Valentine’s Day is coming up soon whether you like it or not, and while we prepare for the influx of red roses, boxes of salted caramel chocolates and sappy love heart cards on our Instagram feeds, it’s time to figure out what you’ll do on the day, if anything.
Thankfully it’s a weekday which means if you despise the holiday you can still get on with normal Wednesday things like arguing with your housemates, being witty and drinking wine.
We’ve found a whole bunch of cheap as chips (literally) alternative Valentine’s Day meals to have either alone, with your significant other or your best mate.
Debrief Alternative Valentines meals
1 of 5Fancy-Pants Pasties At Greggs
Our friendly neighbourhood pasty-seller Greggs has upped its game this Valentine's Day by offering a candlelit dinner at some of its shops including locations in Manchester, London and Cardiff. Instead of waiting in a queue to buy your sausage roll and ring doughnut, you'll be sitting comfortably at a table as waiters serve traditional Greggs products with a Valentine's Day twist. Price: £15 for two Courses: 4Drinks: Yes! A bottle of Prosecco Singles-friendly? Nope Book online here.
2 of 5Mmm… Morley’s Fried Chicken
South-Londoners will understand the legendary status of Morley's – a chicken shop that has been valiantly serving us spicy wings, ribs and onion rings since 1985. This Valentine's Day the store is partnering with the Prince of Peckham pub and street-food vendors White Men Can't Jerk to create a menu which includes spicy wings, fried chicken, mashed potato and apple and blueberry pie. Price: £27.50 for one Courses: 3Drinks: Yes! A Wray & Nephew and ginger beer welcome cocktail Singles-friendly? Yep! Book online here.
3 of 5Lobster Mac And Cheese From Tesco
Everyone knows that when supermarkets create dine in meals for two, they really mean dine in meals for one hungry person. Tesco's Valentine's Day deal sounds rather scrumptious – you can choose from lobster mac and cheese, lamb shank, sirloin steak or roasted butternut and goat's cheese tart. Yum. For dessert there's a choice of raspberry and prosecco heart torte or chocolate and salted caramel roses. Double yum, PLUS you don't even have to leave the house. Price: £20 Courses: 2Drinks: Yes! A bottle of Cava Singles-friendly? Absolutely Order online from February 9.
4 of 5The Most Basic Dinner Ever At Poundland
Yes, Poundland is really offering a Valentine's Day meal, and it's the cheapest option by far at under £10. The store posted their suggestion for a cheap Valentine's Day meal on their website. There's crab bruschetta antipasti to start, meatballs and noodles for the main course, and either Ferrero Rocher or After Dinner Mints to end… not a winning finish, and you have to buy and assemble it all yourself. Price: £6 - £7 Courses: 3 (if you include mints as a course) Drinks: Nope Singles-friendly? Yep See the full menu here.
5 of 5Sirloin Steak And Chocolate Tarts At Morrisons
Never underestimate Morrisons – the supermarket has come up with a great selection of Valentine's Day dine-in meals, and they're by far the fanciest on offer. Starter options include garlic stuffed mushrooms, cheese soufflé, salmon and asparagus risotto and scallops. Choose between sirloin steak, vegetable wellington, poussin in red wine sauce, lamb shanks, a pork joint or a fish pie as a main course with either chips, mashed or dauphinoise potatoes or green vegetables. And for dessert it's either a cheese plate, two choices of chocolate tart, chocolate crumble or passionfruit posset (which is hot custardy thing.) Price: £15 Courses: 3 with a side Drinks: Yes! Singles-friendly? You bet! Buy online here.
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.