Valentines Dinner Ideas

This collection of recipes makes the perfect Valentine’s Day Menu!! From main dishes to sides, to desserts and drinks, we’ve got you covered for the perfect Valentine’s Dinner!

More collections: Valentines Desserts, Winter Dinner Ideas, Italian Dinner Recipes

A collage of Valentines Dinner Ideas.

Valentines Day Dinner menu

We know that Valentine’s Day is often associated with romantic love, but it can be celebrated with anyone special in your life. We’ve tried to make it a special night for the family and usually have a fun and festive dinner with the whole family.

Over the years, we have made a variety of meals – from Heart Shaped Pizza to Steak, and today we wanted to share some menu ideas for you to use in your own family.

From breakfast to sides to desserts, there are recipes that can help your loved ones feel special all day long. I searched out easy, yummy recipes as well as ones that use fun colors of red and pink.

Strawberries and Chocolate are also famously tied to Valentine’s, as well as “fancy dinner” recipes that I know your family will enjoy. 

A printable valentines placemat on a countertop with a plate of donuts sitting on top of it.

Other Ways to Celebrate with the Family

Before we share some of the recipes, we wanted to give a few more ideas of things you can do with the kids or FOR the kids to make the Valentine’s Day dinner (or breakfast) even more special.

  • Heart attack the kids’ door with hearts and notes with compliments or reasons why you love them.
  • Make homemade valentines with the kids.
  • Make Valentines boxes with the kids.
  • Go to your local library and check out valentines books to read together.
  • Share “10 Things I LOVE About You” with one another.
  • Play your favorite games together.
  • Show love to others by serving them. Find a family service project in your area. One of my favorite websites to search on is JustServe.org.

Here are a few more Valentine’s Day dinner ideas to make your meal a little more special:

  • Include fondue dinner. Whether it’s savory (cheese) or sweet (caramel or chocolate with fruit), the kids will love it!
  • Use plastic champagne glasses for sparkling cider or another yummy drink to make it more special.
  • Add some candles to your dinner for a more romantic touch.
  • Use our printable Valentines placemats and add a box of crayons to the table for the kids to color before or during dinner.
  • Keep all the food pink or red to make it extra festive!
  • Use fresh fruit or herbs to garnish any of your dishes – from a lemon on a drink to berries, to herbs on your meat, it makes it look fancier.
  • Sprinkle the table with conversation hearts or other Valentine candy. Or add a small box of chocolates to each plate as a treat for after dinner.
  • Make Sugar Cookies for a treat and let the kids frost and decorate them after dinner.
Spaghetti and meatballs garnished with basil leaves on a white plate.

Tips for Picking Your Menu

The best way to figure out the menu you’d like to make for the night is to first figure out what you’d like to make for the main dish.

The main dish will help you plan the sides and the desserts, but who are you making it for?

The whole family?

Just the two of you?

I always suggest buying a few of the sides to keep them easy (like a bagged spinach salad) or even the dessert so you aren’t making everything homemade.

But having said that, pick the main dish and from there you can plan everything else to create an amazing Valentine’s Menu!


family valentine’s dinner

Here are some of our favorite dinner ideas for the whole family (our favorite is found below).

You will see that Italian dishes – especially pasta dishes are not only popular for Valentine’s they are also the kids’ favorites. 😉

Italian MeatballsThese homemade Italian meatballs are sure to rival your favorite Italian restaurant. They are juicy, soft, and full of flavor!

Italian Sausage Pasta – Easy cheesy Italian Sausage Pasta is creamy, delicious and perfectly spiced. It’s a family favorite ready in only 20 minutes!

Easy Lasagna – Our family’s favorite lasagna recipe – not only because it’s delicious but because it’s so EASY! With beef, Italian sausage, three cheeses, and tons of seasonings, you know this recipe is going to be a hit!

Easy Spaghetti – This Easy Spaghetti Recipe is kid-friendly and is made with a delicious homemade spaghetti sauce making it the perfect family dinner recipe!

Chicken Tetrazzini – Easy, creamy and utterly delicious Cheesy Chicken Tetrazzini is a family favorite that takes minutes to prep and is gone in no time!

valentine’s day dinner for two

Bag the hard-to-get dinner reservations! We love to stay in for Valentine’s.

When it comes to just the two of you, we like to make it a little fancier. We don’t go all out and do lobster and shrimp or filet mignon, but these simple recipes are fancy enough for the two of us to make it a nice, romantic dinner (or at-home date night).

Here are our go-to’s when the kids aren’t around:

Creamy Swiss Chicken Bake – Delicious Creamy Swiss Chicken Bake – a simple and delicious dinner recipe that includes Swiss and Parmesan cheese.

