Healthy Valentine's Day Treats

Healthy Valentine’s Day Treats

Treat yourself and your family while sticking to your budget — and your wholesome eating plan. It's easy to say "I love you" with one of these four healthy treat ideas. Plus, you'll only need a few ingredients that you can easily find at your local Food Lion.

Four-Ingredient Fudge

Get your Valentine's Day chocolate fix with minimal ingredients, minimal time, and maximum flavor. This quick fudge recipe takes less than 15 minutes to make, and it doesn't need any added sugar, butter, or fancy equipment.

• 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup evaporated milk
• 1 teaspoon coconut oil
• 1/3 cup toasted flaked coconut

1. Add oil, milk, and chocolate chips to a microwave-safe bowl.
2. Microwave for one to two minutes.
3. Stir until the mixture is completely combined and smooth. Allow it to cool for a few minutes before stirring the coconut flakes in.
4. Pour the fudge into an ungreased pan, muffin tin, or heart-shaped mold on a plate or cookie sheet.
5. Refrigerate the fudge until it's solid.

"Love"ly Salad

This recipe works for semi-soft fruits and veggies. Simply use a small, heart-shaped cookie cutter to create a Valentine's Day-worthy salad that looks good enough to love. Cucumbers, zucchini, tomatoes, pears, apples, and strawberries can all become festive additions to your healthy side or starter.

Melon Pops

Here's another quick and easy treat that uses a heart-shaped cookie cutter to do all the work. Watermelon, honeydew, cantaloupe, and pineapple all work well. Cut the melon into thick slices before using the cookie cutter to create the main part of your pop. Add a popsicle stick and a sprinkling of fresh minced mint or a drizzle of honey for a healthy treat you'll love.

Yogurt-Covered Strawberries

On a day when chocolate-covered everything gets all the glory, you can serve up something a little different and a lot healthier. What's best of all is that you only need a couple ingredients and a few minutes to whip these treats up.

• Your favorite Greek yogurt
• Cleaned strawberries 
• Mini chocolate chips, sprinkles, or edible glitter (optional)

1. Place a piece of parchment paper or wax paper on a baking sheet.
2. Dip strawberries in the yogurt and arrange them on the baking sheet in a single layer.
3. Pop the baking sheet into the freezer for about 30 minutes.
4. Repeat the process to add a second layer of yogurt.
5. Sprinkle with optional extras like dark chocolate or coconut shavings. 
6. Refrigerate the strawberries until set.