The best Valentine's supermarket meal deal has 'no faults' and costs just £12 (2024)

February 14 is here — which means it is Valentine’s Day!

It’s hard to miss it, as you’ve likely seen teddy bears and roses everywhere — even supermarket shelves are filled with romantic heart-shaped foodstuffs.

And if you’re thinking of staying in for Valentine’s Day this year, the shops have you covered with different dine-in deals for two.

But which meal deal will get you the most bang for your buck — and have your partner wanting to kiss the cook?

To help you figure out where to buy your fancy feast from this evening, the team at Metro.co.uk snagged previews of what’s on offer, testing out steaks galore, chocolate fondants, and one too many bottles of prosecco. It’s a tough job, but someone had to do it!

From and Waitrose, to Aldi, Sainsbury’s, Asda, and Co-op, we’ve been trying all the deals from the major supermarkets, here’s what we thought of the current offerings…

Marks & Spencer: ‘The best chips I’ve ever had.’ 4/5

What’s in the deal?

At £25, the Valentine’s Day dine-in deal from M&S certainly isn’t the cheapest option available, but you get quite a lot for the price. The meal deal includes a starter, main course, side dish, a dessert, and prosecco. If fizz isn’t for you, then you can swap for a bottle of wine or two soft drinks.

You can buy the deal from February 9 to 14 in-store and online from Ocado. For this taste test, we tried the Luxury Prawn co*cktail, Sirloin Steak with Garlic Butter, Triple Cooked Chips, and a bottle of Mystery Bay Sauvignon Blanc. The order was also meant to include a Triple Chocolate Brownie for pudding, but unfortunately it didn’t arrive in time. It’s also worth noting that all of these items were gluten free.

Is it worth buying?

‘Ugh, M&S it’s you who has my heart (just don’t tell my boyfriend). This Valentine’s Day meal was just chef’s kiss. It arrived in adorable pink Valentine’s packaging and looked quite expensive.

‘I’d ordered prawn co*cktail as my starter, steak as my main with a side of chips and then a brownie for dessert – all to be washed down with a lovely bottle of white wine. Kicking things off with the prawn co*cktail, it was tasty, although it could’ve done with a dusting of paprika and it could have been slightly bigger. That doesn’t mean I didn’t finish every last bite though — I think I was just keen to get to that perfectly cooked steak. A thoughtful detail was the garlic butter being heart-shaped and it meant the steak was deliciously juicy.

‘The chips were probably the best oven-cook chips I’ve ever had, crispy, fluffy and well seasoned. The steaks were on the thin side but they were still filling and delicious. The wine was also very dangerously drinkable – light and citrusy – just how I like it.’

Overall verdict: ‘The flavours were divine but I think perhaps the best part of the whole thing was that it took just 14 minutes to cook from start to finish, as I cooked my chips in my trusty Ninja air fryer. No fuss, just a romantic meal.

‘If I’m being super picky, the option of two sides would have been nice because I felt we were lacking in the vegetable department. Something like creamed spinach or broccoli would have been the perfect finishing touch.’ — Reviewed by Alice Giddings, lifestyle reporter

Co-op: ‘It’s not quite a complete meal.’ 3/5

What’s in the deal?

Until February 14, Co-op are running several different Valentine’s deals, including a £12 pizza and prosecco deal (£10 for Co-op members), a steak and chips offer for £7 (£6 for members), or the meal deal which gets you a main dish and side for £7 (£6 for members).

In keeping with the other deals, we went for the main and side, which while much cheaper than its competitors, does mean you’d have to fork out for any extras, like a starter, dessert or drink.

However, there’s a wide range of food options to choose from for the deal. On this occasion, we went for the Steak and Ale pie, with Smooth & Creamy Buttered Mashed Potato.

Is it worth buying?

‘Your nose will be very pleased with the smell of the boozy and buttery pie as it bakes. Once it’s cooked in the oven for about 40 minutes and you’re able to tuck in, the steak is surprisingly tender and there aren’t many fatty or gristle bits.

‘The taste and smell of the ale is strong but isn’t overpowering and the crust is tasty, although the pie itself could do with a little more gravy inside if you aren’t planning to splash the cash out more for your own which doesn’t come as part of the deal. Meanwhile the mashed potato lives up to its name and is ready within minutes if you heat it up in the microwave.

