The Prudent Pantry: Ideas for Valentine's Day Dinners

^{Image courtesy of clevercupcakes via Flickr}

I loved Julianna's suggestions for a romantic dinner for two, and wanted to share a few of my own ideas for anyone in need of a last minute plan.

Recreate Your First Date

If you've been with your honey for a while (or even if you haven't), re-creating the first meal you shared is a sweet gesture. This Valentine's Day is my dating anniversary with my husband, who took me out for Chinese food thirteen years ago. It would be easy and fun to whip up a stir-fry at home, though we are opting to head to Chinatown for an inexpensive night on the town.

Have A Picnic (In the Living Room)

If you're in a warm climate like me you could have an actual picnic in the park, but if it's cold where you are just set up on the living room floor! Use a picnic basket if you have one and serve traditional picnic foods like egg salad sandwiches and fried chicken. Or try my favorite picnic fare: bread, cheese, fruit, and wine. It will be just like the real thing, minus the ants!

Create Your Own Tasting Menu

Most restaurants have special Valentine's meals at a fixed rate. Even the cheaper ones are way out of my budget, but I was inspired by a menu I saw at a café this week. I think it would be really fun to head to the store with my sweetheart and pick up a variety of little things that we usually skip to save money. In our case, we never buy prepared foods--even the frozen kind--because it's cheaper to make everything from scratch. I'd love to make a meal of just Trader Joe's appetizers!

What are you doing with your Valentine?

Annika Barranti is a writer living in Los Angeles and blogging for the Savings.com personal finance blog as well as her personal blog, Through the Looking Glass. She and her husband are raising two children and trying to eat well on a tiny budget.