Happy Valentine’s Day! Oh, how my thoughts about this holiday have changed over the years… As a kid, it was a fun holiday that meant heart-shaped candy, red balloons and lots of Valentine cards to share with friends. In high school, I remember we could buy carnation flowers for friends - and for crushes! - that were delivered during class. It was a fund-raiser of some sort but so fun! I even had a pink sweater that I wore for Valentine’s Day multiple years in a row. In college, Valentine’s Day become a little less important. And after college, even more so. I met and started dating my now husband very soon after college. I remember making chocolate-covered strawberries for us to have for dessert on our first Valentine’s Day together. After that, I don’t think we even bothered with cards. (And still don’t.) It was just another Hallmark holiday that we didn’t pay much mind to. But since having kids - and since they are old enough to get it and to be involved - it’s become a really fun holiday again! We do Valentine cards for friends at school, we cut out hearts and decorate them, we hang garlands or float balloons around the house. I have a Valentine’s bingo game that we play. Plus, we love making tons of cute and healthy Valentine’s Day snacks for kids!
You know me, I want some healthier Valentine’s treats. Not just more sugar! So today I wanted to share with you some of our favorite goodies to celebrate with and tons of other ideas for getting fun and festive on this semi-holiday. And we’re talking ALL-DAY fun here! Everything from breakfast, to snacks to dinner and dessert ideas are included. Disclaimer: I’m not very crafty or creative, so these are going to be fairly simple ideas. More along the lines of something you can pull together in 5 minutes rather than a cutesy food project you need to slave and sweat over for an hour. (Or buy a bunch of specialty products for.) Just putting that out there.
Fun + healthy Valentine’s Day breakfast ideas:
- Valentine’s day yogurt parfait – vanilla or strawberry yogurt with granola and strawberries or raspberries and maybe even mini chocolate chips for a festive layered parfait
- Make egg in a hole using a heart shaped cookie cutter for the hole in the bread
- Blend up a red or pink smoothie (such as strawberry banana, cherry chocolate, mixed berry, etc.)
- Pancake tacos - smear pancakes with a thin layer of Nutella, add chopped strawberries and bananas, then fold up to eat like a taco
- Whole wheat toast with strawberry jam and banana slices
- Strawberry overnight oats (2 ways)
- Chocolate overnight oats (3 ways)
- Pancake mini muffins - use strawberries and white or semi sweet chocolate chips to make them festive
- Healthy chocolate pancakes (great served with strawberries)
- Chocolate chip oatmeal waffles (also great with strawberries)
- Chocolate breakfast oatmeal
Easy Valentine’s Day snack mixes:
- Create a snack mix with pink strawberry O cereal, yogurt covered raisins, Chex cereal or Rice Krispie cereal and dried strawberries. This is great for toddlers and younger kids.
- Make a Cupid crunch snack mix with popcorn, pretzels, Chex cereal, and pink, red and white colored chocolate candies (such as M&Ms). Great on its own or drizzle with a white chocolate coating to make it all stick together.
- Here’s a Cupid’s crunch recipe for specifics and here’s a healthy toddler’s snack mix for Valentine’s Day that’s perfect for younger kids.
Healthy Valentine’s Day snacks and desserts:
- Strawberry and watermelon hearts kabobs (you can also add banana slices, mini marshmallows or angel food cake bites for a white)
- Cream cheese and strawberry jam sandwiches cut out with a heart cookie cutter
- Nutella and sliced strawberries on whole wheat toast or graham crackers
- Raspberries stuffed with white or semisweet chocolate chips
- Chocolate Rice Krispie treats are welcome year-round but fun for Valentine’s Day, too. You could even cut them into heart shapes with cookie cutters or decorate them with red and pink sprinkles.
- 5 minute healthy chocolate pudding (top with chopped strawberries or pomegranate seeds)
- Healthy chocolate chip muffins (whole grain and naturally sweetened)
- 10 minute chocolate cookie balls (just 6 ingredients!)
- Double chocolate banana muffins
- Chocolate dipped fruit plate with strawberries, bananas, apples, oranges or mandarin oranges, etc.
- Red apple slices and graham crackers with melted white chocolate for dipping
Healthy Valentine’s Day snacks and meals with vegetables:
- Beet hummus with pita chips and veggie dippers
- Berry beet smoothie with broccoli - it’s a gorgeous red color
- Cherry tomatoes and mini mozzarella balls on skewers
- Red pepper strips and cauliflower florets with hummus for dipping (beet hummus even)
- Roasted red and white baby potatoes as a side dish
- Radishes on baguette slices with a cream cheese spread
- Red leaf lettuce and red cabbage salad with Ranch dressing
- Beet slices on a salad (you can cut them into heart shapes with a little cookie cutter)
- Heart shaped pizzas with sauce and cheese and any favorite veggies (you can also cut pepperoni pizza slices with a mini heart cookie cutter)
- Pasta with roasted red peppers, cherry tomatoes and mozzarella balls There you have it! I hope this gives you some new yummy ideas to try for some healthy Valentine’s Day snacks for kids! Have a great day! ❤️ XO, Kathryn