‘The biggest downside is that you only get one side and have to choose between veg or mash if you want to have the pie. Although the deal is affordable, it would have been nice to have had a drink or a dessert included as well to make the whole experience feel complete.’

Overall verdict: ‘Pie and mash is a dependable classic and the Co-op version lives up to its tempting description. Although a decent offering for a supermarket dinner, the lack of sides, desserts and alcohol will leave you wanting more…’ — Reviewed by Gregory Robinson, lifestyle reporter

Asda: ‘We couldn’t fault it.’ 5/5

What’s in the deal?

At Asda from February 8 to February 20, you can take advantage of the new Bistro Dine-in for two offer for just £12. This price includes a starter, main, two sides, a drink and dessert. The supermarket claims the deal provides restaurant-quality food at home without the price tag.

There’s a wide range of food options to select from, but Metro went for Tempura Prawns, Rump Steak with Peppercorn Sauce, Parmesan Fries, Chantenay Carrots with Maple & Orange, 6 Valentine’s Profiteroles, and a bottle of La Moneda Premium Collection Malbec.

Is it worth buying?

‘We had Asda’s Valentine’s Bistro meal deal, which includes three courses and a bottle of wine for an extremely cost of living crisis-friendly £12.

‘The tempura prawns to start were perfectly crispy and went well with the included sweet chilli sauce. They also just needed to be thrown in the oven, meaning less time spent in the kitchen and more quality time with your bae.

‘For main we chose the rump steak with peppercorn sauce, parmesan fries with smokey garlic butter and roasted Chantenay carrots with sweet and sticky maple dressing — and we weren’t disappointed. The fries were a definite highlight, but overall it was a crowd-pleaser, and themeal was nicely topped off with a dessert of Irish cream mousse-filled profiteroles decorated with fondant hearts.’

Overall verdict: ‘Everything was delicious, and my boyfriend and I couldn’t believe it all cost just £12 — including a bottle of malbec. The wine or steaks alone would normally set you back at least a tenner, so it’s ideal if you’re on a budget but still want to treat yourself (and your partner, obv) for Valentine’s. We couldn’t fault it.’ — Reviewed by Jessica Lindsay, senior lifestyle reporter

Waitrose: ‘A bit lacklustre when it comes to flavour.’ 2.5/5

What’s in the deal?

Another one at the pricier end of the scale, the Waitrose deal costs £20 for one starter, a main, a side and dessert, plus you can choose from a co*cktail, wine, or chocolates to round off the meal.

There’s a wide selection of food to pick from between February 7 and 14. We sampled Waitrose No.1 Prawn co*cktail, No.1 Wild Garlic Chicken, No.1 Triple Cooked Chips, No.1 Madagascan Vanilla & Pistachio Hearts and a four pack of Moth Margarita.

Is it worth buying?

‘The prawn co*cktail starter was great — I’ll be the first to admit I was sceptical at first. But it had a lovely classic Marie Rose taste (but definitely on the creamier side) and a generous amount of big juicy prawns and smaller shrimps to pad it out. We added our own bread to accompany it, but things were off to a strong start.

‘However, the main is where things started to go south. The insides of the cheese and truffle butter chicken Kiev started to leak out during the oven cook, leaving it swimming in oil in the pan (and from other reviews, this appears to be a theme). The end result was a burst piece of chicken with not much flavour and a lacklustre middle.

‘The triple-cooked chips, on the other hand, were delightful — a real saving grace. Dessert was a pleasant vanilla mousse with a salted pistachio filling, but more chocolate would have elevated this. It was all washed down with a Moth Margarita which was a fun alternative to wine — but nothing beats a freshly-made one in my opinion.

Overall verdict: ‘This truly was a meal of highs and lows — not really what you’d want on a cute Valentine’s night in. But sadly, for such a mixed bag I’m not sure £20 is totally worth it.I’d say your money is better spent elsewhere on other Waitrose goodies for dinner.’ — Reviewed by Lizzie Thomson, assistant lifestyle editor

Sainsbury’s: ‘The dessert is the star of the show.’ 4/5

What’s in the deal?

Sainsbury’s has brought back the Dine in for Two Meal Deal from February 7 to 14, which lets duos enjoy a three-course meal include a starter, main, side dish, dessert and drink for £15.

