A ROMANTIC Valentine’s Dinner at Home
It’s been the joke that as soon as the couple begins to have children, the romance stops. The basis of the joke is, perhaps, the fact that the couple becomes busy with economic pursuits to ensure a better future for their kids. True, they have less time for keeping their love aflame.
But Valentine’s Day is probably a good reason to rekindle amorous feelings. It is a time to spoil a sweetheart. And it doesn’t necessarily have to mean busting the tight family budget.
There are several ways to show one’s care to the other, writes Sabah Karimi at www.money.usnews.com. She mentions preparing a special meal at home as one of them. Right, the couple may enjoy a romantic night at home, indulge in some of their favorite foods and enjoy some quality time together – all without paying a premium for the experience.
Karimi shares some ways to prepare a special Valentine’s Day meal at home on any budget:
Make dinner preparation an event. The spouses cooking together can be a fun and romantic way to segue into the evening and enjoy each other’s company. They may crack open a bottle of wine before getting started with preparations of their special meal. Okay, it may not be a dinner for two if there are kids around – but the preparation can be all their own.
The preparation may include heading to the grocery store, wine store or gourmet food store together to browse and shop for ingredients. This can be another excuse to
spend more time together, and it will give the couple a chance to create a custom meal they – and the kids, if any – will both enjoy later that day.
Set the mood. Whether it’s lighting the dining room only with candles or putting together a beautiful centerpiece made with handpicked flowers, the mood may be set with creative décor. The spouses can head to their favorite arts and crafts store for inspiration on centerpieces for the dining table. They could also pick up some small decorations and candles to transform the dining area for that special dinner.
Create the perfect
ambience. Tuning in to a free online radio station for romantic tunes is a good way to create the perfect ambience. The local music radio stations will do, too. If they are Pandora or Spotify subscribers, the couple may create a custom playlist of their common favorites specifically for the occasion.
Start with appetizers. Valentine’s Day dinner can be made such an event at home by serving up several courses for the night. The dinner can open with an assortment of delicious appetizers that are easy to prepare and won’t cost a fortune in ingredients. Tomato and basil bruschetta, stuffed cheese puffs, potato nests and hummus with pita chips are a few options that won’t break the budget. Great recipes to complement the main course can be found in magazines or online.
Relax with pasta and red wine. A traditional Italian staple will help spouses relax and unwind with each other, and a pasta dinner with a light red wine is also easy on the budget. The couple may explore a variety of gourmet pasta dishes they’re comfortable cooking up with a handful of ingredients, such as fettuccine Alfredo, baked ziti or even a gourmet version of macaroni and cheese. Then, they can grab a bottle of red wine and settle in for some delicious comfort food made fresh to order.
Don’t forget dessert. The couple could splurge on decadent ingredients to make the ultimate Valentine’s Day treat or pick up a miniature dessert from their favorite bakery. Another option is keep things simple with homemade chocolate-covered strawberries or an assortment of gourmet chocolates from a specialty chocolatier. Even a small tray of truffles can be enough
to satisfy the sweet tooth while giving both of them an excuse to indulge for the night. They may do a chocolate sampling together or enjoy some sweet treats with dark red wine for a gourmet treat.
Cozy up with memories. To make it even more of a memorable evening, the couple may put together a sentimental gift. They could create a collage of photos of when the two of them met, share a video of a memorable date or write a poem or letter to each other to read after dinner. so for them to truly enjoy some quality time, they may turn off the television and their smartphones so they can be truly alone on their dinner date.
A romantic Valentine’s dinner at home need not cost much, aside from loving intention, and yet it can be more meaningful than a night out.