Some say that the way to a person’s heart is through their stomach, and, considering how much of romance is food-related, this must be true. Be it a dinner date, buying your partner chocolates on a special occasion (or no occasion at all), or snacking on popcorn together curled up comfortably in front of the TV—there always seems to be munchies involved.
That’s why with Valentine’s Day fast approaching, we’ve decided to share some snack inspo for the day filled with love, and, of course, food. Scroll down to find examples of treats, ranging from sweet to savory, from complex to simple (it’s the thought that counts, right?) and see if there’s anything you might want to spoil your significant other—or yourself—with this Valentine’s Day.
Seeking to learn more about how important showing love and appreciation is, Bored Panda got in touch with the author and relationship expert, Professor and former Chair in the Department of Psychology at Monmouth University, Dr. Gary W. Lewandowski Jr., who was kind enough to answer a couple of our questions. You will find his thoughts in the text below.
#1 This Was My First Attempt At My Mom’s Italian Peach Cookies I Made For Valentine’s Day. Very Happy The Way They Turned Out
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#2 Happy Valentine’s Day
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#3 A Little Valentine’s Day Cake I Made
Image credits: TheBakedMaple
One doesn’t need to be a scientist to determine that acts of kindness can positively affect people’s relationships. Though there is research to back that up, as studies show that receiving compliments and appreciation, as well as gifts or any acts of kindness, makes people feel loved. That’s why while making cookies or dipping some fruit in chocolate might not seem like much, in a romantic relationship, small gestures can make a big difference.
“It’s important to continually do things to support the relationship and help it to thrive. We often think of grand gestures, but the everyday little things we do to show our partner we care for them are immensely important. Of those, it’s the gestures our partner may not even notice—the invisible support—that are especially helpful,” Dr. Gary W. Lewandowski Jr. told Bored Panda in a recent interview.
#4 Galactic Valentine’s Cookies
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#5 Homemade Chocolate Cupcakes With Flower Swiss Buttercream
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According to professor of philosophy at University of Haifa, Aaron Ben-Zeév Ph.D., in a genuine long-term loving relationship, it’s the small gestures that tend to weigh more than grand actions, which tend to express a momentary mood rather than profound love. In a piece for Psychology Today, he suggested that, “Love is not one big gesture; it is rather a combination of a million little things expressed in pleasant and kind daily actions.”
Surveys found that more than half of Americans appreciate an unexpected act of kindness, be it a small yet thoughtful gift, a treat, or a spontaneous trip to the beach.
According to Prof. Ben-Zeév, “Profound love, like a happy life, combines the enduring continuum of the little things with the bigger, more meaningful things. The latter spices up romantic relationships and life, but it is not the main course.”
#6 I’m Currently Thinking Of New Valentine’s Day Designs, But I Don’t Think I’ll Ever Be Able To Top These
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#7 My Valentine’s Day Gift To My Boyfriend
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#8 Valentine’s Day Set
Still working on getting consistencies right and dealing with catering, but I’m really happy with the progress I’ve made as a hobby decorator this past year.
Image credits: leedjahk22
Acts of kindness can make both the person on the receiving end and the person spreading said kindness feel good. Being kind to others is believed to boost the production of feel-good hormones, such as serotonin and dopamine, and linked to reducing blood pressure and the stress hormone, cortisol; it also helps people foster their sense of belonging and relationships with those around them.
#9 It Looks So Delicious
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#10 Rose-Shaped Ravioli. Once Thought Making Homemade Pasta Was A Complex Task, But Jokes On Me – It’s Easier Than Baking Cookies
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#11 Valentine’s Cookies For Chicken Lovers
Image credits: Home-baker87
The kind—and delicious—gestures on this list are clear expressions of appreciation, showing that the people who made them must really care for the recipient, be it a significant other, a friend, or a beloved family member. That’s because there is no more valuable gift than time, and making a cookie version of Darth Vader likely requires quite a bit of it.
