Valentine’s Day: Top 6 dine-in ideas for the cash-strapped student

Seek to impress your other half this year with one of these simple dishes

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Valentine’s Day is approaching fast and we all know taking your other half out for a fancy meal can be costly to any student living on a budget. If you really want to demonstrate your affection to someone, prowess in the kitchen is a good place to start.

Cooking for someone shows you actually care and will guarantee a meal to remember - but only if you manage to pull it off. So, here are six simple meal ideas any student should be able to conjure up for their sweet Valentine:

1) Chilli squid linguine

This incredibly simple Italian dish will leave a warm zing in your mouth, ensuring you impress your date, as the lemon juice and mint work overtime to get those tastebuds going. This dish is guaranteed to turn up the heat a little. Not only is squid affordable, it’s also pretty quick to cook, leaving you both with enough time to curl up on the sofa with a soppy film. Find the complete recipe at Good Housekeeping.

2) One-pot Moroccan chicken

This North-African dish is a one-pot wonder consisting of tender chicken and a very tasty sauce. The chickpeas are high in protein and fibre and really absorb the flavour from the sauce. It’ll be ready in half an hour and, best of all, it only takes one pot to make, so hardly any washing up to do either. Bonus, or what? You can find the full recipe at BBC Good Food.

3) Skinny carbonara

Carbonara is a classic, and there’s a reason for it. If you’re into healthy eating, this recipe doesn’t sacrifice much taste and manages to be relatively healthy. The fat-free yoghurt ensures the sauce is nice and creamy. It may be called ‘skinny’ but it’s beautifully light and delicious. Don’t be shy with the parmesan either. Find the full recipe on JamieOliver.com.

4) Cowboy brisket tacos

This is hands-on meal might end with you and your partner scrapping over the last taco. Either way, it is definitively fun and interactive, and perfect for a couple who just want to chow down and enjoy each other’s company. The amount of heat you want to inject into the evening depends on the amount of smoky seasoning on the brisket, so use accordingly. Find the full recipe for cowboy brisket on the CountryLiving site, and simply add some pre-made tacos.

5) Stir-fry chicken with lime and coconut

Thai cuisine is known for its strong flavours and delicious varieties of stir-fry. This recipe combines different Thai elements and stir-fry methods to make for a simple, yet effective, meal. Throwing it about in a wok like a professional will certainly impress your other half - just make sure you don’t drop half of it on the floor. An emergency takeaway will inevitably reduce the romance. Full recipe can be found on DeliaOnline.com.

6) Spanish-style pork with olive and pepper

This Spanish sensation is not only delicious, but economical too. A pork shoulder joint can be bought for around £3 and, if you do this right, the meat will fall apart and leave your Valentine stunned at your culinary talent, hopefully falling into your arms in awe. The full recipe can be found on the Delicious Magazine website.