• Who Says Romance Can’t Be Thrifty?

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Strapped for cash but still want to celebrate with a special meal for Valentine’s Day? Never fear, fast food is here…

That might sound far-fetched but I’m here to convince you that not all fast food is unromantic.

First off, I’m going to romanticise “fast food” by calling it “takeaway” instead. Sounds better to me, anyway.

Secondly, I’m going to lay out why I think we should replace fine dining with fine takeaway when money is tight.

Takeaway is recession-proof. People still need treats and small luxuries even when money is harder to come by. And the kids will still reject the beautiful lasagne recipe you inherited from your grandmother in favour of a burger and fries, no matter how much effort you put into home-cooking to save money.

People often refer to switching from fine dining to takeaway as ‘trading down.’ Many times a sneer will accompany this phrase. But I say, there’s no need to be ashamed of takeaway.

Don’t eat furtively in the car, chomping it down so fast it gives you heartburn and then hurriedly disposing of the wrappers and speeding off with your windows down to blow away the evidence.

Take your takeaway home! Dress up your noodles in pretty bowls and place your pizza proudly on platters. Tart up your burger with napkins and home-made relish. Put candles on the table and flowers in your hair. There’s nothing wrong with eating cheap food, on Valentine’s Day or any day for that matter.

Because after all, Valentine’s Day is about love, not money.

The people who sneer at “fast food” now will be doing the same thing as you in a few months’ time when the recession really hits home. But while they’re munching their burger sheepishly in the car on their lonesome, you’ll be eating yours with your loved one, celebrating Valentine’s Day in the privacy of your home, with more money to spend on the place that counts…the bedroom!

Who said romance couldn’t be thrifty?

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