We tried out this year's Valentine's meal deals (2024)

Valentine’s meal deals are an easy and affordable way to celebrate on 14 February. And here at Prima, we've put them to the test, trying out a menu from the main supermarkets and online grocers to see how they fare.

The pros are clear: you can avoid restaurants crowded with couples, neither of you need to take on any arduous cooking duties and, if you have kids, you can save the added cost of booking a babysitter for the night.

As well as the classic three courses with a bottle of booze, some supermarkets give options on main meals only or adopting a more mix-and-match approach.

Plus, these meal deals are purse-friendly – after all you don’t have to spend a fortune to say ‘I love you’ on Valentine’s day. Why not make a gift with the Valentine's craft ideas.

So, whether you want a romantic meal for two at home, a fun dinner for a Galentine’s celebration with a friend, or just feel like indulging by having double portions (no judgement here), we’ve rounded up the supermarket meal deals you need on your romantic radar this Valentine’s day.

With plenty of options on Valentine meal deal menus, as well as juicy steaks, scrumptious chips and chocolate desserts galore, there are seafood starters, pasta mains and plant-based options so you should find something to suit.

We've put one menu combination from each to the test. Find out what we thought of the best Valentine meal deals for 2024 below...

Aldi

We tried out the cheapest of four three-course Valentine’s Meal Deal on offer at Aldi this year. Coming in at just £6.77, diners’ romantic themed meal kicks off with a heart shaped garlic bread covered in oozy mozzarella. This thick and fluffy pizza-style bread is an indulgent treat, if somewhat on the smaller side for a sharer.

Following it up is heart-shaped ravioli filled with a blend of mozzarella and lobster - a fancy ingredient for a budget menu! Ready in five minutes, we were impressed by how the filled pasta separated easily and didn’t burst during cooking. We followed the serving instructions and paired with melted butter and grated Parmesan. This simple topping worked well with creamy pasta filling, which was pleasant even though the lobster flavour wasn’t too obvious.

Amazon Fresh

For those looking for a budget Valentine’s meal option, Amazon’s online grocery store is offering a main, side and dessert for two for just £9. Amazon Fresh is available to Prime members and offers free same-day delivery (providing you meet the minimum spend). So a great option if you need a very last minute Valentine’s meal deal!

We tried out the by Amazon's own brand pork rack of ribs with a sweet and sticky BBQ sauce. Easy to prepare, the meat fell away from the bone and while it didn't have loads of flavour itself was a fun main with the BBQ sauce. The triple cook chips were crisp and fluffy. While this may not be a dish to tuck into over a candle-lit dinner for two, it would be great as a fakeaway for a romantic movie night. Plus, it was a doddle to prepare and was ready in just over half an hour.

For dessert you can choose from a selection of Gü puddings, which are always a treat. The wild strawberry and clotted cream cheesecake we tucked into was a good balance of tart and sweet.

There are plenty of other mains and sides available in the deal, although without veggie or fish main options, it’s definitely a menu for meat lovers.

Amazon Fresh’s Valentine’s Meal Deal for Two runs until 21st February. It includes a main, side and dessert for £9.

Asda

The first thing we noticed about Asda’s Valentine’s meal deal range was the extra elements to elevate its Bistro range to make it that little bit more special. Yes, this did mean a few extra steps rather than just bunging it in the oven, but even the most novice cook would feel confident adding these flourishes.

Big tempura prawns with crisp, bubbly batter kicked off this three-course meal for us, with a sweet chilly sauce for dipping the trio of prawns we each tucked into.

Cooking rump steaks according to the instructions led to tender, juicy medium steaks which were covered in a rich and creamy peppercorn sauce. When it comes to mains, the Asda meal includes two sides, meaning you don’t have to give any effort into rummaging in the fridge for something green to put alongside. We tucked into a pile of roasted Chantenay carrots with an earthy flavour that paired well with the fresh thyme and a sweet maple sauce. Chips are a mainstay of Valentine meal deal options, and Asda really elevated their offering with fries tossed in a smokey garlic butter and Parmesan, making them feel like a treat dished up at a gastro pub.

Combining some popular sweet treats in one, the Asda Valentine profiteroles were filled with a creamy, sweet Irish cream mousse and topped with a thick wodge of Belgian chocolate fondant topped with sparkly pink hearts for a nod to the occasion.

With a bottle of refreshing white New Zealand wine combined in this £12 deal, it’s a good value and generous deal for celebrating Valentine’s Day.

