Our two schools have started to implement wellness policies and no longer allow sweets to be shared at school. While many people are in mourning over this decision, others rejoice. After all, school IS a place for learning, which can be difficult to accomplish on a sugar high.

In the meantime, Valentine’s Day is nearly upon us, and many parents are in a tailspin as they try to figure out what to prepare for classroom holiday parties. We thought we’d offer up a few healthy options that are so delicious that the kids won’t feel as if they are missing out (on the chalky candy hearts of our childhood!).

For starters, some treats are easy to prepare and to share with a crowd:

Pop a fresh batch of popcorn in a pot on your stove, or in an old fashioned air popper. Toss with parmesan cheese, salt or cinnamon sugar.

Fresh seasonal fruits can be sliced and easily distributed. Or, you can make little fruit kabobs. To save money, use fruits that are in season this time of year and try to avoid ones that have traveled from a distant country.

Some recipes, like the ones below, are delicious and festive – perfect to share with a class full of students trying to avoid catching cooties on Valentine’s Day! Both of these recipes are really fun to make – don’t forget to call your kids into the kitchen to help you!

Breadstick Hearts

Ingredients:
1 package refrigerated breadstick dough
Any of the following toppings (to suit your young chef’s personal taste):
Freshly grated parmesan cheese
Cinnamon sugar
Red crystalized sugar

Directions:
Wash your hands and tie back long hair.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Take a piece of the breadstick dough and shape into a small heart. For a larger heart, twist the ends of two pieces of dough together.
Sprinkle the dough with any of the above toppings of your choice.
Bake according to the package directions, or until golden brown.
Share with your loved ones!

I LOVE Roll-Ups!

Ingredients:
1 whole wheat or flour tortilla
Cream cheese
Strawberry jam

Directions:
Wash your hands and tie back long hair.
Place the tortilla in front of you on a clean work surface.
With a spoon, place a scoop of cream cheese on the tortilla. Spread it evenly with a dinner or plastic knife.
With a clean spoon, scoop out a spoonful of strawberry jam onto the tortilla. Spread it evenly on top of the cream cheese.
Roll up the tortilla and slice into 1 inch thick pieces.
Serve to the one you love.

Valentine’s Day Kabobs

One way you can let the little ones indulge in a special Valentine’s Day treat, without giving up all things nutritious is by serving Fruit Kabobs with Yogurt Dip. You can find red or pink plastic skewers and then load them up with strawberries, cherries, watermelon and red seedless grapes. You can use a tiny heart shaped cookie cutter for the berries and watermelon to add to the festive look. Low-fat vanilla yogurt works great as a dip and strawberry yogurt would be perfect with your theme.

Spicy, Homemade Tortilla Chips

Tortilla chips, themselves, are a healthier alternative to fattier munchies. Homemade tortilla chips have even less oil than commercially made chips. Feel free to reduce the oil in these healthier Valentine's Day chips or use cooking spray.

Ingredients:

8-10 corn tortillas

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons chili powder

½ tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon salt

Pinch cayenne pepper

Squeeze of lime

Preheat the oven to 425. In a small bowl, mix the spices together and set aside. Put tortillas in a stack. With a pizza cutter, cut the tortillas in half, quarters, then eighths, as you would a pizza. Place the tortilla triangles into a large bowl and mix in olive oil. Mixing with your hands is the best way to make sure all of the tortillas are coated with a thin layer of oil. Add the spice mixture to the tortillas and oil, and stir. Finally, add the squeeze of lime and mix again. Place chips in a single layer on a cookie sheet and bake until golden, about 7-10 minutes. Allow the chips to cool and wrap in cellophane bags, tied with red ribbon. Alternatively, serve with yogurt cheese, below.

Heartwarming Pizza

Covering pizza with a combination of mozzarella and Muenster cheeses heightens its flavor and creates a luscious, creamy texture. Toppings and sauce can be varied endlessly to suit every taste.

Ingredients:
Perfect Pizza Dough
Olive oil for coating or cornmeal for dusting
1 cup homemade or store-bought tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
1 1/2 cups grated Muenster cheese

Directions
Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Punch down the risen dough, knead it a few times to remove all the air, and divide it in two. On a lightly floured work surface, use a rolling pin to roll one portion into a 12-inch round. Place on a lightly oiled baking sheet.
Spread a thin layer of sauce on the crust--not too much, or else your pizza will become soggy. (A word on sauce: if you don't have time for homemade, spruce up a 14-ounce jar of store-bought by adding 1 crushed garlic clove, 1 1/2 tbsp. of dry red wine and 1/2 tsp. of dried oregano.)

