14 Absolute Best Valentine's Day Treats, Ranked by Sugar
Ah, the day for love … and the day for treats! Valentine's Day is a prime holiday for indulging in chocolate, candy, and sugar in general. Fortunately, not every special food for the holiday is full of sugary goodness, which means you have some festive options for Feb. 14 that won't be a complete sweetness overload.
As with any holidays or special occasions that come complete with unhealthy food options, you don't have to completely deprive yourself of something delicious. You can still have that cute Dunkin' donut! It's just a matter of keeping moderation in mind and filling the rest of your day or week with healthy options.
Ideally, you shouldn't have more than 30 to 60 grams of added sugar in your diet in a day, depending on your calorie intake, so when you reach for a sugar-filled treat, you're really stepping into that measurement. Sugar doesn't really do you a whole lot of favors, because it doesn't have any nutritional value, so keep that in mind as we go through these 14 Valentine's Day treats and consider how much sugar is in them.
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Tyson Chicken Nuggets Bouquet
The beauty of the chicken nugget bouquet is that you're not dealing with any sugar! Tyson's nuggets of love may be packed with protein and calories, but there's no sugar. This is the perfect option if you want a Valentine's Day treat that's more savory than sweet.
And you can make it yourself! This allows you to control the portions, or even switch out the regular nuggets with Tyson's air-fried version, which saves calories and fat.
Related: The Healthiest Fast-Food Chicken Nuggets, According to Dietitians
Chick-fil-A Heart-Shaped Box
Keep in mind that this figures in 30 nuggets in the Chick-fil-A heart-shaped box, so by cutting this into multiple servings, you might actually be down to next to no sugar. These cute snacks come in an adorable heart-shaped box that's perfect for sharing with your loved ones on Feb. 14.
You can even switch out the nuggets for Chick n Minis—but stay away from the Chocolate Chunk Cookie or Chocolate Fudge Brownie options to keep the sugar content virtually nonexistent.
And for more on what to order at the fast-food chicken chain, here is The New Chick-fil-A Menu Item You Should Never Eat, According to a Dietitian.
Pizza Hut Heart-Shaped Pizza
Yet another low-sugar option to indulge in on Valentine's Day, Pizza Hut's heart-shaped pizza has very little sugar. You'll still be dealing with calories, sodium, and carbs, but in moderation, this makes for a festive option to eat on Feb. 14.
Related: The Healthiest Frozen Pizzas, According to Dietitians
Costco Italian Four Cheese Ravioli Hearts
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Not only are these heart-shaped ravioli adorable, but they're low in sugar. In fact, they're overall not a bad choice for your Valentine's Day dinner. The cheese-stuffed pasta doesn't have a ton of calories or sodium and paired with a tomato sauce, it's a well-rounded dish.
Trapiche Finca Ambrosia Malbec
Yes, you can still have your wine for Valentine's Day! Some wines have less sugar than others, and Trapiche's Finca Ambrosia Malbec is a deep, dark full-bodied wine that's low in sugar but still rich in flavor. It is rated 4.2 out of 5 stars on Vivino and pairs well with beef, lamb, and poultry. Plus, a red wine is perfect for the holiday of love!
And to avoid a throbbing head on Feb. 15, try these 5 Hacks To Avoid Wine Headaches.
Beef Jerkey Flower Bouquet from The Manly Man
You already know jerky is going to come with a lot of sodium, but what it doesn't come with is a lot of sugar. The Beef Jerky Manly Man Flower Bouquet is a really fun twist on your typical flowers and would certainly be enjoyed by anyone — not just men. One flower and its stem are only 4 grams of sugar but it packs a sodium punch.
Birch Benders Keto Ultimate Fudge Brownie Mix
While the Birch Benders Keto Ultimate Fudge Brownie Mix has 0 grams of sugar, they do contain natural sugar alcohols, which is why we've put them here. Yale says sugar alcohols contain fewer calories than regular sugar but can cause diarrhea or weight gain when overeaten.
These fudgy bites are still a great sweet treat if you're on the keto diet and want to have a chocolate dessert on Valentine's Day. They are a little high in carbs, but for a bit of decadence on Feb. 14, they're not a bad choice.
Dunkin' Cupid's Choice Donut
We understand the appeal of starting Valentine's Day with a Dunkin' Cupid's Choice Donut. However, if you go that route, make it your only treat for the day. It's a fairly small breakfast for the 20 grams of sugar it comes with, so you'll want to balance it out with some fiber and protein. (And be sure to save a sugary coffee for another day, too.)
Related: The Biggest Danger Sign You're Eating Too Much Sugar, Say Dietitians
Monin Strawberry Rose Syrup
While still pretty packed with sugar, the Monin Strawberry Rose Syrup is a decent alternative to some of these other sweet treats. You can add this to a plain coffee for a festive morning beverage, a delicious afternoon tea, or a cocktail at the end of the night on Feb. 14!
N!ck's Cherry Choka-Fläka
If you're looking for a fiber-filled treat for Valentine's Day, N!ck's Cherry Choka-Flaka is the one for you. It's fairly low in sugar but does contain sugar alcohols, which is something to keep in mind. Overall, it's a yummy cold treat that puts a healthier spin on chocolate-covered cherries!
Not all ice cream is made the same, so We Tasted 10 Vanilla Ice Creams, and This Is the Best One!
Sweethearts Candies
The thing with Sweethearts conversation hearts is that yes, they're low in calories and sodium, but they're also low in fiber and protein, which means they're really nothing but sugar. So you should be able to get the Valentine's Day experience from having just a couple of these rather than the whole box. This is especially true this year thanks to new sayings like "AT LAST," "SUGAR SUGAR," "I'M YOURS," and "LUVME TENDR."
Pots Flourless Chocolate Cake
Okay, we're starting to get into our more sugary treats now, but you know what, it's all about moderation. One Pots Flourless Chocolate Cake will cost you about 27 grams of sugar, but if you plan ahead and eat healthy the rest of the day, this is can be your delicious, warm, and chocolately treat…just skip adding whipped cream, ice cream, or other toppings.
Dunkin' Pink Velvet Macchiato
Well…you knew this was going to have a ton of sugar in it. While these fancy coffee drinks photograph well and probably tastes like love in an iced coffee cup, they also come full of sugar. Even made with skim milk, a medium Dunkin' Pink Velvet Macchiato is still 49 grams of sugar, which puts you right in the middle of the recommended daily sugar amount. Order a small instead, and you still get 33 grams.
It may be a treat for the holiday, but it's one you'll want to plan in advance to accommodate the sugar.
And the most sugary Valentine's Day treat is…
Dairy Queen Red Velvet Cake Blizzard
The Dairy Queen Red Velvet Cake Blizzard is a mix of red velvet pieces and cream cheese icing. Sounds delicious, right? Yes—but it's packed with a lot of calories, fat, carbs, and sugar. For reference, one small blizzard means you're consuming the same amount of sugar as 3.5 Cupid's Choice donuts from Dunkin'!
This might be a treat that you split with your valentine so you're not consuming quite so much sugar in one go. Or go with the mini version, which has 30 fewer grams of sugar (aka a whole day's worth.)
Of course, having a sugary treat every now and then is totally fine, but if you want to cut back, here are 20 Ways to End Sugar Cravings For Good, According to Nutritionists.
