Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and it appears that after a hard couple of years, we’re happy to forgo chocolates and roses in favour of simply enjoying a delicious meal with our significant others.
A recent survey found that nearly half of Brits (46%) are ditching romantic meals out this year and cooking at home, flavourings homemade dishes over pricier restaurant outings.
In fact, with the cost of living continuing to rise, over half of Gen Z’s (18–24) say they plan to stay at home and celebrate, while two-thirds of millennials (25–34) will dine out.
The survey, conducted by HelloFresh to celebrate Valentine’s Day (14th February), polled 1,000 adults from around the UK to discover Brits’ eating habits for the most romantic Day of the year.
With over 1.7 million views on TikTok for #valentinesmeal, it seems Gen Z are keen to impress their loved ones with their culinary skills. And if you’re at a loss for what to do, TikTok has a surprising amount of romantic inspiration, particularly for at-home date ideas.
The most recent Gen Z fad on TikTok had users turning a supermarket trip into an easy, low-cost, fun date night. This three-course challenge involves picking out the meals by playing a game of Rock Paper Scissors. The winner of each round gets to decide what you eat for each respective course. This trend amassed a staggering 76 million views on the hashtag #rockpaperscissorschallenge.
To help those celebrating at home this year, HelloFresh offers a two-course recipe dine-in dinner to make you fall in love at first bite. Costing between £4.99pp and £9.99pp, you can expect to enjoy a main meal and delicious dessert in the comfort of your home.
From herb-crusted salmon fillet with cheesy dauphinoise potatoes to fillet steaks, tomatoey prawns, salted caramel, and pecan nut chocolate pot desserts, there’s bound to be something that will tickle your fancy.
All dishes arrive pre-portioned and with simple, stress-free cooking instructions, so you don’t need to set aside time to prepare the two-course meal and have the opportunity to pause, communicate and enjoy the simple pleasures of your relationship.