BE MY VALENDINE
I tested supermarket Valentine’s meal deals from Lidl to Tesco and the winner had an amazing amount of dishes for £15
Our round-up also includes a deal that serves up a delicious vegan feast
LOVE is in the aisle this Valentine’s Day. Supermarkets have gone all out on their romantic meal deals for two – offering tasty mains, sides, dessert and wine for as little as £11.
Instead of splashing your cash in an overpriced restaurant, you and your other half can dine in – and save plenty of dosh.
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Here, Sun Sexpert Georgette Culley tests meal deals from seven supermarkets and gives marks out of five.
Sainsbury’s Taste The Difference
Starter, main, side, dessert, drink, £15
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- Fragrant vegetable bao buns
- Plant-based wellington (a mushroom and pea protein with a porcini & port duxelles encased in puff pastry, topped with pastry hearts)
- Vegan parmesan chips
- Raspberry & choc torte
- Bottle of prosecco
MY heart skipped a beet at this vegan feast. The starters were a treat for the eyes – and smelled delicious.
The faux beef wellington was convincing and looked and tasted similar to the real deal.
It paired perfectly with parmesan chips – yeah, it’s a bit carb-heavy but it’s Valentine’s Day, who cares?
The plant-based dark chocolate torte was rich, featuring a delicious cookie/biscuit crumb base, topped with a velvety raspberry and chocolate batter and layered with pockets of silky chocolate sauce. I’m still dreaming about it now.
Rating: 4/5
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Asda
Starter, main, side, dessert, drink, £12
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- 8 vegan brie hearts
- 2 rump steaks with peppercorn sauce
- Chantenay carrots with maple & orange
- 6 Valentines profiteroles
- Kylie Minogue alcohol-free sparkling rose
AT £6 each for a starter, two sides, a dessert and a drink, this is incredibly good value.
The vegan brie starter was tasty and so simple to cook, and the steaks were a generous portion size.
The carrots were succulent and sweet and I bunged some frozen chips I had handy in the oven to go with the mains.
The profiteroles rounded things off nicely – as did Kylie’s most popular alcohol-free booze.
Rating: 4/5
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Waitrose No1
Starter, main, side, dessert, drink, £20
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- 2 Cornish Quartz Cheddar and shallot tarts
- 2 Parmigiano truffle chicken kievs
- Mediterranean roasting vegetables
- 2 Sicilian lemon tarts
- Espresso martini premixed vodka cocktail
I AM being very generous with my scoring this year but Waitrose thoroughly deserves it with its imaginative menu.
The delicious cheesy tarts were gooey and crumbly at the same time.
The parmigiano chicken smelled garlicky and amazing while cooking and I couldn’t wait to try it.
It didn’t disappoint and the portion was a decent size.
The roasted veggies were marinated in herbs and oils and ready to roast while the lemon tarts were tangy and refreshing.
I loved the espresso martini as well – the cocktail made a nice difference from wine and gave me a bit of a caffeine boost at the same time.
Rating: 4/5
Morrisons The Best
Starter, main, two sides, dessert, drink, £15
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- Cherrybell pepper Camembert tear & share bread
- Slow-cooked lamb shanks with Chianti & rosemary
- Dauphinoise potatoes
- Roasted Chantenay carrots with acacia honey butter
- Gu 2 Hot Chocolate Molten Middle
- Merlot wine
THE Camembert bread was a deliciously indulgent starter and there was lashings of tasty red wine on the lamb.
The cheesy dauphinoise was marvellous, especially when paired with the honey-roasted carrots.
The Merlot nicely complemented the meal and the hot chocolate puds were gooey and divine. This is a cracking deal for the price.
Rating: 5/5
Tesco Finest
Starter, main, side, dessert, drink, £12 with Clubcard (£18 with starter)
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- Camembert Swirls
- Slow-cooked duck legs with morello cherry hoisin sauce
- Creamy, buttery mash
- Belgian chocolate cubes with raspberry compote
- Prosecco
ALTHOUGH the starter was similar to Morrisons’, I didn’t mind as it was so yummy.
The duck didn’t appear very appetising in the packaging but it smelt and looked great once cooked.
The sweet cherry sauce complemented the meat well and the buttery mash was lovely and creamy.
The chocolate desserts were small but cute and I can never say no to a bottle of prosecco.
This Tesco deal wasn’t the most exciting meal of those I tried.
Rating: 3/5
Aldi Specially Selected
Starter, main, dessert, £6.77 (with wine, £10.86)
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- Heart-shaped garlic bread
- Heart-shaped lobster pasta
- White chocolate and raspberry panna cotta twin pots
- Optional: Grapevine Sauvignon Blanc
I LOVED this. The heart-shaped garlic bread looked super-cute. It was also really cheesy and doughy – nicer than most you would get in a restaurant.
The pasta was also heart-shaped and looked amazing – it tasted delicious too.
It’s a shame the main didn’t come with a sauce but I drizzled a bit of olive oil on, which worked.
The panna cotta dessert was light and fruity and the white wine cleansed the palate.
This is a great option for those on a budget.
Rating: 4/5
Marks & Spencer
Starter, main, side, dessert, drink, £25
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- 2 luxury prawn cocktails
- 2 seabass stuffed with herb butter
- Asparagus
- 2 white chocolate and raspberry mousse hearts
- Conte Priuli Veneto blush
WHILE the prawn cocktail was delicious, the portion was a little mean.
The sea bass was succulent and buttery, and the tarragon smelt great.
The asparagus was a little boring but I needed some greens after all the beige foods I’ve eaten recently.
There are other sides you can get such as triple-cooked chips if you’re after something a bit naughtier.
The white chocolate mousse looked and tasted incredible and the rose wine complemented the food well.
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While the M&S dinner was delicious, I think Waitrose has the edge for luxury this year as its meal deal felt more luxurious and was £5 cheaper.
Rating: 3/5
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