There are more than 25 products to choose from, with meat and vegan options, and non-alcoholic drinks. We gave the Taste the Difference Fragrant Vegetable Bao Buns a go to start, followed up by Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Slow Cooked Duck Legs with Cherry & Teriyaki Glaze, paired with Taste the Difference Dauphinoise Potatoes.

To finish the meal we had Taste the Difference White Chocolate Mousse Rose with Strawberry Crème Pat, and it was all washed down with a bottle of Taste the Difference Prosecco.

Is it worth buying?

‘The food was all very easy to prepare, with everything requiring either a spin in the microwave or time the oven to cook, and thankfully it was ready pretty quickly too.

‘I don’t actually own a microwave, so I had to get creative and steam the bao buns in a pan on the hob. It worked pretty well, the only downside was that the adorable red hearts on top started to melt a little, making it look like they were bleeding, which isn’t really the best look. However, they still tasted great and true to their name were very fragrant.

‘The duck legs smelled awful when the packet was first opened, but once cooked and covered in sauce, they were much more pleasant. In fact, the cherry and teriyaki glaze is one of the best things I’ve tasted in a long time. Sainsbury’s should pop this in a jar and start selling it ASAP.

‘The Dauphinoise potatoes were very cheesy, with a slight garlic taste and made a nice side, but the plate did look a little sad without an extra side. It definitely would have benefitted from some greens.

‘The final course was the white chocolate mousse roses, which looked beautiful and were delicious. The pink glitter on the top was a very nice touch, and it was fun to cut into and find the fruity centre — with hidden little crispy balls. Sounds odd, but tastes great. These were definitely the highlight of the meal.’

Overall verdict: ‘Compared to some of the other deals available, I feel like you get a lot for the £15 price tag and the food was all really good quality. It wasn’t a perfect meal by any means, but it certainly did the job and was something we’d have never cooked for ourselves. I’d buy the dessert and a bottle of the Taste the Difference Prosecco again, that’s for sure.’ — Reviewed by Courtney Pochin, lifestyle reporter

Aldi: ‘The cheapest three-course meal’ 2.5/5

Aldi seems to be pulling out all the stops for Valentine’s Day, with not one but five different meal deals on offer, the cheapest one, a more-ishly meaty one, a wagyu steak deal, a seafood option, and a vegan bundle.

We went for the cheapest meal which costs £3.38 per person without wine, or £5.43 with a bottle. The deal, which is available from February 9 to 14, is meant to include Heart Shaped Garlic Bread (£1.29), Specially Selected Heart Shaped Lobster Pasta (£2.99), Specially Selected White Chocolate and Raspberry Panna Cotta Twin Pots (£2.49) and an optional bottle of Grapevine Sauvignon Blanc (£4.09).

However, as the meal deal hasn’t launched yet, we were unable to get hold of the dessert, so it was substituted for a tear and share heart shaped cookie.

Is it worth buying?

‘When I saw Aldi’s Valentine’s Day offering, I had four thoughts.

‘Fancy enough for Valentine’s Day? Check. Decently priced? Check. Heart shaped? Why not? Even better, I wouldn’t have to slave away in the kitchen with every course taking under 10 minutes to cook. I was sold.

‘The garlic bread was crusty on the outside and doughy on the inside, just like I like it. I enjoyed the cheesy topic and splitting in half (although are broken hearts romantic?) was a good portion size for a starter or side dish. Did it blow my socks off? No, but I didn’t expect it to – it’s garlic bread.

‘The lobster tortellini I was excited for. Not knowing what to expect flavour wise, I topped with butter but I reckon you could have it with a pesto and some peas and broccoli. There was enough filling inside so that I didn’t feel cheated, and the lobster paste was a great consistency and not too fishy. It was a little bit salty, but the dry white wine pairing cut through this.

‘None of the courses were too big (I always feel cheated by tortellini portion sizes but this was decent), so when dessert rolled round, I still had room for this XL baked good.

‘The cookies had a similar mouthfeel to the garlic bread (crusty out/doughy in), which is, once again, how I like it.

‘They were tasty but I wasn’t the biggest fan of the heart shaped sugary decorations atop the cookies. They added a bit of an unpleasant crunch, even though they did look cute.

‘What was massively tasty, was the chocolate sauce accompaniment. It tasted like chocolate cake batter – the best part of baking.

