of the most popular supermarkets to the test.
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Tesco
The Tesco meal deal comes with two sides(Image: Beth Mahoney / YorkshireLive)
Price: £20 (with Clubcard)
Tesco’s Valentine’s Day meal deal costs £20 (with Clubcard), and it includes 1 x starter, 1 x main, 2 x sides, 1 x dessert, and 1 x drink (alcoholic or non-alcoholic).
If you’re feeling hungry on February 14, the second side that Tesco offers may be enough to sway you to opt for a Tesco Valentine’s Day meal deal. I personally love the idea of getting to choose two sides, rather than just one as the plate often feels a little sparse with just one side.
To start we picked the Semi Dried Tomato and Burrata Arrancini Balls, which came with a tasty basil pesto that was perfect for dipping. The arancini balls were delicious – they were filled with a plentiful amount of melted cheese and paired perfectly with the pesto sauce.
For the mains we opted for the Beef Bourguignon Pies, which were totally divine. The pie had a shortcrust pastry that was perfectly baked, complete with perfectly cooked Aberdeen Angus beef in an ultra rich red wine sauce. It also came with an additional red wine gravy for pouring into the hole of the pie after cooking – which elevated the dish further.
We paired the pies with Golden-baked Potato Dauphinoise and Samphire Petit Pois and Slice Cabbage with a mint dressing. Both of which were delicious and worked perfectly with the pies.
For dessert we opted for the Salted Caramel Mousse with Caramalised Biscuit Crumb. The mousses were nice – perfectly light and airy – but perhaps a little too boozy-tasting for my liking.
Asda
The Asda meal deal costs just £12 making it a great budget-friendly option(Image: Beth Mahoney / YorkshireLive)
Price – £12
Asda’s Valentine’s Day meal deal costs significantly less than most other supermarkets, offering shoppers 1 x starter, 1 x main, 1 x side, 1 x dessert, and 1 x drink (alcoholic or non-alcoholic).
The menu is diverse, offering shoppers 46 items to choose from, with a number of special Valentine’s touches, such as Sirloin Steaks with Heart Shaped Smoked Garlic and Pink Peppercorn Butters.
For our starter we opted to try the Runny Scotch Eggs, which were absolutely glorious. The meat was perfectly seasoned and the eggs had a deliciously gooey centre.
The main we picked was the Marry Me Chicken, which might just be my new favourite dish – it was creamy, succulent and seasoned to perfection. We paired this with Potato Dauphinoise and I added an extra side of creamed spinach, both of which worked perfectly with the main.
For dessert, we had the Morello Cherry and Belgian Chocolate Tarts. I’m not a huge tart fan but I actually loved the way the sharpness of the cherry flavour paired perfectly with the sweetness of the chocolate. The tarts were exceedingly rich and an ideal Valentine’s Day treat.
Marks & Spencer
The M&S meal deal costs £25(Image: Beth Mahoney / YorkshireLive)
Price – £25
As you would expect, the Marks & Spencer’s Valentine’s Deal meal deal selection was impressive. However, it’s also the most expensive option on the list. The meal deal, which includes 1 x start, 1 x main, 1 x side, 1 x dessert, and 1 x drink (alcoholic or non-alcoholic), costs £25.
For our starter, we opted for the Salmon and King Prawn Shells, which were packed with Scottish smoked salmon mousse, honey roast salmon flakes, and king prawns. The dish definitely packed a powerful punch and was packed full of fishy flavour, however it didn’t feel like there was enough in each shell to count as a starter – it felt more like an appetiser.
When it came to the mains, we had a hard time choosing what option to go for as there were so many brilliant choices, including Wagyu steak pie, duck breasts in hot maple glaze, king prawn and lobster thermidor gratins.
However, we ended up opting for the Rump Steaks with Peppercorn Sauce, which were totally delicious. We served them with the Rich and Cheesy Creamed Spinach, which paired perfectly. I did, however, miss the second side that Tesco offers and would have liked the option of having two sides rather than just one, especially with the cost being £25 for the meal deal.
Aldi
Aldi isn’t running a meal deal but is offering a Valentine’s Day ‘Special Buy’ meal selection(Image: Beth Mahoney / YorkshireLive)
Price – differs depending on dishes picked
While Aldi isn’t officially doing a Valentine’s Day meal deal, the budget-friendly retailer is offering a selection of ‘Special Buy’ dishes designed with Valentine’s Day in mind.
For our starter, we opted to try the King Prawn and Scallop Thermidor Gratins, which were packed full of prawns and scallops soaked in a rich cheese, white wine, and brandy sauce.
We got the Heart Shaped Pizza for our main. The pizza was tasty but maybe a little small for two people, whereas each of the other main dishes were made to comfortably serve two people. However, when combined with the Wagyu Triple Cooked Chips – which were lovely and crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside – we were left fairly full.
For dessert we got the Raspberry and Vanilla Macaroons, which were packed full of lashings of vanilla cream and fresh raspberries. Out of all the desserts we tried, this was definitely a favourite for my husband.
Waitrose
The Waitrose meal deal cost £20(Image: Beth Mahoney / YorkshireLive)
Price – £25
The Waitrose Valentine’s Day meal deal definitely impressed me, thanks to having an abundance of dish choices on offer. The meal deal, which includes 1 x start, 1 x main, 1 x side, 1 x dessert, and 1 x drink (alcoholic or non-alcoholic), costs £20.
For our starter we picked the Cornish Quartz Cheddar and Caramalised Shallot Tarts, which were rich, creamy and packed full of flavour. I served them with a small amount of rocket.
When it came to selecting our main dish, it was a struggle to choose as there were a number of great options to pick from. In the end we opted for the Parmigiano Reggiano and Truffle Chick Kyiv, which was filled with a rich Parmigiano and truffle butter. The flavour was fantastic, the chicken was moist, and the bread crumbs were perfectly crispy.
Our side of choice was Triple Cooked Fries with Cornish Sea Salt, which worked well with the chicken.
For dessert we opted for the Raspberry and Ruby Mousses, which were delicious. The mousse had a raspberry compote centre and was sat on a base of ruby milk chocolate, wafer and freeze dried raspberries. This was probably my favourite dessert I tried this Valentine’s Day.
The verdict
Each of the meal deals that my husband and I tried impressed us. Each supermarket had plenty of options to choose from and offered a range of diverse dishes. What we did notice was that most of the supermarkets had very similar menu choices, particularly in terms of mains and sides.
In terms of best value, Asda’s Valentine’s Day meal deal which comes in at just £12 gets that accolade. Meanwhile, although more expensive, I did love the fact that Tesco offered two sides as part of their meal deal, rather than just one.
Both M&S and Waitrose impressed in terms of offering a good selection of meal choices and quality food and recipes. However, I do think that for the higher prices charged an extra side would be a good addition to the meal deals.