Here are some creative Valentine’s Day Ideas and recipes for an extra special and memorable Valentine’s Day without spending a fortune!
Valentine’s Day Ideas To Have More Fun And Save Money!
Using a little imagination, you can make your Valentine’s day a little more fun and a lot less expensive. If you want to add a little personalized romance or if you don’t have the time or money to buy all the pre-made things in the store, here are some Valentine’s Day ideas to help you make the day special.
Valentine’s Day Ideas For The Kids:
- My mom always made a great but inexpensive Valentine’s Day treat for us. She would take construction paper and cut a big heart out of it. (About 8×10 inches). She would staple the edges together and write our names and an I love you on the outside. Then she would fill the heart with candy, purchased on clearance after Christmas.. It was very inexpensive but we loved it!
- Have a Valentine’s Day treasure hunt. Leave little notes around with the last one leading back to the kitchen table with a heart full of candy.
- Leave sticks of red gum in their Valentine’s Day cards.
Valentine’s Day Ideas For The Lunches
- Make heart shaped Valentine’s cookies. Cut the kids (or hubby’s) sandwiches with a heart shaped cookie cutter. Add a few Valentine’s chocolates and put a note in red with a big heart on their napkin.
- Serve anything red for Valentine’s Day. Serve red Jello, red pudding, red apples, toast with strawberry jelly, tomato soup, red applesauce, red Kool-aid, strawberry milk, or red frosted cookies. Use powered food coloring from the cake store to get the deepest shade of red. Serving all red things at a meal will really have wow factor even if it is something as inexpensive as red jello and tomato soup.
- Make red heart shaped cupcakes. Make cupcakes as usual but place a marble down the side of the muffin tin between the muffin tin and each cupcake cup. This will make heart shaped cupcakes.
- Make hearts out of chocolate chips in each of your pancakes.
Valentine’s Day Ideas To Do With Or For Your Honey
- Mail your pre-addressed and stamped Valentines to Loveland, Colorado and they will postmark them and mail them for you. Send them to: Postmaster, Valentine Re-mailing, 446 E. 29th St., Loveland, CO 80538-9998.
- Make a treasure hunt for your spouse. Start by mailing or e-mailing him the first clue. Then leave clues all over the house, yard, car or his office telling him where to find the next clue. End the hunt by making a picnic in the back yard or going to a park for a picnic. Use your imagination and have fun. The simple things are the ones people remember.
- Go to a bookstore together and enjoy the silence and browse. Get a cup of coffee and make a date of it.
- Celebrate Valentine’s Day AFTER Valentine’s day. Everything is half off.
- Mail a love letter to your hubby’s work.
- Send your spouse a sexy email message.
- Leave “Why I love you” message all over the house. Buy a package of the cheap Valentines. Leave a message on each one and hide them all over the house for your honey. They will get to enjoy the gift for months!
- Use lipstick to make hearts and love notes on the rear view mirror, car windows, bathroom mirror or windows of the house. Leave a kiss on his napkin for lunch or dinner.
- Make a bunch of hearts out of construction paper. Put a love note on each one. Paste them all over the front door or car before your hubby or kids come home from work.
- If you don’t have money to go out, have a picnic on the floor. Use some candles and lay a soft blanket on the floor. Put on some soft music and have a romantic Valentine’s dinner on the floor. Use some white Christmas lights for additional romantic lighting!
Delicious and Easy Valentine’s Day Recipes!
Try these yummy and tasty Valentine’s Day recipes that will make a sweet treat for your family and friends!
PrintEasy Mini Cherry Cobbler Recipe
Ingredients
1 (21 oz.) can cherry pie filling
1 can refrigerator biscuits, separated into 5 biscuits
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine, melted
2 tsp. white sugar
2 tsp. brown sugar
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°.
- Save out 5 cherries and a little of the pie filling for garnish.
- Divide the rest of the filling between 5 greased 6 oz. custard cups or ramekins.
- Top each one with a biscuit, either rolling the biscuit in the butter or brushing the butter on the biscuit.
- Mix the sugars and cinnamon.
- Sprinkle on top.
- Bake at 375° for 14 -17 minutes (until the biscuits are brown).
- Garnish with reserved cherries and filling.
Cherry Chocolate Sheet Cake
Ingredients
1 pkg. Pillsbury fudge cake mix (This brand seems to work best)
21 oz. can cherry pie filling
1 tsp. almond extract (optional)
2 eggs, beaten
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Combine all ingredients by hand, mixing well.
- Pour into a greased and floured 9×13 pan (or into a lined cupcake pan for cupcakes).
- Bake 30 minutes. (If making cupcakes, bake 20 minutes.)
- When cool frost with frosting.
Frosting
- Place everything but the chocolate chips into a small saucepan.
- Bring to a boil.
- Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips.
- Pour over the cake and smooth out.