#12 We Both Had The Same Idea
I had to work the night shift on our first Valentine’s Day as a couple. I ordered a heart pizza to do something special. Ten minutes later, there was a knock at the door, and apparently, my boyfriend had the same idea.
Image credits: Kamonan
#13 It’s February! Time To Start Thinking About The Perfect Valentine’s Gifts For The Deserving Nerds In Your Life
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#14 Tea Brownies. It’s Delicious, Cute, And Recommended For Valentine’s Day
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Another great example of how significant seemingly small gestures are in people’s relationships is the so-called “orange peel theory”. Based on the process of peeling an orange, the theory is more focused on the underlying messages that are shared when a person asks their partner to peel the fruit for them rather than the sticky—even if fragrant—peels left in their palms; the partner’s response in such a situation can be quite telling.
#15 I Ran Out Of Time During The Holidays To Make A Gingerbread House, So I Decided To Make A Valentine/Spring Sugar Cookie House
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#16 Heart-Shaped Roasted Garlic And Rosemary Potatoes With Chipotle Aioli
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#17 Valentine’s Day = Bring On The Cookie Puns
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If a person is willing to make Valentine’s-themed macarons or sweat over decorating galactic Valentine’s cookies, they’re arguably more than likely to peel an orange for their partners, too. (In the word’s of Bobby Caldwell, What you won’t do, do for love.)
One of the likely reasons for that—in addition to the love they feel for their partners, of course—is the fact that nurturing a loving bond tends to positively affect them, too. According to Prof. Lewandowski, “Our romantic relationships impact our happiness, life satisfaction, work productivity, as well as our mental and physical health.”
The expert shared that three of the key ingredients of a strong relationship, in his opinion, are mutual respect, the ability to grow together, and being each other’s best friend. As for where the snacks stand in such a relationship, the expert believes that food has the power to bring people together and cooking for our partner is a great way to show our love.
#18 When The Husband Doesn’t Like Valentine’s Day, But You Still Want To Make Something Cute
Yes, my punctuation is flawed, I just wanted to make a funny cake. I know I could’ve fixed it but oh, well.
Image credits: Saratrooper
#19 Valentine’s Day Macaron Design
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#20 Who Says You Can’t Play With Your Food? One Of My Valentine’s Options This Year
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It seems that quite a few people are planning to commemorate the love-filled day, be it by making cookies, having a romantic dinner at home, or going out to celebrate their love. Statista revealed that this year, roughly half of coupled up Americans are expected to celebrate Valentine’s Day (and spend around 26 billion U.S. dollars on it).
#21 I Made Some Miniature Pies For My Sister’s Valentine’s Day Bake Sale
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#22 The Cake I Made Today For Valentine’s Day For My Dear Wife
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#23 Happy Valentine’s Day To Everyone. I Made A Bear Couple For My Little Lover
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If you’re seeking more inspiration on how to surprise your loved one, check out these Valentine’s Day ideas for a perfect celebration or continue to browse these hilarious gifts your partner will love or ideas for something more thoughtful.