‘Unfortunately, I skim read the cooking instructions, put my microwave on full heat and it exploded, which led to me licking it off all kitchen surfaces (I didn’t want to waste the sweet nectar) and pouring the remainder all over the pudding.’

Overall verdict: ‘Despite all the heart shapes, this was never going to be the most romantic meal of my life. But, it left me sated, all for the fraction of the price of going out.’ — Reviewed by Jess Austin, first-person and opinion editor

Morrisons: ‘An unexpected delight’ 5/5

What’s in the deal?

From February 8 to February 14 Morrisons customers can get a starter, main, two sides, a dessert and drink from The Best range for £17. Those who are More Card customers can save some money on the deal and nab it for £15.

We tried The Best Soft Set Scotch Egg, The Best 30 Day Matured Rump Steaks with Pink Peppercorn Butters, The Best Dauphinoise and The Best Green Vegetable Medley and finished off with Gu 2 Hot Chocolate Molten Middle puddings. To drink we opted for Morrisons The Best Prosecco Doc Rose.

Is it worth buying?

‘I never shop at Morrisons as I don’t live near one, so wasn’t really sure what to expect from this meal, but it was absolutely delightful.

‘The scotch egg starter heated up beautifully in the oven, revealing perfect oozy middles when sliced into and they tasted just as good as any I’ve ever ordered in a restaurant. The pink prosecco was also a big hit — the perfect pale pink colour and a great midway point between dry and sweet wine.

‘For the main course, I thought the steaks were a very generous size and loved that they came with cute heart-shaped peppercorn butter, which added plenty of flavour to the dish. The inclusion of two side dishes was very much appreciated and both were tasty. If I’m being completely honest, the Morrisons Dauphinoise was much nicer than the Sainsbury’s one we previously tried.

‘For the final course, you really can’t go wrong with a Gu pudding, although we did buy some cream to have with the chocolate dessert for full on indulgence, but they would have been just fine without.

Overall verdict: ‘I don’t have a bad word to say about this Valentine’s feast. This is definitely the best supermarket own-brand food I’ve tried in a long time, and I’m blown away by the quality from Morrisons. I might have to go and find a Morrisons store so that I can start doing my weekly shop there.

‘If you’re looking for a meal deal that ticks all the boxes, this one certainly does.’ — Reviewed by Courtney Pochin, lifestyle reporter

Tesco: ‘We were thoroughly impressed.’ 4.5/5

What’s in the deal?

Available from 9 February in all large stores and online, the Tesco Finest Valentine’s deal includes one main, one side, one dessert and one drink for £12.00 with a Tesco Clubcard, or £18 if you choose to add on a starter. But be warned, those without a Clubcard will be charged for each item separately.

There’s an array of meat, fish and vegetarian dishes to choose from, ranging from lamb steaks to beef lasagne, Harissa Butternut Galette to a classic fish pie.

Is it worth buying?

‘We’ve opted for Coquilles St Jaques to start, and it did not disappoint. The scallops were succulent and the sauce was creamy and moreish, with just the right amount of cheddar The crispy golden crumb on top left us wanting more, but isn’t that the point of a starter?

‘Our main – the slow cooked duck legs with morello cherry hoisin sauce – was easy to cook and felt like a real treat, with a sticky, unctuous sauce that wasn’t overly sweet. Our side, the creamy buttery mash, was an enjoyable light and fluffy mix. But one side does not a meal make, Tesco, so we improvised with some extra frozen sweetcorn.

‘For us the dessert was the real star of the show – the new ‘Belgian Chocolate Cubes with Raspberry Compote’. They’re not much to look at, but the flavour will knock your socks off. Expect a rich, luxurious chocolate with the most delicious raspberry notes, preventing it from feeling too heavy.

‘We washed the lot down with a bottle of Nozeco Rose, which will now become my go-to non-alcoholic drink. It’s probably the closest thing I’ve had to the real deal, with a crisp quaffable flavour that perfectly cuts through all that decadence.’

Overall verdict: ‘You get a lot of bang for your buck here and though we missed a bit of greenery, we were thoroughly impressed with the Tesco deal. Being pregnant, I was very happy to see plenty of food options and non-alcoholic fizz on the menu, but you can get all this including a bottle of red, white or rose for the same price, which really does seem like a great deal.’
– Reviewed by Rachel Moss, Lifestyle Editor

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