70 Million Americans to Dine Out for Valentine’s Day

A variety of American restaurant chains have announced special menus or other deals especially for Valentine's Day.

According to the National Restaurant Association, seventy million Americans will celebrate Valentine’s Day at a restaurant this year. The Association’s new consumer research shows that about one-third of consumers (31 percent) say they will dine out on February 14.

“There is no better way to celebrate romance than to share a great meal at a restaurant – and millions of Americans will do just that this Valentine’s Day,” said Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of the Research and Knowledge Group for the National Restaurant Association.

Valentines Day Dinner Ideas - Seafood Dishes

Seafood is always a popular choice for Valentine's Day dinners. Among the most commonly served seafood products are oysters, shrimp, scallops, lobster, crab and salmon. The following list includes several ideas for Valentines Day dinner appetizers and main courses:

Oysters

 - raw oysters on the half shell
 - steamed or roasted oysters
 - oyster stew

Shrimp

 - shrimp cocktail
 - stuffed shrimp
 - grilled shrimp
 - scampi

Lobster

 -  whole boiled lobster
 - grilled rock lobster tails
 - lobster rolls
 - lobster bisque

Crab

 - Alaskan king crab or snow crab legs
 - crab leg assortments; king, snow, Dungeness
 - fresh whole Dungeness crabs
 - Maryland blue crab crabcakes
 - traditional crab soup
 - stone crab claws

Scallops

 - bacon wrapped sea scallops
 - sautéed scallops

Salmon

 - smoked salmon dip (appetizer)
 - planked salmon
 - grilled salmon steaks
 - salmon chowder

Visit this extensive collection of seafood recipes to find the perfect meal for your next holiday dinner.

Seafood For Christmas - Fresh Fish, Shellfish, Artwork and Apparel

For shoppers that choose to give seafood as a holiday gift, this seafood business directory provides detailed listings of online seafood markets, shops and other ecommerce sites.

In addition to fresh seafood, online stores offer ornaments, cards, and other items featuring a variety of seafood logos, photos or other artwork.

Among the online stores that specialize in seafood artwork are:

Online shoppers will find fish, shrimp, crab, lobster, clam, and oyster t-shirts, sweatshirts, stickers, coffee mugs, art and other gifts at Fish-Fishing-Seafood online store.

Outdoors USA online store offers a wide range of seafood-themed Christmas ornaments, stickers, buttons, magnets, aprons, kitchen decor, apparel, and other gift items.