#24 My Valentine’s Gift For My Boyfriend: A Chocolate Heart Cheesecake With Glacage And Chocolate Roses. First Time I’ve Ever Attempted Glacage And Molding Chocolate
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#25 Valentine’s Day Caramel Apples
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#26 I Made Fruit Jam Cookies For Valentine’s Day As A Gift
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#27 Wisteria For Valentine’s Day
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#28 My Boyfriend And I Are In A Long Distance Relationship. His Mom Made Me Chocolate Strawberries Because She Was Worried I’d Be Lonely On Valentine’s Day. I’m Gonna Cry I Love Her So Much
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#29 My First Time Making Valentine’s Day Sandwich Cookies
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#30 My Pregnant Wife Wanted Chocolate-Covered Strawberries. They Cost Too Much, So I Made My Own And A Lot More Of Them
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#31 Testing Out Some Valentine’s Day Sweets. Chocolate-Covered Rice Cereal Treats
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#32 Valentine’s Day Cookie Sets I Made This Year
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#33 Happy Valentine’s Day. Starting My Day With A Stack Of Heart-Shaped Pancakes
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#34 Roasted Red Pepper Pasta For A Nice Valentine’s Dinner At Home
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#35 I Made Some Snail-Themed Valentine’s Day Cookies
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#36 Strawberries For Valentine’s Day
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#37 Raspberry Molten Lava Cake. Show Your Everlasting, Bleeding Love Through Valentine’s Special Week
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#38 For Valentine’s Day I Made Korean Dumplings With Beet, Spinach And Purple Cabbage
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#39 Homemade Valentine’s Cake
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#40 You Brie-Long With Me
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#41 Heart-Shaped Macaron
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#42 Maritozzo – Italian Cream Buns. These Buns Used To Be A Gift For Brides
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#43 Every Year, I Take Orders For Personalized Valentine’s Cookies And Donate All The Money To A Local Charity. Fourth Year For This Fundraiser I Was Able To Donate $1540 To A Youth Group
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#44 My First Time Making A Victoria Sponge Cake
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#45 Teddy Bear Cake Pops
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#46 “The Last Of Us”-Themed Pie With Strawberry Filling And Short Crust Pie Pastry
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#47 Cupid Hit The Mark With This Adorable And Delicious Valentine’s Snack Board
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#48 Perfect Charcuterie Board For Valentine’s Day
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#49 Girlfriend Got Me Some Horror-Themed Chocolate-Covered Strawberries For Valentine’s Day. She’s A Keeper
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#50 Vanilla Cupcakes With Red Velvet Cake Hearts
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#51 So Cute
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#52 Valentine’s Day-Themed Macarons
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#53 Show Yourself Some Love This Valentine’s Day. Making Dumplings Is A Fun Activity To Do With Friends, Family And Partners. It’s Also A Wonderful Thing To Do By Yourself
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#54 Valentine’s Day Breakfast
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#55 A Heart-Filled Bento
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#56 “I Love U” Salad With Natural And Milky Mozzarella
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#57 I’m Having Surgery In A Few Weeks, So I’m Selling Valentine’s Treat Boxes To Raise Some Extra Money. Thoughts?
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#58 Ravioli Roses With Peas, Lemon Zest And Pesto
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#59 Y’all Raised Him Right
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#60 I Decided To Use Heart-Shaped Plastic Bowls To Make Mini Boards For Valentine’s Day. This Is My First One As A Tester And I Know What I’ll Do Better The Next Time Around
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#61 I Made Gummies From Wine For Valentine
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#62 I Made Raspberry Bear Cookies For My Coworkers For Valentine’s Day. It Turned Out So Much Cuter Than Expected Since It Was My First Time Trying To Use A Piping Bag For Decoration
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#63 I’m Just Saying I Love You To My Hubby With A Cute Little Breakfast
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#64 Chocolate-Covered Strawberries
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#65 Valentine’s Pepperoni Pizza And Strawberry Stout
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#66 In The Spirit Of Valentine’s Day, I Present You Avocado And Toast
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#67 I’m Loving The Valentine’s Day Set I Put Together
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#68 Check Out These Cutie Pies I Made For Valentine’s Day
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#69 Hearted Chicken Pie
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#70 My Valentine’s Day Cake For This Year
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#71 The Surprise Chocolate Egg
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#72 Perfect Valentine’s Day Breakfast. Raspberry Pancakes
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#73 Happy Valentine’s Day, Sometimes You Have To Break Hearts To Discover Pretty Surprises
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#74 Rose Water Tsukemen For Valentine’s Day
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#75 This Huge Valentine’s Day Charcuterie Board
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#76 Perfect Snack For Valentine’s
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#77 Girlfriend Made Me Valentine’s Day Breakfast
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#78 I Made An Indian-Italian Fusion 3-Course Dinner For My Gorgeous Fiancée This Valentine’s Day
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#79 This Might Be The Cutest Drink I’ve Made Yet
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#80 Valentine’s Day Dessert – Strawberry, Tomato And White Chocolate
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