Chicken Parmesan – This Baked Chicken Parmesan is one of the yummiest and easiest dinner ideas you’ll ever try!! Breaded chicken covered in marinara sauce and topped with melted cheese—great served over pasta!

Steak Marinade – This is our all-time favorite Steak Marinade. It requires only four ingredients, and makes our steak taste SO amazing!

Parmesan Crusted Pork Chops – Fry up the most delicious Parmesan Crusted Pork Chops with less than 10 minutes of prep work!! They are perfectly juicy.

Creamy Garlic Penne Pasta – Super simple and delicious Creamy Garlic Penne Pasta recipe packed with flavor. This dish is perfect by itself or you can add chicken too!

Baked Salmon – Bake a delicious and healthy pan of salmon for the whole family! Flavored with lemon, garlic, and parsley for a tasty dinner everyone will enjoy.

Valentine’s Day Side Dishes

Now that you’ve picked what you want to make for the main dish, you should have a better idea of what you’d like for the sides.

Below we have listed out some of our favorites to pair with the main dishes above.

Easy Fruit Salad – A fresh fruit salad that makes the perfect side dish to any meal! Colorful, healthy, delicious, and filled with all your favorite fruits!

Copycat Olive Garden Breadsticks – Just like the originals, these copycat Olive Garden Breadsticks are light, airy, and flavored with butter and garlic salt.

Baked Sweet Potato Cubes – Baked Parmesan Sweet Potatoes- soft sweet potatoes coated with parmesan cheese and all kinds of spices!! It’s a new favorite side dish that is quick and delicious.

Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots – Tender and tasty Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots are a perfect go-to side dish. Best of all, they only require 4 ingredients!!

Puffy Pastry Wrapped Asparagus Rolls – Asparagus wrapped in Puff Pastry, filled with cream cheese and topped with parmesan. So simple and delicious, it’s the perfect side for any meal.

Oven Roasted Vegetables – Simple, flavorful, and healthy Oven Roasted Vegetables take less than 10 minutes of prep work! Nothing beats yummy veggies roasted in the oven!

Creamy Pesto Dressing – This simple creamy pesto dressing is delicious on any salad! Plus, it only requires 5 ingredients and 5 minutes to make.

Garlic Knots – Buttery soft Easy Garlic knots whip up in under 20 minutes and make a perfect side for pizza, pasta, or salads!

Fried Zucchini – Restaurant style Fried Zucchini is a family favorite! It’s simply addicting, especially dipped in ranch or marinara.

Tomato Mozzarella Salad – Fresh, light, and healthy tomato mozzarella salad! Perfect for lunches with friends or a side salad to dinner!

Valentine’s Day Dessert Ideas

Now, to the best part – DESSERT!

There are so many treats you may want to make for your Valentines dinner, but we wanted to share some of our favorites.

If you’d like to see even more ideas, be sure to check our post ALL ABOUT Valentine’s Desserts with even more options – all from chocolate to pink and red to fruity!

But, here are some of our TOP CHOICES:

Valentines Cookies – Valentine cookies are soft and chewy with chocolate pops of pink, red, and white M&M’s. They are Valentine perfection!

Strawberry Sheet Cake – Perfect for feeding a crowd, this Strawberry Sheet Cake made with fresh pureed strawberries is especially tasty!

Cherry Almond Cupcakes – Light and fluffy Cherry Almond Cupcakes are bursting with maraschino cherries and topped with a luscious almond buttercream frosting.

Sugar Cookie Bars – Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars are one of everyone’s favorite cookies in bar form! They’re quick, and perfect for sharing.

Valentine’s Sugar Cookies – Soft and sweet valentine sugar cookies are the perfect way to say I love you! They are super simple and make a great treat for gifting.

Chocolate Sheet Cake – Our favorite chocolate sheet cake recipe. It’s simple, moist, delicious and serves a lot making it our go-to party dessert – perfect with ice cream.

Strawberry Shortcake Bars – A soft vanilla cake-like crust perfectly combines with a light layer of whipped cream cheese frosting. Top it off with fresh strawberries for delicious strawberry shortcake bars!

Dessert Kabobs – Dessert Kabobs are a simple and delicious way to serve several “mini” treats at once. They are perfect for parties, BBQs and every day!

Fruit Pizza – This BEST Fruit Pizza is an all-time favorite! It starts with a sugar cookie crust and is completely customizable with your favorite fruit.

Red Velvet Poke Cake – Delicious Red Velvet Poke Cake with homemade cream cheese frosting is moist and velvety. It’s perfectly sweet for any occasion.

Valentine’s Day Drinks

Last, but not least, are the drinks!! It’s always fun to have a festive and delicious drink with your Valentine’s meal.

But, not to worry – don’t feel like making anything?! Sparkling apple cider is always great and kids love how fancy it is. Cherry 7UP is another tasty option – it’s pink, kid-friendly, and delicious.

