Valentine’s Day Treats for Work or School

Be Mine

You’re Sweet

Kiss Me

These are examples of messages you should probably not send to anyone at school or at work. Unless maybe you homeschool and work with your spouse.  Then it’s OK. Otherwise, you are headed for big trouble.

There are more appropriate Valentine’s Day treats to share with co-workers or your child’s teacher that are easy and fun to make. Oh yeah, they can also be really inexpensive.

You don’t have to spend a fortune to create fun, tasty treats for co-workers, teachers, anybody you want to remember on Valentine’s Day. Try any of these easy ideas to make thoughtful, yet inexpensive gifts for your Valentines, Galentines, or Palentines.

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Valentine’s Day Treats

DIY Candy Jars

Are you saving Mason jars, old jelly or pickle jars and find yourself wondering what the heck you are going to do with them? Here’s a good idea. Repurpose as a candy jar. Fill with treats, tie a pretty ribbon around the neck, maybe add a sticker or label to decorate it even more.

It is a thoughtful, inexpensive gift for a teacher, co-worker, or even to give to your local police precinct or fire department.

Personalize it for the recipient. Consider dietary restrictions. You can fill it with sugar-free candy, nuts, goldfish, or homemade granola.

Drop off a jar of Atomic Fireballs or Gummy LifeSavers to the men and women at your local Fire Station.

How about filling a jar with Werther’s Sugar-Free caramels to take to the dentist’s office?

Or fill a large jar with pencils, erasers, and markers and give it to your child’s classroom as a whole. Get creative, you probably know of some items that would be appreciated by your child’s teacher that don’t involve sugar or chocolate.

Select pink, red, and white M&M’s, pink and red Starburst, Jolly Ranchers or Now or Laters, red Twizzlers, red cinnamon discs, or Hershey’s Hugs and Kisses. Any of these would really give new life to an old jar, don’t you think?

Check out the dollar stores for pretty containers and ribbons or decorate a plain jar and turn it into a sweet DIY Valentine’s Day gift for your child’s class or daycare center.

No-bake Truffles

I like to make no-bake truffles. There are several recipes on Pinterest, just pick one. They are made up of cookies and cream cheese then dipped in a melted candy coating. These truffles are so good and can be customized for any occasion. The candy melts are available in white and milk chocolate, but also in seasonal colors and flavors.

I was able to get “Back to Nature” cookies for .24¢ a box (Kroger sale and a generous coupon), so I picked up a peanut butter sandwich and a chocolate sandwich to make my Valentine’s Day truffles.

I made 2 batches, one peanut butter, one chocolate, and then dipped about half of each batch in white chocolate and the other half in milk chocolate. You might want to keep the combinations separated if you want to know what they are after you have finished.

Ask me how I know that this is important. If it doesn’t matter who gets what, no problem. If you are only making one flavor combination, no problem.

To Make The Truffles

The recipe I used called for a box of cookies (about 24 cookies) and 4 oz of cream cheese. Each batch makes about 15 truffles.

Start by mixing the cookies in a food processor. Use the metal blade so that the cookies are broken up until they are smooth and powdery. Add softened cream cheese and mix completely.

Form into balls, using about a tablespoon of dough. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

The truffles are easier to handle if you freeze them before trying to dip in the melted chocolate.

In the meantime, melt chocolate in a double boiler or a small crockpot. Keep it on low heat, you don’t want the chocolate to scorch.

After they are frozen, it shouldn’t take more than 30 minutes, dip the cookie balls into the melted chocolate using a spoon or small ice tongs. Give a little tap on the side of the pan or crockpot to remove any excess. They will be dripping chocolate.

Handle them carefully. Place the chocolate-covered truffle back on the parchment-lined baking sheet.

If you want to decorate with candy sprinkles or sugar, you have to do it while the chocolate is wet. Work fast, with just a few truffles at a time.

Once they are all coated, put them in the refrigerator for a half-hour to allow the chocolate coating to harden.

I gently scraped the drips off of the bottom of the truffles so that they looked neater and then put them in individual truffle cups that were decorated with pink and purple hearts. Of course.

Dipped Pretzels or Sugar Wafers

Pretzel rods, twists or sugar wafers dipped in melted chocolate make a sweet treat for your co-workers or to take to school for teachers and classmates. Use colored sugar or sprinkles to decorate.

Use a double-boiler or a small crockpot to melt the chocolate slowly.  Dip the pretzel rods or wafers to cover about halfway, decorate with sugar and sprinkles, and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Drop a handful of pretzel twists into the melted chocolate and coat completely.  TIP: Use small ice tongs to lift them out of the chocolate, give a little tap to get rid of excess chocolate and place on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Decorate them immediately.

When you are finished, place the baking sheet in the refrigerator so that the chocolate coating hardens.

Make a Pretty Package

Arrange on a small plate or in a gift box. Wrap in cellophane bags. Make it pretty. Share these treats with your loved ones, and anyone you want to show a little love to.

The huge smile you get from such a small treat is a great return on investment. Let me know what your favorite Valentine’s Day treats are.