Top your pizza with half of the mozzarella and Muenster cheeses and garnish with the toppings of your choice. Bake 12 to 15 minutes; subtract a few minutes if you're using a pizza stone. When done, the crust will be golden underneath. Makes two 12-inch pizzas.

Strawberry Roll-ups

You will need:
4 (6 inch) soft tortilla shells
Low-fat Strawberry cream cheese
4 T Strawberry jam

Spread the cream cheese to the edge of each tortilla. Add 1 T of strawberry jam, spread down the center. Fold in the edges of the tortilla, about two inches. Now roll the tortilla up- jelly roll style. Slice into 2-inch bites for the perfect Valentines Day snack.

Watermelon

Buy a watermelon. The fleshy, pink fruit on the inside is not only perfect to cut into healthy heart-shaped treats, it is also sweet, just as all Valentine treats should be! Once you've scooped out the melon, you can use the rind as a natural fruit basket in which to place your watermelon hearts, halved strawberries and any other fruits you choose.

Strawberries

Send strawberries into school for your child's classroom party. The fruit lends itself naturally to being a heart-healthy Valentine's treat. Not only are strawberries the typical holiday color, they are also shaped like a heart when they are halved.

Pink Heart Shaped Bagels

My local bagel shop makes these every February! Make sure that you preorder these special bagels and request that they are precut. Serve with butter and cream cheese.

Red Jello

Don’t overlook this old favorite! You can make the traditional version or sugar free and if time is short, purchase Jello that is prepackaged in snack sized containers. Whipped cream optional!

Jello Cutouts

Remember that heart-shaped cookie cutter? Try making some sugar-free jello, then cutting hearts out as bite-sized treats.

Heart-shaped Sandwiches

Got a heart-shaped cookie cutter? Try cutting out your traditional sandwich fare – deli meats, cheese, lettuce – into heart-shaped goodies for an easy way to make your daily routine a little more festive.

Other Heart Shaped and Fun Valentine’s Treat Ideas

With a cookie cutter or kitchen scissors, you can turn many fun foods into Valentine hearts!

Trail Mix

Help kids make their own custom trail mix, advises Mary Friesz, a registered dietitian in Boca Raton, Fla., and author of Food, Fun ‘n Fitness: Designing Healthy Lifestyles for Our Children. Set out raisins, sunflower seeds, nuts (unless you’ll be in a nut-free zone), roasted soy nuts and dried fruit and let the kids scoop ¼ to 1/3 of a cup of their own combo into small bags. Pop in the freezer or fridge to keep fresh, and grab when you’re on the go. Other possible ingredients might include:

Dried peaches, pecans, and slivered almonds;

Dried cherries, raw almonds, and hazelnuts;

Raisins, dried apples, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, and walnuts;

Dried pineapple, dried bananas, almonds, and Brazil nuts;

Dried mangos, dried apples, walnuts, and cashews; and

Craisins, macadamia nuts, flax seeds, and pecans.

Heart Shaped Muffins

I saw this clever idea in an issue of Family Fun magazine. Line your regular cupcake pans with baking papers, fill half way with batter and then (here’s the tricky part!) insert a 1/2” ball of aluminum foil between the liner and the side of the pan. While the cupcakes are baking, the foil ball will push the side of the cupcake into a heart shape! You can also try this trick with muffin batter for a healthier snack.

Pick up some cute Cupcake Wrappers, pictured at top, or Vintage Inspired Valentine Picks from Cupcake Swirl for the perfect finishing touch!

Mini- Fruit Smoothies for Valentine’s Day

Kids love fruit smoothies, so why not serve them on Valentine’s Day to show your children how much you love them- in a healthy, delicious way. They’re so easy to make, you’ll find yourself whipping up a batch even when it’s not a special day. Simply combine a blend of fruits in your blender, with a little fruit juice added for liquid. You can serve them in decorated Dixie cups for little hands and decorate them with cocktail umbrellas for a special touch.

In keeping with the theme of the day, use primarily red fruits and juice. Strawberries and raspberries are great choices and you can mix in bananas without changing the color scheme. Apple juice combines well with the berries for your liquid.

Love Punch

Trying combining cranberry juice and seltzer water for a healthier alternative to the typical sugar water concoctions you buy off the shelf.