Here are some of our favorite drink recipes that would be great for the 14th:

Pineapple Pink Lemonade Soda – All-time Favorite Party Drink – this Pink Drink recipe (aka Baby Shower Punch) takes a minute to make and is made with 3 ingredients including  –  pink lemonade dry mix, sprite, & pineapple juice!

Red Velvet Milkshake – This cupid-approved creamy, dreamy red velvet milkshake is a simply sweet treat for your Valentine. It’s ready in only 5 minutes!

Frozen Strawberry Lemonade – Frozen Strawberry Lemonade takes minutes to make and is filled with lemonade, strawberries, ice and pineapple juice.

Shirley Temple – Shirley Temple drink is perfect for year round enjoyment! It’s sweetness and pretty red color make it a great party drink.

Watermelon Juice – Delicious and Refreshing Watermelon Juice – a favorite drink in the summer time! Made with watermelon & strawberries! 

Pudding Milkshake – Thick and creamy Pudding Milkshake is rich, delicious and only takes 5 minutes to whip up. It is one of our favorite treats!


Our Go-To Family Valentines Dinner Recipe

For our delicious, go-to Valentine’s Dinner Recipe that our kids love, try this Heart Shaped Pizza. It’s a family favorite!

40+ Valentine’s Dinner Ideas – {Pizza, Spaghetti + More}

5 from 3 votes
Adorable homemade heart shaped pizza is deliciously simple. This tasty dish is ready to enjoy in only 30 minutes!
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 2
Calories 1395 kcal
Author Lil’ Luna

Ingredients

  • 1 ball pizza dough homemade or store-bought
  • 2 tbsp. olive oil, divided
  • 30 pepperoni
  • 1/4 c. pizza sauce
  • 1 1/2 c. shredded mozzarella
  • 3 tbsp. grated parmesan cheese
  • 2 tsp. chopped parsley or basil *optional

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a pizza pan with parchment paper, set aside.
  • Fold each pepperoni in half and cut into heart shapes using kitchen shears. Place on a paper towel lined plate and microwave for 15 seconds on high. Dab any excess grease off, set aside.
  • Lightly flour a surface, roll dough into a heart shape, about 16 inches tall. Fold edges over and press to create the crust. 
  • Transfer pizza dough to prepared baking sheet. Brush with olive oil, then dock the crust with a fork to prevent bubbles from forming.
  • Place in the oven and bake for 6 minutes. Remove and spread sauce over top, then add cheeses and pepperoni. 
  • Return to the oven and bake for 8-12 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the pepperoni is crispy. Remove from the oven and top with fresh parsley or basil, if desired. Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting.

The Complete List

Here are the picture recipe cards for all of the Valentine’s Day dinner recipes in this delicious collection! Whether you’re planning a romantic meal at home for just the two of you, or a festive family dinner, you’re sure to find the perfect recipes on this list.

1 Baked Chicken Parmesan Recipe

Main Course Baked Chicken Parmesan Recipe
Total Time: 35 minutes
5 from 18 votes
Get the recipe

2 Italian Sausage Pasta Recipe

Main Course Italian Sausage Pasta Recipe
Total Time: 20 minutes
4.98 from 118 votes
Get the recipe

3 Steak Marinade Recipe

Main Course Steak Marinade Recipe
Total Time: 4 hours 5 minutes
4.96 from 64 votes
Get the recipe

4 Heart Shaped Pizza Recipe

Main Course Heart Shaped Pizza Recipe
Total Time: 30 minutes
5 from 21 votes
Get the recipe

5 Easy Lasagna Recipe

Main Course Easy Lasagna Recipe
Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
4.85 from 73 votes
Get the recipe

6 Easy Spaghetti Recipe

Main Course Easy Spaghetti Recipe
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
5 from 168 votes
Get the recipe

7 White Sauce Pasta Recipe

Main Course White Sauce Pasta Recipe
Total Time: 15 minutes
4.96 from 495 votes
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8 Swiss Chicken Bake Recipe

Main Course Swiss Chicken Bake Recipe
Total Time: 1 hour 7 minutes
4.93 from 322 votes
Get the recipe

9 Chicken Tetrazzini Recipe

Main Course Chicken Tetrazzini Recipe
Total Time: 55 minutes
4.99 from 737 votes
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10 Best Pork Chop Recipe

Main Course Best Pork Chop Recipe
Total Time: 40 minutes
4.98 from 353 votes
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11 Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots Recipe

Side Dish Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots Recipe
Total Time: 20 minutes
5 from 809 votes
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12 Slow Cooker Creamed Corn Recipe

Side Dish Slow Cooker Creamed Corn Recipe
Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
5 from 16 votes
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13 Baked Parmesan Sweet Potatoes Recipe