Asda’s Bistro Dine in for 2 is available until 20th February in-store and online while stocks last. It includes a starter, main, two sides, dessert and a drink for £12.

Co-op

If your ultimate night-in meal is steak and chips, then the Co-op’s Valentine’s Day offering could be the one for you. For £7, treat you and your loved one to two Hereford ranch steaks and a packet of oven-cook chunky chips. Plus, save an extra £1 if you’re a Co-op member, meaning the overall meal costs £6.

But what was it like? We put the meal to the test, following the instructions on each packet exactly. We cooked the steaks for 3 and ½ minutes (the instructions say three to four minutes), which cooked our meat to perfection – it was soft and juicy, without feeling undercooked.

Each steak comes with a knob of garlic butter, which was seriously tasty – it was nice and salty and made our steak night feel like more of a treat.

We cooked the oven chips in our fan oven as instructed. They let the side down a little: oven chips will never taste as good as the triple cooked ones served in a restaurant. But they were easy to cook and tasty enough to enjoy. Plus, they couldn’t have been easier to prepare – and cooking the steaks in one pan and the oven chips in their foil container meant there was very little washing up.

Co-op’s Steak and Chips Deal available from 7 February to 14 February. It costs £7 (or £6 for Co-op members) and includes steaks and chips for two.

Marks & Spencer

We tried Marks and Spencer’s £25 Valentine meal deal for two with its prawn co*cktail starter, sirloin steak and triple-cooked chips, chocolate brownie and bottle of Sauvingnon Blanc. It all certainly sounded delicious but best of all was it was all gluten free – perfect when one of you in the couple is coeliac and needs a gluten-free option.

The 70s throwback starter of prawn co*cktail came in cute pots, with succulent, big, prawns and a delicious tangy Marie Rose sauce. It went particularly well with the Mystery Bay wine, which was fruity, soft and most certainly quaffable.

The 21-day matured juicy steak was pan fried and served with a drizzle of the heart-shaped garlic butter melted over the top. A lot of supermarket steak can be chewy and gristly, but this was really soft to cut and tasted delicious.

The chips crisped well and yet remained fluffy inside and the chocolate brownie dessert option was a fitting end to the meal.

A simple to cook meal to suit all that felt restaurant standard. Top tip – do follow the instructions for cooking the steak as they work!

Marks & Spencer’s Valentine’s Dine In deal is available in stores and to order online at Ocado until 14 February. It costs £25 and includes a starter, main, side, dessert and drink or chocolates.

Morrisons

With such an array of food to choose from, the longest part of your cooking process this year will be spent in the aisles deciding what to have! After indulging in the Camembert Tear & Share (which we would suggest adding a bit of rosemary and honey to before popping into the oven).

We can wholeheartedly recommend the Lightly Smoked Scottish Salmon with Pink Peppercorn Butter. The fish is high-quality and incredibly flavoursome while the pink peppercorns add much needed aromatics to the dish. We coupled the main with the Roasted Chantenay Carrots with Acacia Honey Butter and Parmesan and Truffle Mash, both of which were fuss free and equally moreish.

Without a doubt however, the star of the show had to be the Gü Hot Chocolate Molten Middles. 10 minutes in the oven, but only 10 seconds on the plate, these indulgent fondants are the perfect end to any romantic evening, so make sure you leave room. This year Morrisons have succeeded in bringing not only flavour to the table, but also value for money as you certainly won’t be left feeling hungry with this meal deal.

Morrisons The Best Dine in for Two Valentine’s Meal Deal is available now. It costs £15 for More Card customers and online shoppers, and £17 for non-More Card holders in-store, and includes a starter, main, two sides, dessert and drink.

Ocado

This year, Ocado has partnered with Italian afficiando’s Pasta Evangelists who are widely known for their great tasting, authentic and artisanal pasta dishes. I chose the Lobster, Crab & Prawn Ravioli with samphire and sage-infused butter. The pasta comes as a kit that only takes a few minutes to put together. Simply add the fresh pasta to boiling water for 2-3 minutes and bring together with the warmed butter and samphire in a separate pan until all ravioli is coated in a glossy sauce. The additional lemony breadcrumbs are super flavourful and add needed texture to the dish.

Although the pasta could have packed more of a kick in terms of overall flavour, it’s hard to knock a plate of fresh and indulgent food that only took 5 minutes to put together. Polishing the meal off with a box of chocolate Little Moons Mochi Ice cream provided a much needed and perfectly sweet bite to end the evening. This meal is perfect for busy couples, or families with young kids who are still looking to spend quality time with their loved one and make this Valentine’s Day just as special as any other.

