Valentine’s Day wouldn’t be Valentine’s Day without a little commercialization and profit. The sweet, cavity-inducing side of the holiday is a huge part of this. Who doesn’t love to receive some kind of candy from their valentine? But keep in mind, not all of these treats deserve equal praise.

Candy hearts reside at the bottom of the sweets list. The printed messages of “Be mine,” “Kiss me” and “Love bug” are adorable, sure. But the taste doesn’t live up to the sweetness of these sayings. It’s just not worth it.

The beloved and hated sugar-coated marshmallow snacks are next on the list. A little better than candy hearts, Peeps are just a little too much. After two or three, my stomach can’t even look at them anymore. The pink and heart-shaped Peeps have the cute factor, but not much past that.

Chocolate of any kind, depending on your significant other’s preferences, is at the top of the list, and is definitely the most popular treat on this holiday. However, a plain old boring Hershey’s chocolate bar just doesn’t cut it. The Hershey’s Kisses wrapped in pink and red taste better than the generic, everyday silver ones. The Dove chocolate hearts are even better — these are definitely the best chocolate option. 

The most superior Valentine’s treat, and certainly the most expensive unless you make it yourself, which is probably smart, is chocolate-covered strawberries. It is such a delicious choice to make on such a special day. I have yet to meet someone who doesn’t like chocolate-covered strawberries, but I know some might be out there hiding somewhere. 

The safest way to go is chocolate, because there are many varieties to choose from and it’s typically not ridiculously expensive. If you find yourself with some extra money and you really want to treat your significant other, go with the strawberries. Whatever sweets you get for your valentines, I’m sure they’ll love you for it.