Low Calorie Valentine’s Candy for Smart Indulging
Indulge smartly with this low calorie Valentine’s candy list!! Keep your portions to 100 calories and you can still meet your health or weight loss goals.
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The season of Love is upon us, and if you are anything like me you LOVE all the sweets that come along with it. But nothing is worse than feeling like all those goals that you just made for the New Year go down the drain as treats and goodies come pouring into your house… AGAIN!!!
Okay, so that may be a bit dramatic, but in a sense, it is true. We have been working so hard to achieve our New Year’s goals and then something like Valentine’s Day is quickly upon us.
Your spouse, significant other, friend or child brings you home a yummy treat with a little gift and you feel like you can’t eat it. You think of all the fats, sugars and calories and just wish that it could’ve been something else or you wish you could just eat it.
I have good news for you! You don’t have to feel bad or that you can’t eat a little bit of a treat or Valentine’s candy here or there and you definitely don’t need to let it ruin your holiday. My number one piece of advice is MODERATION IN ALL THINGS! And I mean “In all things.” Just because your spouse brings you a bag of chocolates, doesn’t mean you have to eat the whole bag alone.
From the time you were little, you were taught to share. Let this be a great time to share those delicious treats you were given. Eat a couple of them and call it quits or If you want to keep the whole bag for yourself allow yourself to eat X amount each day or once a week. Calculate it into your macros and allocate room for it.
I’ve gone through and found some of the most popular and favorite Valentines treats, calculated the serving size and calories for you and put them on a little cheat sheet so that you can see it, in a quick glance.
Note, that these proportion sizes aren’t necessarily what the package says, but a way that you can stay closer to 100 calories or less per serving. Remember, our beloved chocolates usually are higher in calories, so the proportion comes out differently than say a jelly bean. This is why it is so important to pay attention to what and how much you are eating.
From High to Low Calories for Valentine’s Candy:
1) Reese’s Heart (90 calories for half a heart)
This is the most tricky treat out there. For half of a heart it is 90 Calories. Which means if you eat the whole heart you are eating 180 calories. This is one delicious treat. I would say to try and be cautious of how much you eat and how often. One thing that is great about Reese’s, is that it does contain 2 grams of protein in half of a heart. Depending on which Reese’s you get, some can be gluten free. Check the wrappers, because they will be labeled.
2) Russell Stover Chocolates (2 chocolates for 110 calories)
These traditional chocolates come in many different varieties. It is hard to say exactly how many you should have, due to the fact that they are all different. Just remember to always read the label. This pack, for the consumption of two chocolates is roughly 110 calories, which after looking at many varieties this should be pretty similar to others. These are not gluten free, so be very careful not to go around trying them!
3) Dove Love Notes (3 Love Notes For 120 Calories)
Dove chocolates are a great chocolate treat. I love that you can have a few of them and they are so tasty. Most of the plain Dove chocolates are gluten free. For 3 Chocolate Love notes it is 120 Calories.
4) Hugs White Creme and Milk Chocolate (5 Hugs for 115 calories)
Hugs and Kisses are the treat that is around for every holiday all year. Depending on the different kinds of hugs or kisses that you get these amounts can change ever so slightly. These specific ones come out to be 5 pieces for 115 Calories. Check your labels to verify the gluten free status as some are not gluten free.
5) Valentine M&M’s (23 M&M’s for 110 calories)
M&M’s are a simple treat that is very common and most people enjoy, even us Celiacs! These are nice treats to eat because you can have what seems like a lot and feel content with the portion size. You can enjoy 23 pieces for 110 Calories!! These are a great option if you want lots of little low calorie Valentine’s candies.
6) Cinnamon Jelly Hearts (3 hearts for 100 calories)
Cinnamon Jelly Hearts are a treat that you either love or hate. If you enjoy a strong cinnamon flavor and a chewy middle these are the perfect choice for you. Most of the time these are gluten free, but be sure to check the labels. The package has a lot of hearts in it, and they are great little treats to put as a decoration as well. 3 Hearts are 100 calories and trust me it is a good amount.
7) Jolly Rancher Jelly Hearts (10 Jolly ranchers for 100 calories)
Jelly hearts are very delicious and these are no exception. These are a great gluten free option, and they taste like actual Jolly Ranchers. You can have 10 Hearts for 100 Calories.
8) Conversation Hearts (11 candy hearts for 60 calories)
The Iconic Valentine’s conversation hearts are actually one of the treats that most can enjoy for very few calories and other macro nutrients. The packaging says that you can eat 11 pieces for 60 calories or you can eat 18 pieces for 98 calories. These too are gluten free.
9) Sweetart Conversation Hearts (18 Sweettarts for 98 calories)
I love a good Sweetart, and how it melts in your mouth. These are very similar to the conversation hearts which contain the 60 Calories for 11 or 98 calories for 18 pieces. These hearts are definitely a lot more tangy and sweet than the traditional ones. These are also naturally gluten free.
10) Lindor Truffle (1 Lindor ball for 77 calories)
Last but not least, the famous Lindor Truffles. The word truffle gives everything away. Not only are these to die for, but they are also pretty high in calories. I know we all enjoy them, so try to stick to just one. For one truffle it is 70 calories. It is the lowest calorie Valentine’s candy on this list, but also has the smallest portion size. So don’t forget to savor every bite! Okay now onto the question, are these gluten free? It depends, most of the time the white chocolate ones are gluten free, however, the rest of the flavors contain a barley malt, which is not gluten free.
Now that we have that all out there. Remember, we can all enjoy a bit of love and treats this Valentine’s season. Just remember that you can have a little bit of Valentine’s candy here or there, but try not to over indulge. If you do, it won’t kill you, but it won’t help you achieve those New Year Goals that you just set. So try to stick with those goals and count those calories with your favorite low calorie Valentine’s Day candies!
I would love to hear about some of your favorite Valentine’s traditions, treats and memories are!! Please share some of them with me.
