Staying in this Valentine's Day? You can still enjoy a fun, romantic evening from the comfort of home. We've got Valentine's dinner ideas you and your sweetie will LOVE!
PSA: you do NOT have to spend hundreds of dollars on Valentine's Day to make your significant other feel special. Let that sink in for a minute. Sometimes, dinner at home is way more romantic!
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Whether you're having dinner at home this year because you have to or you want to, let's make it memorable! We've come up with some fun and TASTY 3-course meal options. Include the kids, or make it romantic — you decide. There are even options the whole family will love!
KID-FRIENDLY VALENTINE'S DINNER IDEAS
Want to make Valentine's Day a family affair? Skip the pricey steaks and serve up something your kiddos will rave about for days! We've got three meals for you to choose from. They're all delicious, fun, and easy, so let's do it!
PIZZA NIGHT
There's nothing out of the ordinary about pizza, but it's a definite crowd-pleaser! With a little creativity, you can turn homemade pizza night into an at-home Valentine's Day dinner fit for Instagram. Here's how:
- Heart-Shaped Pizza – Give your pizza night a makeover by shaping your crust like a heart! Have fun experimenting with toppings. It's the perfect shelf cooking food, so use up what you've got!
- Side Dish Options – Looking for the perfect side for that delicious pizza? Make a quick salad, whip up a batch of vinaigrette, and serve some cheesy garlic bread as a starter. It'll be just like delivery but without all the fees!
- Ice Cream for Dessert – Now, the only thing left to do is serve up something sweet, and we suggest this homemade ice cream! Nothing says I love you like pizza and ice cream, right? You can even sprinkle dessert with pink, red, and white jimmies!
Looking for a few more options? If you love Taco Tuesday as much as we do, then this next one is for you!
SERVE A MEXICAN FIESTA
If your family LOVES Mexican food as much as ours does, this meal option just might be your winner. We've made the planning easy peasy! Here's how you can turn Mexican night into a fiesta fit for Cupid:
- Heart-Shaped Quesadillas – Cut your basic quesadilla in the shape of a heart, and boom! (Use your pizza cutter to make this easier!) Happy Valentine's Day. We like to put shredded chicken in ours, but steak quesadillas are awesome, too!
- Side Dishes – Make a big batch of our restaurant Mexican rice and some refried beans to serve with those quesadillas.
- Sopapilla Cheesecake – You can't celebrate Valentine's Day without some sweet treats! This sopapilla cheesecake is the perfect finale to this Mexican-inspired dinner. Enjoy!
Ready for one more idea the kids will love?
BREAKFAST FOR DINNER: VALENTINE'S DAY STYLE!
No time of the day is a bad time for pancakes, right?! We love serving breakfast for dinner as a nice change of pace. Here are some ways to make it even more fun for V-Day:
- Egg Cups – Whip up a batch of our easy egg muffin cups, but make them extra fun by using a heart-shaped mold for baking. You could also use a cookie cutter to get that shape!
- Side Options – Toss together a quick and colorful fruit salad or pan-fry some potatoes. If you really want to go all out, make those potatoes heart-shaped, too.
- Heart-Shaped Pancakes – Breakfast calls for dessert, too! This time, it's in the form of pancakes. Top them with strawberries and whipped cream or give them heart eyes if you'd like.
Doesn't that sound like a dang good meal? And it's super easy, too! Sweeeet!
ROMANTIC AT-HOME VALENTINE'S DAY DINNER IDEAS
Want to serve up a meal just for two? Let's go all out! After you put the kids to bed, you can wow your sweetie with one of these delicious meals.
FANCY PORK CHOPS
We love a good pork chop, but they are so dang expensive at restaurants. Don't worry; you can make the juiciest chops at home! Grab our favorite recipe, plus our side dish and dessert recommendations:
- Foolproof Pork Chops – If pork chops intimidate you, then this foolproof pork chop recipe is for you! No more dry, tough meat! These cook up perfectly in just minutes.
- Side Dishes – Which sides should you serve with your chops? We think these roasted Brussels sprouts and this AMAZING sweet potato casserole would take your meal over the top.
- Slow Cooker Apple Crisp – Apples and pork are a perfect pair! Let your slow cooker do all the hard work, and you can take the credit for this apple crisp. Bonus: your house will smell incredible while it's cooking! You could even add some Red-Hots cinnamon candies for a little kicky fun!
Well, we're hungry now! But don't you worry; we're not going anywhere. We've got two more meals to share. So, if you're not big on the pig, keep on reading.
BRING THE STEAKHOUSE HOME
It's Valentine's Day, so why not splurge just a little (as long as it's within budget)?! Making steak at home is actually pretty affordable. Check out these ideas for pulling off the perfect romantic meal:
- Easy Oven-Broiled Steak – Yes, you can make a mean steak in the oven! Here's how: set your oven to 450°F, brush your steak with a little olive oil, and season. Place your steak on a baking sheet and cook for 10-12 minutes. Remove from the oven, place a pat of butter on top, cover in foil, and allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
- Side Dishes – Serve up some creamy mashed potatoes (you could dye them pink for the kids) and green beans on the side. We like to boil our green beans on the stovetop with some bacon bits, butter, and salt and pepper. So good!
- Chocolate Cake – When we eat out at a fancy restaurant, we love getting some chocolate cake at the end of our meal. Well, this chocolate bundt cake from our sister site, Fun Cheap or Free, is just as good. It's way cheaper, though, and oh so easy!
Ready for one more idea? We saved the best for last!
FEAST ON PASTA
Doesn't pasta just scream romance to you? We're picturing that iconic scene from Lady and the Tramp, but you don't have to make spaghetti. Here are our ideas for a delicious Italian feast:
- Lasagna – Everyone loves lasagna, and you will love how EASY this one is to make! Grab our slow cooker lasagna recipe and thank us later. You could even cut heart shapes from the cheese for the topping!
- Side Dishes – This dish can stand on its own, but we'd suggest making a quick batch of our rustic bread to serve on the side.
- Dessert – End your Italian feast with a sweet treat you'll both love. Check out this chocolate-covered strawberries recipe from our sister site, Fun Cheap or Free! Don't spend an arm and a leg buying them. They're super easy to make at home!
Cue up a playlist of your favorite love songs to really set the mood! You can't play DJ at the restaurant, so date night-in really does have its perks!
We hope these ideas jumpstart your thinking and help you plan the perfect Valentine's Dinner for your family of your sweetie. You can't go wrong with any of these ideas, and you'll save SO much money by staying in! Save that extra cash for your next date night.
Now, we'd LOVE to know? What's your favorite thing to cook for Valentine's Day? Please drop a comment in our Shelf Cooking Facebook Group!
Looking for more meal ideas?
- Get our best budget-friendly tips for meal planning for teenagers!
- Want to save a TON of money? Learn how to meal plan using what you already have!
- What's for dinner tonight? We've got ideas! Check out the ultimate list of dinner ideas.
Happy Valentine's Day!