Holiday Meringue Cookies
I’m not sure why the word meringue strikes terror in the hearts of so many, but it really is one of the easiest things to make. I love this recipe for meringue that I got from an elderly neighbor of mine. She said it is totally weep-proof. I have never had it weep on me, even in the Kansas humidity.
I have never seen this Valentine’s Day recipe anyplace else. I hope it works as well for you! One quick tip on meringue — Always make sure your bowl and beaters are grease free. Also begin with your eggs at room temperature.
Ingredients
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 Tbsp. cold water
1/2 cup boiling water
3 egg whites
6 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
Food coloring
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 225°.
- Line 2 large baking sheets with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a saucepan, mix cornstarch with water.
- Add boiling water and cook until thick on medium heat.
- Set aside to cool.
- Beat egg whites to soft peaks.
- Add cornstarch mixture and beat until stiff.
- Add sugar 1 tablespoon at a time until all of it is incorporated.
- Add vanilla and food coloring.
- Drop onto baking sheets by heaping teaspoonfuls.
- Bake 45 minutes.
Notes
You can divide the meringue if you like and use different food colors for different occasions – (the neon colors are great) different shades of pastel for Easter, red for Valentine’s Day, red and blue for the 4th of July, etc.
You could also stir in some mini chocolate chips before baking.
You can use this meringue for a pie, too.
To cut a meringue pie cleanly, butter both sides of the knife.
For more money saving recipes and tips to save on your grocery bill be sure to check out our cookbooks!
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Thank you so much for the Valentine ebook. I love it.
Love getting your newsletters. However, as a human resources professional, I would advise against sending a love letter to your sweetie at work. At best, it could embarass him and at worst get him in serious trouble. Better safe than sorry.
Never did send my hubby of 36 years a letter, but I wished I had love this idea! I disagree with with you Kristin and I think it’s sad because I believe you said that because of your Professional Status. I hope for your sake that in your heart you don’t think that it’s a bad idea to send a love letter to your sweetie at work to show your love for him. Better safe than sorry, what does a person have to lose when they are showing their love?
It is a great tip to make the heart-cupcake!!!
Thanks SO much for the free Valentine’s Day E-book! That is really nice of you!
-K
Thank you for the free e-book. It’s really got a lot of brilliant ideas. You guys are so talented and have so much wisdom. I’m grateful to God that you share it with us all.
By the way, the new site looks great! Love it!
Lead, SD
Thank you Mike for all the extra time and effort. It looks great and we love it. Hope you stay warm and safe with the weather down your way.
The heart shaped cup-cake: I’m guessing there’s a paper liner and the marble is between it and the tin, right? I usually bake cupcakes without the liner. I love the idea.
Another idea:Use a red velvet cake mix, only add the eggs and oil to form a soft dough. Roll out to about half inch thickness, use a heart shape cookie cutter, place each cookie on parchment lined cookie sheet, bake at 350 for 10 to 12 min. They taste like loft house cookies (soft sugar cookies) that melt in your mouth. You can decorate or eat plain. Used this idea for Christmas cookies one year and had such fun with the different shapes.
I have a relative who loves red-velvet cake. She’d like that.
Hi Tawra,
First off please tell Mike “GREAT JOB” things look so much more professional. The black and white along with the fresh realistic pics I just love looking at everything so much more these days.
I also must agree with Kristin on sending letters to work. As a previous H R assistant that is something that just isn’t acceptable. But there are SO MANY OTHER GREAT IDEAS on this blog that I wouldn’t think twice about.
I can’t wait to get busy planning.
Rachel your idea will be one I most certainly use for Valentines Day and other special days, my daughter is a Loft House nut.
Happy planning everybody.
<3 HUGS <3
The tree idea; great! We are getting ready to celebrate our 50th anniversary–I think I might use this to share:1-50yrs of a special time in that yr. eg.: yr1:marriage, yr2:birth of our son; yr5:birth of our daughter; yr7:moving to Germany;yr10:moving to Alaska etc. Thank you for the idea. If someone has any other ideas, I would greatly appreciate them, especially for older couples. We are Christians & at times, it is hard for me to come up w/some ideas suitable for our life-style. Thank you for the ideas-enjoy your newsletter very much.
Check out the website over the next few days Carol because we will keep posting more Valentines ideas.
An idea that uses leftover candy canes (I posted a picture of this on the LOD Facebook page).
Take two unwrapped candy canes and place on a cookie sheet in a heart-shaped (curves facing each other). Place in an oven (sorry, I don’t know the temperature) until the candy fuses into the heart-shape.