You can get a Pasta Evangelists meal kit for two, a drink and Little Moons for £18 from Ocado now

Tesco

If you’re hoping to pick up an easy but delicious Valentine’s Day meal while doing your big food shop, then Tesco may have the answer. Shoppers can buy a Valentine’s Day Finest Dinner for Two in store – pick a starter, main, side, dessert and drink for £18. But it’s important to remember, you must use your Tesco Clubcard to be able to access the deal.

We gave their Valentine’s Day offering a go, starting off with Tesco Finest Coquilles St Jaques – perhaps more recognisably known as scallops in a cheese and white wine sauce. To be honest, we were a little underwhelmed as it felt like there was more sauce than scallop. But no matter, we washed it down with Tesco Finest South African Sauvignon Blanc, which was crisp, dry and delicious.

For us, the main course was definitely the star of the show. We went for the Tesco Finest Slow Cooked Duck Legs with Morello Cherry Hoisin Sauce. They were so easy to cook – all you need to do is pop them in the oven for 35 minutes, pouring the sauce over for the final five. There was so much succulent meat on the duck legs, and it matched perfectly with the super soft Tesco Finest Creamy, Buttery Mash, which was ideal to mop up the sauce. The deal only comes with one side so we had to buy our own vegetables – of course, not the greatest hardship, but if you’re looking to do as little cooking as possible, it may mean this isn’t the deal for you.

Finally, we finished off with Tesco Finest Belgian Chocolate Cubes with Raspberry Compote. There was just enough tart raspberry to cut through the richness of the chocolate, and they were lovely with a coffee to finish off the meal.

Overall, this meal deal certainly isn’t the cheapest on offer, but it’s a really solid choice. You’re guaranteed to get a good quality bottle of wine and plenty of food which feels more decadent than usual home-cooked fare, and without any of the fuss of cooking, too.

Tesco’s Valentine’s Finest Dinner for Two is available until 14 February. It includes a starter, main, one side, dessert and drink is available in all larger Tesco stores and online for just £18 if you have a Tesco Clubcard.

Sainsbury's

Seafood makes a luxurious starter and we kicked off this three course meal with the scallop gratin from Sainsbury’s, which are served in shells for added theatre. Amid the creamy Parmigiano Regginano and white white sauce and crisp sourdough breadcrumbs were nestled plenty of small scallops. A tasty dish that’s unlikely to be your normal cooking repertoire, it felt like a special start to the meal.

For mains, we tucked into roast duck legs in a sticky and sweet cherry and teriyaki glaze. The meat easily fell away from the bone and it felt like a treat meal, especially with a side of creamy, garlic-infused potato dauphinoise. It all went really well with the fruity Merlot we got as part of the deal.

Posh-looking chocolate tortes were for dessert with a crumbly chocolate cookie base and a hint of fruit with a raspberry centre. This was certainly a grown-up take on a chocolate pudding with a satisfyingly dense texture and it wasn’t overly sweet with a more balanced taste of dark chocolate. It’s plant based, too.

The Sainsbury’s Valentine’s Meal Deal is available now in larger stores and online until 14 February. It costs £15 and includes a starter, main, side, dessert and drink.

Waitrose & Partners

Taking a break from cooking from scratch can feel like a treat in itself, and Waitrose has created a tasty three-course menu including a drink for £20. We tried the rope-grown Scottish mussels in white wine and cream to start, which were ready in under five minutes in the microwave. A light and tasty starter, it certainly gave a restaurant-vibe to the start of the meal.

For mains, we tried crispy kievs made from chicken breast fillets stuffed with Parmigiano Reggiano and truffle butter. Substantial and juicy, they were an indulgent take on the classic although the truffle flavour was subtle. When cooked we found some of the butter had leaked, but this seemed to be expected, as the instructions told us to serve the kievs with these juices. On the side, we had triple cooked chips which were crisp, fluffy and moreish. A refreshing Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc was a great match for the meal.

If you’re hoping for a nod to romance, the cute heart-shaped desserts consisted of a tasty white chocolate and vanilla mousse with a salted pistachio filling, dipped in a rich dark chocolate. The perfect pudding if a pistachio gelato is your go-to on holiday. A delicious end to a meal it also made a nice change from the strawberry or chocolate focused puddings that abound when it comes to Valentine’s Day.

Waitrose's Valentine's Meal Deal Dine In For 2 runs until 14 February. It costs £20 and includes a starter, main, side and dessert plus a bottle of fine wine, a co*cktail or chocolates.