Holidays like Valentine’s Day can feel overwhelmingly unhealthy and sugar-filled, but as a mom, I’ve found the key to making them memorable and exciting while still being mindful of health.
Leaning into all things themed and festive while being proactive about prepping healthier alternatives has allowed my family to celebrate fully, avoid a sense of deprivation, and feel our very best.
The reality is, a day full of sugar and dyes isn’t good for my children’s health, but it’s also not good for helping them act, focus, or feel well, either. Let me share all of the ideas you need, including indulgent but still balancing recipes, to celebrate Valentine’s Day in a true body-loving way…
Valentine's Day Food Ideas
There are meals, snacks, and smells which are instantly sentimental. Food is so closely tied to holidays! I love this, and it’s why I put so much intention into my family’s holiday food. I want a healthy mix of festive, nourishing, and even indulgent. I prioritize foods that are both balancing and a little extra special.
For Valentine’s Day, I lean heavy into the heart theme. Bacon is great. Heart shaped bacon? A total winner. I’m also a big fan of cleaner and lower sugar dark chocolate options as well as all things pink and red (without the food dyes, of course!).
I have all the recipes and ideas you need for an entire week of festivities. Below, we’re going to look at:
- Heart-Themed Everything
- Sweet Treats
- Body-Loving Breakfasts
- Indulgent Dinners
- Tips and Tricks
Heart-Themed Everything:
Grab your heart-shaped cookie cutters (and maybe even splurge for a silicone mold?!), and put them to use making your kids’ favorite foods even better. Because everything is just a little more special when it’s shaped like a heart. Here’s what I’ll be doing with mine:
- Cut veggies, fruits (even avocado!), and cheeses with the small heart cookie cutter.
- Cut a heart into sourdough and making an egg in a basket.
- Use the big heart cookie cutter to make paleo heart waffles. Use Birch Benders Paleo Frozen Waffles or Birch Benders Grain Free Mix to keep it easy. While I love heart waffle makers, I am a minimalist when it comes to collecting appliances and generally try to stay away from non-stick surfaces.
- Use the big cutter as a heart mold in a frying pan for eggs or pancakes.
- Use a silicone heart mold to make muffins or egg cups.
- Make heart-shaped burgers or sliders. You can even shape sausage patties into hearts! We love Force of Nature (use code KELLY15) for beef and breakfast sausage.
- Make heart meatballs for a family-friendly spaghetti dish.
- Cut grain-free tortillas (such as Siete) into hearts and toast them for chips and guacamole, loaded heart nachos, or dipping in hummus.
- Make heart-shaped bacon. Just lay it raw on the baking sheet in the shape of a heart!
Want to see some of my family’s favorite heart-shaped foods IRL? Check it out here!
Sweets Treats:
I’m all about a good dark chocolate moment on Valentine’s Day. Dark chocolate is a superior choice due to it being higher in antioxidant properties as well as lower in sugar than conventional milk chocolate. Some favorite Valentine’s Day desserts that are rich, decadent, and still made simple and nourishing ingredients:
- Dark Chocolate Avocado Mousse
- Salted Chocolate Peanut Butter Bark
- Chocolate Protein Dip
- Lean into healthier pre-packaged candies and chocolates. Here are some of my favorite brands to explore:
Body-Loving Breakfasts:
On days when you (or your children) might be indulging in sweets more than normal, it’s especially important to start the morning off with a blood sugar-balancing and satiating breakfast. My favorite tool – the Fab Four Smoothie – allows you to get those rich chocolatey notes, but in a way that balances blood sugar and calms hunger hormones for hours. Any of these would make a perfect Valentine’s Day breakfast:
- Cupid’s Fab Four Smoothie
- Chocolate Cherry Smoothie
- Chocolate Covered Strawberry Smoothie
- Strawberry Basil Smoothie
- Chocolate Pancakes
-
Pink Pancakes
Indulgent Dinners:
Whether you’re making a special dinner for your partner or you’re cooking up a feast for all of your littlest loves, I’m a firm believer that Valentine’s Day dinner can and should feel a little set apart. These are the recipes I turn to when I want to elevate an evening:
- Lemon and Garlic Whole Roast Chicken
- Saucy Paleo Homemade Italian Meatballs
- Lemon Dill Roasted Salmon Over Arugula and Mâche
- Bean Free Buffalo Chili
- Black Pepper Coconut Beef
New to cooking? No worries! Join me in my kitchen on Youtube as I whip up three nourishing recipes that will impress your Valentine. I’m sharing all my tips, tricks, and hacks so you can easily create these healthy, delicious meals in your own home so you can enjoy a stress-free Valentine's Day with food that nourishes both you and your loved ones!
- Whole Roast Chicken with Oven-Roasted Vegetables
- Grass-Fed Beef Tacos with Homemade Guacamole and Pico De Gallo
- Mediterranean-Style Baked Salmon with Roasted Asparagus
Tips and Tricks for Food Balance
And now for a few tips and tricks to make better, balancing choices when it comes to Valentine’s Day food:
- Choose dark chocolate over milk chocolate or gummies.
- Start the day strong with a blood sugar-balancing breakfast in order to avoid the coaster of cravings all day long.
- Pick your spots mindfully. If you have planned a decadent Fab Four dessert for after dinner, then skip the impromptu invite for after school ice cream.
- Remember, it’s your ‘no’s’ that actually make a ‘yes’ more special! And it’s okay to say both.
- Fab Four for the ultimate body-loving move. When you fill your plate with fiber, fat, protein, and greens, you can be sure you’re nourishing your body and setting your hormones up for satiety and calm.
Make it more than food. Keep reading for some of my favorite non-food ways to celebrate love and keep the festivities high all week long.
Non-Food Ideas for Your Littles
- Heart PJs - I always pull out our heart-themed jammies at the beginning of February (and have to add new ones to the collection each year because they grow out of them so fast!). These are special because we save them for this time of year only, and I love that they can be passed down! We love LC x Kohls for affordable, adorable, and high-quality options.
- Heart-themed T’s - I always get my boys a new heart-themed t-shirt or two they can wear at school. This is a fun way to get in the spirit without flooding them with sugar. I’ve found great options here and here.
- Books - Endless possibilities and perfect to collect for years to come. We’re a big time holiday book family, and I think it’s special for any kid to have seasonal-specific reads! All of the options you could want right here.