Might make an interesting cake-topper?
my niece, for holiday gifts, took 2 candy canes (left the plastic wrap on them) hot glued them together to form a heart, and then in the middle she poured melted chocolate chips (white and milk chocolate chips) into the mold of the candied hearts ..
it was a cute gift .. simple too ..
just wanted to share ..
in my email this am .. i received an email from the smuckers co (i am on their mailing list) .. and well they had a video on the cutest cookies .. i would like to share this too ..
i like the recipe rachel sent in .. and this is a good one too bc of the people with diabetes or other health issues .. here is the recipe from the video:
strawberry angel cookies (these are the brand names that was used in the video)
1 box 16 oz pillsbury angel food cake
3/4 cup sugar free or low sugar smuckers strawberry preserves
3 tablespoons semi sweet mini chocolate chips
crisco non stick spray
preheat oven at 325 degrees
spray the cookie/baking sheet with the crisco spray
mix the cake mix and the preserves DO NOT ADD ANY WATER
mix by hand for a minute/then beat with a mixer for one
minute or until totally moistened then beat for another minute
add the chips and fold them into the cookie mix (video
showed her doing this even tho she said to stir them in)
drop by tablespoons onto the cookie/baking sheet
bake for 10-12 mins or until tops are slightly browned
let cool on sheet for 1 min b4 removing them
i thought i would share this bc not only did they look good but they are good for our friends/family with health issues too
:D
Rose, this sounds like a cakeball recipe.
also .. just to let u know .. pepperidge farms has a new cake out ..
its a red velvet cake .. i havent seen this one b4 .. and if there is a special at the grocery store bogo free .. then its like $1.50/cake .. *prices may vary at the supermarket u use**the walmart in my area honors other supermarket specials as long as its the same name brand, size, etc..*
sometimes i will take advantage of this special and get one for our house and give the other one away to my daughter or a neighbor ..
just sharing again :D
u could be right katie .. but thats what the video showed .. and well after i looked at that video and posted this, if u add a bit of the peppermint drops to it, i bet it would be very xmasy/festive like .. :D .. hubby suggested that after u add the strawberries, maybe add some green food coloring (not sure if this would work with the preserves) .. but it is an idea for the holiday time ..
when u make those cakeballs, and use the frosting, do u warm the frosting up first or just empty the canister of frosting into the bowl with the cake? .. i am not sure but i did see a list of paula deen’s fav cakeballs .. and they had one i thought sounded good: lemon cake, lemon frosting and then dipped in white chocolate ..
me, my son in law and our friend love lemon cake! .. i know u can buy the cake pop pans .. but they are so expensive .. but i dont think u add the frosting to them bc they are little balls of cake .
these seem almost like truffles .. (well they do to me) .. :D
i will have to try to find that list and post it so everyone can see .
:D
here is the list from paula deen of the cake balls:
◦*Red Velvet Cake/Cream Cheese Frosting and dipped in white chocolate coating
◦*Strawberry Supreme Cake/Strawberries and Cream Frosting – Dipped in Chocolate Coating
◦*White Cake/Mint Chocolate Chip Frosting – Dipped in Chocolate Coating
◦*Caramel Cake/Chocolate Mocha Frosting – Dipped in Chocolate Coating
◦*White Cake/Wild Cherry Vanilla Frosting – Dipped in Dark Chocolate Coating
◦*French Vanilla Cake/White Chocolate Almond Frosting – Dipped in Chocolate Coating
◦*Dark Chocolate Cake/Cream Cheese Frosting – Dipped in White Chocolate Coating
◦*Spice Cake/Cream Cheese Frosting – Dipped in White Chocolate Coating
◦*Lemon Cake/Lemon Frosting – Dipped in White Chocolate Coating
◦*Confetti Cake/Vanilla Frosting – Dipped in White Chocolate Coating
A whole lotta dippin’ goin’ on. 😅🤣
and here is what she suggests to do (there are several recipes online whether to cool the cakes or not but here is what she is stating):
Steps
Prepare the cake mix according to the directions on the box. When cake is finished baking allow to cool for 30 minutes. Crumble the cake into a large bowl using a stand mixer or a hand mixer. Add the frosting and mix until well combined. Place the bowl in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or overnight.
Line a baking tray with wax paper. Use a melon baller as a scooper to form balls with the cake mixture. Place on wax paper. Once you have used all of the cake mixture, place the baking tray in the freezer for 1 hour. Melt the chocolate in a glass bowl of the microwave, stirring every 5-10 seconds until smooth. At this point you can add a bit of food coloring if you are using white chocolate.
Remove the balls from the freezer. Using one toothpick, pick up the balls one at a time and dip in the chocolate. Use a second toothpick to slide the ball off the first toothpick onto the wax paper lined baking tray.
NOTE: We found that an old Easter egg dipper works as well. If the balls fall off the toothpick into the chocolate, they are not firm enough to work with and you’ll need to place them back in the freezer for additional time
Once you have covered all the balls in chocolate coating place the tray in the refrigerator until the chocolate coating is set. At this point you can drizzle other chocolate on the balls for decoration.
Speaking of cakeballs, do you HAVE to use a special tray, or can you improvise? I haven’t priced a cakeball pan, so I have no idea how much they are.
I think they are pretty pricey.