With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, one man has shown you don’t need a big budget to create a big meal.
Savvy TikToker, Elliot William, from Preston, Lancashire, has worked out how to make a three-course romantic meal for two at just £2.58.
The dinner consists of a chicken noodle soup starter (70p), a hot dog and noodle main (70p and 28p), and custard tarts for dessert (90p) – all of which can be purchased from ASDA.
The clip has nearly 100,000 views but not everyone is so convinced by the Valentine’s meal.
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“People turn their nose up at cheap food, but they miss the point of my account; for some people, it’s all they can afford,” Elliot, a 36-year-old content creator, told What’sTheJam.com.
“Noodles and hot dogs are cheap and tasty and fill you up.
“It’s not very nutritious, but it’s a quick fix, as not everyone has the time or skills to cook from scratch.”
In the video, the cost-of-living guru shows how he creates the meal, admitting that if you have an onion to spare, it’s a good addition to make your main meal that bit tastier.
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However, Elliot admitted that while he came up with the cut-price meal, he’s not served it to his wife, Rebecca, 32, because she does the cooking in their house.
He said: “My wife is the chef in the house and she won’t eat my cooking, but I always get the best deals for the meal!”
The budget Valentine’s creation has received a mixed response on TikTok – with some users claiming such a cheap meal on Valentine’s Day could well result in a break-up.
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One TikTok user wrote: “Cheers mate just got divorced.”
John added: “Food bank is better and cheaper.”
Alistair wrote: “As it happens, I was actually desperate for a divorce this Valentine’s Day.”
A fourth TikToker said: “I’d rather be alone.”
Other viewers, however, praised Elliot for his inventive dish.
One user wrote: “Mate, that’s a solid amount of food for £3. Nice one.”
A second person added: “It’s the thought that counts and this is lovely.”
Lyds said: “Not everyone can afford an expensive reservation. For the right person, this would mean the world.”
Lillian agreed: “If this is in your means and budget then this works well. There’s no shame in serving up what you can afford. It’s the thought not the ££ spent.”
And if your budget doesn’t stretch this far, Elliot still has you covered with another meal.
He’s also created a two-course Valentine’s dish for just £1 each.
This consists of Aldi ingredients to make pasta, mainly spaghetti (28p), peeled plum tomatoes (35p), peas (28p), and then a rice pudding (25p) and chocolate (45p) dessert.
He even threw in a drink this time… lemonade for 39p.
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