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Waitrose’s Valentine’s Day meal deal is brimming with options – including cocktails and a cheese board

The supermarket’s dine-in deal costs just £20

Lois Borny
Tuesday 31 January 2023 15:10 GMT
Choose from an extensive menu featuring dishes from Heston Blumenthal’s gourmet range
Choose from an extensive menu featuring dishes from Heston Blumenthal’s gourmet range (The Independent)

Planning a romantic dinner for two this Valentine’s Day? There’s a whole host of dine-in deals hailing from supermarkets, which means you can forget pricey restaurant menus, and instead dine in the comfort of your own home (plonked on the sofa, if you so wish).

Among this year’s Valentine’s Day offerings is a £20 dine-in menu from Waitrose. Similar to the smorgasboard of dine-in supermarket deals out there this year, it includes a choice of a starter, main, side, dessert and either a cocktail, bottle of wine or a non-boozy bevarge, too.

Whether you have a soft spot for rhubarb and custard or are partial to a prawn cocktail, the menu this year is brimming with choice. And as it includes a variety of dishes from Waitrose No1 and Heston Blumenthal’s gourmet range, there’s bound to be something to get your heart racing.

It’s worth noting the plant-based options for vegetarians and vegans that are included for each course, and the alcohol-free fizz along with wine, an espresso martini vodka cocktail and more.

So, whether it’s a candle-lit dinner or a plates-on-laps in front of the telly kind of evening, we have taken a longer look at what the Waitrose Valentine’s Day dine-in menu has to offer (spoiler: there’s plenty to whet your appetite).

When is the Waitrose Valentine’s dine-in meal deal launching?

(Waitrose)

The Waitrose dine-in meal deal is now available in-store and online following its launch on 8 February, and, naturally, it will be available to buy right up until 14 February.

What’s included

Each course includes a vegetarian and vegan option. For the starter, there are eight options to choose from, including vegan, layered mushroom parfait £4.50, Waitrose.com); poached salmon mousse £4.35, Waitrose.com); cheddar and emmental soufflés (£4, Waitrose.com); bacon, leek and roquefort tartlets (£4.50, Waitrose.com); and, from Heston Blumenthal’s Heston from Waitrose range, a bloody-mary prawn cocktail (£4.25, Waitrose.com).

Moving on to the main event, there are nine options, including slow-cooked duck with apple and cherry ketchup (£8, Waitrose.com); sea bass with tomatoes and olives (£8.10, Waitrose.com); and beef ribeye steaks with bearnaise (£10, Waitrose.com). The vegan option is a no-beef bourguignon (£8, Waitrose.com).

Alongside the main meal, there’s a choice of eight side dishes, with frites (£2.60, Waitrose.com); a salad of watercress, spinach and rocket (£2.10, Waitrose.com); and plant-based dauphinoise potatoes (£3.95, Waitrose.com) catching our eye.

Dining with a major chocoholic? Waitrose has you covered when it comes to desserts, with a melt-in-the-middle chocolate pud (£3.75, Waitrose.com) and espresso-martini choc tortes (£4.50, Waitrose.com)from Heston Blumenthal’s range, alongside rhubarb and custard love hearts (£4.50, Waitrose.com), raspberry panna cotta (£4.50, Waitrose.com) and Sicilian-lemon tarts (£4, Waitrose.com). If nothing beats a cheese board for you, though, it’s probably got to be “the perfect British cheese board” (£4.50, Waitrose.com).

You’ll also have plenty of choice for something to sip alongside. If wine is your tipple of choise, you can pick between a bottle of red, white and rose wine or opt for a bottle of prosecco £13.49, Waitrose.com) if you prefer some fizz. Three cocktails are also on offer and include bar favourites such as a passion fruit martini with vodka (£16, Waitrose.com) and a Bacardi rum daiquiri (16, Waitrose.com). If you’re steering clear of the booze this year, then there is also an alcohol-free sparkling vino (£9, Waitrose.com) to buy too.

This may be the most expensive meal deal we have seen – as was the case last year – with most other supermarket meal deals from the likes of Sainsbury’s and Asda coming it at £15. That said, if the sound of a cheese board, cocktails and a choice of 34 dishes on the menu is tempting, it may be worth the extra investment.

Available online and in store from 8 February

Voucher codes

For the latest discounts on food and drink, try the links below:

You won’t want to miss out on the Valentines Meal Deal at Waitrose but just in case you do, here’s everything you need to know about this year’s supermarket meal deals and restaurant kits

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