The Valentines meal deals are flowing thick and fast now.

We at Walletpop were getting a bit alarmed, as many of the existing vouchers can't be used on Valentines Day, and the restaurants didn't see in a big hurry to replace them with anything other than overpriced 'Valentines Specials'. But today the onslaught has begun.

This year, however, it's not just the restaurants pushing their pink heart-shaped theme dinners, it's the supermarkets too.

So what's on offer, and what offers the best value - in or out?

For the more traditional, staying in just isn't going to cut the mustard. There's no sense of occasion, and nothing to get dressed up for. For them there are a couple of decent-looking high street offers.

My favourite is Pizza Express, offering three courses for £15, with the choice of bottle of Prosecco for just £12. There's no voucher, but you can see the menu online.
Or there's Ask, doing a £16.95 deal for three courses.

However, I have a couple of reservations about both of these. Firstly, in order to secure your table you've had to sign up for three courses, and not everyone always wants to stuff their face, especially on date. If you'd usually just go for an £8 pizza, the whole thing becomes something of a rip-off.

Added to that, is this really so romantic? These chains are great and reliable, but they also tend to be packed and noisy and about as intimate as a train carriage.

If you want a swankier feel and a bit more of that romance you could always opt for a Valentines afternoon tea at the London Hilton on Park Lane, where the Podium restaurant is offering heart shaped sandwiches and a strawberry Bellini through Lastminute.com for £25 each.

Or you could opt for Marco Pierre White's King's Road steakhouse, which is doing dinner for £25 a head.

But if you go down this route you've just spent £50 on a meal, either on a couple of sandwiches, or on a restricted menu that may not appeal.

So it's worth revisiting the dining in options.

And on closer look, some of them look pretty good.

At the swankier end Waitrose is offering two courses, with a side dish, plus a bottle of wine or a box of chocolates - so it counts as a present too - for £15. For this you'll get some swanky-looking stuff, including tuna steak with sweet chilli butter, raspberry panna cotta and pink prosecco.

Slightly cheaper is Sainsburys, offering two courses and a bottle of wine for £10. And if you fancy being flash, you could spring for a bottle of half price champagne while you're there.

Cheaper still is Tesco, offering a dine in deal for £9, with two courses and a bottle of wine.

If it's cheap and cheerful you're after, Morrisons is your friend, with a dine in for £8 deal, including three courses and a bottle of wine. It's not going to wow anyone - unless you never cook, in which case a meal of soup, chicken and mash and a dessert will sweep them off their feet.

In the end it's up to you. Do you want a posh meal in your home with some low lighting and romantic music for £15, or a rushed job at a high street chain with less wine for £30 odd?

For some people, going out will be worth the downgrade. For others it's not. But before you make the decision, make sure you check with your other half!