Side Dish Baked Parmesan Sweet Potatoes Recipe
Total Time: 30 minutes
4.96 from 92 votes
Get the recipe

14 Asparagus Roll Ups

Appetizer, Side Dish Asparagus Roll Ups
Total Time: 20 minutes
4.84 from 18 votes
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15 Easy Fruit Salad Recipe

Side Dish Easy Fruit Salad Recipe
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
5 from 34 votes
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16 Oven Roasted Vegetables Recipe

Side Dish Oven Roasted Vegetables Recipe
Total Time: 35 minutes
4.96 from 22 votes
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17 Tomato Mozzarella Salad Recipe

Salad Tomato Mozzarella Salad Recipe
Total Time: 8 minutes
5 from 6 votes
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18 Fried Zucchini Recipe

Appetizer, Side Dish Fried Zucchini Recipe
Total Time: 10 minutes
5 from 96 votes
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19 Creamy Pesto Dressing Recipe

Dressing Creamy Pesto Dressing Recipe
Total Time: 5 minutes
5 from 12 votes
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20 Strawberry Harvest Salad Recipe

Salad Strawberry Harvest Salad Recipe
Total Time: 10 minutes
5 from 8 votes
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21 Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes Recipe

chocolate covered strawberry cupcake on white plate
Dessert Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes Recipe
Total Time: 25 minutes
5 from 2 votes
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22 Strawberry Sheet Cake Recipe

Dessert Strawberry Sheet Cake Recipe
Total Time: 40 minutes
4.95 from 51 votes
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23 Cherry Almond Cupcake Recipe

Dessert Cherry Almond Cupcake Recipe
Total Time: 30 minutes
5 from 6 votes
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24 Sugar Cookie Bars

Dessert Sugar Cookie Bars
Total Time: 35 minutes
4.87 from 23 votes
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25 Fruit Pizza Recipe

Dessert Fruit Pizza Recipe
Total Time: 30 minutes
5 from 21 votes
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26 Chocolate Sheet Cake Recipe

Dessert Chocolate Sheet Cake Recipe
Total Time: 35 minutes
5 from 28 votes
Get the recipe

27 Strawberry Shortcake Bars Recipe

Dessert Strawberry Shortcake Bars Recipe
Total Time: 3 hours 25 minutes
4.95 from 36 votes
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28 Homemade Brownies Recipe

Dessert Homemade Brownies Recipe
Total Time: 45 minutes
4.95 from 89 votes
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29 Dessert Kabobs Recipe

Dessert Dessert Kabobs Recipe
Total Time: 10 minutes
5 from 8 votes
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30 No-Bake Cheesecake Bars Recipe

Dessert No-Bake Cheesecake Bars Recipe
Total Time: 4 hours 25 minutes
4.82 from 11 votes
Get the recipe

31 Pineapple Pink Lemonade Soda Recipe

Drinks Pineapple Pink Lemonade Soda Recipe
Total Time: 3 minutes
4.98 from 144 votes
Get the recipe

32 Red Velvet Milkshake Recipe

This Red Velvet Milkshake is fun to make and will please your Valentine!
Drinks Red Velvet Milkshake Recipe
Total Time: 7 minutes
5 from 8 votes
Get the recipe

33 Frozen Strawberry Lemonade Recipe

Drinks Frozen Strawberry Lemonade Recipe
Total Time: 5 minutes
4.58 from 7 votes
Get the recipe

34 Shirley Temple Recipe

Drinks Shirley Temple Recipe
Total Time: 5 minutes
5 from 12 votes
Get the recipe

35 Watermelon Juice Recipe

Drinks Watermelon Juice Recipe
Total Time: 8 minutes
4.86 from 14 votes
Get the recipe

36 Pudding Milkshake Recipe

Drinks Pudding Milkshake Recipe
Total Time: 5 minutes
5 from 5 votes
Get the recipe

Be sure to check out our Valentine Desserts, Winter Dinner Ideas, and Italian Dinner Recipes

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About Kristyn

My name is Kristyn and I’m the mom of SIX stinkin’ cute kids and the wife to my smokin’ hot hubby, Lo. My mom’s maiden name is Luna, and I’m one of the many crafty “Lil’ Lunas” in the fam. On this site I like to share all things creative - from recipes to home decor to gifts and home decor ideas. Welcome!

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Comments:

  1. 5 stars
    I love making my family a special Valentine’s dinner & I refer to this site every year for ideas! Loving that heart shaped pizza. Anything shaped into a heart is extra special!

  2. 5 stars
    I love all these fun special ideas! Every thing you need for a great Valentine’s Day is right here. Thank you Lil Luna!

  3. 5 stars
    I really love this idea. I have used your homemade dough recipe several times and think it will be perfect for this cute dish.