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Here's how to plan an amazing Valentine's Day dinner date for $100 or less
Here's how to plan an amazing Valentine's Day dinner date for $100 or less
Danny BakstFeb 6, 2019, 01:30 IST
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Valentine's Day is around the corner, and if you haven't budgeted for a fancy night out with dinner and drinks, there is still time to plan a romantic night in.
If you don't feel like running around to get everything you need for your Valentine's Day dinner at home, we have curated ideas that can all be delivered right to your door.
Making Valentine's Day plans can be frustrating, taxing, and expensive. Society expects you and your partner to put on a fancy outfit, strut to the nearest steakhouse or other trendy eatery, and fork out your entire paycheck for one evening of luxurious glamour. Reject this unnecessary paradigm this year with a lovely night in with your Valentine.
There is nothing more romantic than working in the kitchen together as a unit, and the end result will taste much better and be more satisfying than whatever the line cook at the local steakhouse will put together.
Plus, you can drink an entire bottle of wine and not have to worry about getting home. And the cherry on top of this lovely evening at home is that you can get everything you need to create a romantic evening for less than $100.
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Here's how to plan an awesome Valentine's Day dinner at home for $100 or less:
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Even if you are not a skilled home chef, you can still make a delicious Valentine's Day dinner with help from meal kit service HelloFresh.
When you order from HelloFresh, each ingredient comes in packaged containers, so you do not have to worry about measuring anything. Additionally, the meals come with instructions that include timing estimates and other helpful information that makes preparing the meal a breeze. These meal kits are also designed for minimal cleanup once dinner is finished.
HelloFresh sends out their meal kits on a weekly basis, and the smallest number of meals per week you can purchase for two people is two, so you can also have a delicious meal to make together after Valentine's Day.
You can get meals like Roasted Garlic Herb Penne, Lobster Ravioli and Shrimp in a Lemon Cream Sauce, Chicken and Cranberry Currant Pan Sauce, amongst many other options.
The only real downside is that you do not have complete autonomy as to what meals arrive at your doorstep, but HelloFresh does have alternative options for people with dietary restrictions, and any alterations are very easy to apply to your order.
HelloFresh usually has some sort of coupon deal for first time users, so if you have never taken advantage of the meal kit service, you will most likely be able to reduce the $47.95 price. However, for the purposes of this experiment of keeping your Valentine's Day budget under $100, let's go with the maximum price of $47.95.
Find the right bottle of wine to share from ReserveBar
I feel it is necessary to start this section with a disclaimer that I am not a sommelier. Let's just say that a large percentage of the wine I have consumed in my life has been poured from a cardboard box. However, if you are looking to order an entire Valentine's Day meal without leaving your home, I do have expertise in recommending ReserveBar as the place find the right bottle of wine online.
Because it is Valentine's Day, red wine seems like the appropriate choice, and there are a few bottles that you can select that will keep you under the $100 mark for the evening. There is a shipping charge of $16, so we'll put a cap of $22 on the bottle of wine. Within that price range, there are 32 different red wine options available on ReserveBar, like the Kenwood Vineyards Sonoma Series Merlot bottle for $18 or The Walking Dead Blood Red Blend for $20.
Once you have selected your bottle, make sure that you have the right set of tools on hand to open it before finalizing your purchase.
Piece together a 1,000-piece puzzle for screen-free fun
Streaming services like Hulu and Netflix give you the ability to stay in and watch a new movie any night. Resist the temptation to watch the latest trendy documentary and make this holiday special by eliminating screens and participating in an activity together. I'd even suggest hiding your phones in a different room so that you and your partner are not distracted.
Because Valentine's Day is an inherently romantic holiday, this 1,000 piece puzzle of the beautiful Cinque Terre in Italy is a fun and challenging activity. Plus, once you finish, it will feel like you and your loved one have been transported to the coast of Italy.
If you've been doing the math along the way, you will find that not only have you crafted a lovely evening to share with your partner, but you've also saved money in the process.
You have purchased two meals from HelloFresh at a maximum price of $47.50, that is about half the price of a fancy dinner out. With a $22 cap on the bottle of wine and the $16 shipping charge the total becomes $85.50. Finally, the puzzle is $13.99, squeezing your total cost just under $100 at $99.49.
While it's likely you will be able to reduce the Hellofresh cost if you are a first time user, you can always choose a cheaper bottle of wine to lower the overall cost. Either way, this is a great value for any couple looking to saving money without sacrificing a lovely evening together.
