Make Valentines Day really special without blowing your budget or stressing with these Valentines Day Menus and Recipes. Plus I’ve got hints and tips to help you enjoy a relaxed celebration.
Ah, the Romantic Valentines Day Dinner. It’s just what most couples need but with tight budgets and not a lot of free time, it can be difficult to achieve. You may need to consider the cost of a babysitter and restaurant meals can be very expensive, especially on Valentines Day. But staying in often means that one partner ends up working really hard to pamper the other and one person’s Romantic Valentines Dinner becomes another’s nervous breakdown in the kitchen. However it is possible to have a wonderful – even easy – dinner for two that lets both partners enjoy themselves without breaking the bank. Here are my tips for a relaxing, romantic evening along with some delicious Valentines Day menus and recipes.
Tips For A Stress Free Valentines Day Celebration
(Scroll down to go straight to the menus.)
Consider re-scheduling Valentines Day
I know that doesn’t sound very romantic, but trying to arrange childcare on Valentines Day is second only to trying to arrange childcare on New Year’s Eve. By shifting the date slightly you can arrange childcare that costs less – or perhaps even do a babysitting swap with a friend.
Choose a relatively easy menu
A romantic meal should be exactly what you and your significant other want it to be. If you don’t enjoy dessert, have cheese instead. If you really can’t eat three courses, just serve a main course and dessert. Don’t choose recipes that use lots of dishes. A mess in the kitchen always takes away from the romance!
Get ahead
Of course, any preparation you can in advance is a good thing. Do all the shopping no later than the day before. If you choose a main course like my Boeuf Bourguignon you can even make the whole thing the day before, refrigerate overnight and reheat gently on the evening. It’s a good idea to choose a make ahead – or mostly make ahead – dessert as well.
Prepare the meal together
This means all the pressure doesn’t fall on one person. Also you can enjoy time together before the meal as well as during and after. Be careful not too attempt anything too stressful though. My husband and I had a bit of a tiff when we tried making Hollandaise Sauce for the first time one date night. Luckily we made up over dessert!
Dress the table
If you have a special tablecloth or place mats then this is the time to use them. Bring out the antique linen napkins or buy some cute paper ones. Keep it simple but elegant and you will both feel special.
Sip something delicious with your meal
Whether it’s sparkling apple juice, champagne, sparkling water or wine, serve the drinks in your best glasses. Now is the time to use the ones you are saving ‘for a special occasion’.
Valentines Day Menus and Recipes
Some of these recipes serve more than two people but leftovers are never a bad thing. Either adjust recipe quantities or pop any leftovers in the fridge promptly. Then you can go to bed with the delicious knowledge that tomorrow’s lunch or dinner is already prepared!
A Light and Easy Valentines Day Menu
Peach Proscuitto and Parmesan Salad
Cod with Mushroom and Spinach Sauce
Rice or Crushed New Potatoes
Peas
Raspberry and Rose Jelly and Cream
A Valentines Day Menu for Hearty Appetites
Salade Frisée aux Lardons
Beef Bourguignon
Rice or Mashed Potatoes
Steamed Broccoli
St Clement’s Custards
A Vegetarian Valentines Day Menu
Red Pepper Crostini
Spinach Florentine Pasta Bake
Crisp Green Salad
Crusty Rolls
Easy Fruit Brulée
Quick and Easy Valentines Day Menu
Vintage Champagne Cocktail
Crab Linguine
Limoncello and Blueberry Syllabub
Whether you follow one of these menus exactly or mix and match your favourites, these easy Valentines Day Menus and Recipes can help you to enjoy a relaxing, less expensive celebration with the one you love. I wish you and yours a very Happy Valentines Day!
Comments & Reviews
I love that you mention one person cooking dinner to pamper the other. I always feel like that’s how Valentine’s Day goes in our house – so I love the idea of doing them together!
Thank you, Mackenzie 🙂 My hubby and I love to cook together 🙂
I always like the idea of preparing meals together. It is a great bonding activity, plus it gets the stress out of cooking.
This is so true, Deepika!
Some great recipes, love Beef Bourguignon! I like the ideas of preparing the food together too
Thank you, Bintu 🙂
Great ideas for Valentine’s Day – We always have our “special dinner” at home — and I usually do something simple, but special — like a maine lobster or seared scallops – something we don’t have every day, but are pretty simple to prepare… And good wine. Lots of good wine!
Sounds lovely, Lisa! And I agree about the wine 😉
Really good ideas for Valentine’s Day. Hubby and I never do anything special for Valentine’s Day — we act as if every day is a special day for the people you love. We like to cook together so we’ll make a special meal that evening. Frankly, making pizza together with a nice wine can be just as special as an expensive meal.
Thank you, Marisa. And I totally agree. What you eat isn’t important, nor is how much you spend, it’s the people you are with that count 🙂
Such a great post! I love all these tips, especially rescheduling the day. These menus look incredible!
Thank you, Tara 🙂
Nice work! This is a great group of recipes for any day, including Valentines.
Thank you, Dan 🙂
I have certainly been on the nervous-breakdown-in-the-kitchen end of the Romantic Valentine’s Day Dinner, so I am always on the hunt for easy, stress-free strategies. Rescheduling is one of my favorites, and I also love the idea of making the dinner together—how romantic!
I’m so glad you like the ideas, Michelle 🙂 Thank you!
What lovely menu ideas! They certainly take all of the stress out of the night so you can have a relaxing and romantic evening!
Thank you, Cliona.
Love these tips, especially rescheduling- what a great idea! Have a great V-Day!
Thank you, Allison! Happy Valentines Day to you too 🙂
How lovely to see menus with different themes here: I’d be proud to serve these for a dinner party, not just a quiet night in.
For several years, my hubby and I have walked to our local fast-food restaurant; it’s always deserted on Valentines Day and since we don’t tend to eat that food the rest of the year, it feels like a quirky treat. (And the 4 mile round-trip burns off some of the fries…) Meanwhile, my brother and his girlfriend have a tradition of staying in with beans on toast – knowing them, it might be served with champagne though. I do feel the whole occasion is far too commercialised, with couples under pressure to overspend and singletons unnecessarily gloomy. And the shops are crammed full of chocolate gifts, when most of us are only 6 weeks into our New Year habits!
This year, since Mr. W. will be out of town for Shrove Tuesday, I think we might be staying home and having pancakes – so we’re rescheduling that celebration, too.
I love that idea, Pauline, to do something different, out of the ordinary and just plain fun. Happy Valentine’s Day!
What lovely plans for such a special evening, I am such a romatic! Happy Valentine Day and thanks so much for sharing your awesome talent with us at Full Plate Thursday!
Miz Helen
Thank you, Miz Helen 🙂 I am too!
April, on the contrary, rescheduling sounds MORE romantic to me. We don’t “do” V-Day, but if we did we would do it on our own schedule.
Thank you, Jean!
Thank you for sharing.This sounds gorgeous!
I’m glad you like the menus and recipes, Mohan.
Thank you for your valentines day recipes.Loved all.Keep posting.
Thank you!
Hi April,
What great ideas and meal plans for a very special Valentine! Hope you are having a really good week and thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday!
Miz Helen
Thank you so much, Miz Helen! I hope your week is going well.
Oh my– so many wonderful ideas. I rarely cook on Valentine’s Day, but maybe it is time to start a new tradition. Thank you for all the wonderful ideas!
I’m so glad you found them inspiring! Thank you for letting me know!