With the holiday hype behind us, it’s time to start planning for Valentine’s Day. Who doesn’t love a reason to eat chocolate, buy flowers, and spread a whole lotta love? You or your significant other might have ditched dairy in 2020, but that doesn’t mean you have to compromise on flavor. Here’s a roundup of vegan treats to snag before the 14th. They’re so good you might not want to give them away.
1. Raaka Chocolate
This Brooklyn-based company prides itself on using “transparent trade” cacao in all their bars that’s directly sourced from grower-owned cooperatives and ethical organizations. Their chocolate bars are made from scratch in small batches to ensure high quality every time. Try their newer flavors like Waffle Cone and Pure Cacao & Strawberry & Coconut, or stick to the best selling Oat Milk, Green Tea Crunch or Pink Sea Salt.
3 Bar Box – $15
2. Lagusta’s Luscious
Bonbons, chocolate bark, caramels and toffee makes Lagusta’s Luscious a treasure trove for chocolate lovers. Your valentine will love their “heartbreakingly delicious” and always vegan Tahini Meltaways, Violet Caramels and White Wine and Pear White Chocolate Cream Hearts. Looking for a unique gift? Go with the Furious Vulva Bonbons or Vandana Shiva Bonbons, which are “complex firecracker” candies with stoneground dark chocolate, ancho chilies, Maui vanilla beans and Mexican cinnamon.
The Chocolate Bar Collection Box – $30 (4 Pieces)
Vandana Shiva Bonbons – $25
3. Hu
A brand that encourages customers to “get back to human” with simple, healthy ingredients, Hu chocolate is the perfect gift for any chocolate lover. You can enjoy classic flavors like Cashew Butter & Raspberry or Crunchy Mint Dark Chocolate, without fear of unrecognizable additives.
8 Bar Variety Pack – $45
4. Justin’s Peanut Butter Cups
Short on cash but don’t want to skimp on flavor? Go with Justin’s dark chocolate peanut butter cups. If peanut butter isn’t your thing, this nut-butter brand also has cashew and almond butter versions. Choose from the classic size or mini versions, which can be found at most grocery and convenience stores.
2 Cup Pack – $2.19
5. Compartès Chocolate
Though this Insta-famous brand is known for their eccentric flavor combos like Donuts & Coffee, Potato Chip Crisp and Churros & Horchata, Compartès recently added a whole line of vegan options to their collection. Each bar’s wrapping features unique made-in-LA designs and a poem by head chocolatier, Jonathan Grahm. Let me tell you, those designs are Met-worthy. Fill a 4 Bar Box with their fabulous flavors like Nuts & Sea Salt, Strawberry Goji Acai, Match Raspberry Reishi or Blueberry Almond.
4 Bar Box – $49.95
6. Unreal
Snickers, M&Ms, Mounds, and Reese’s have yet to make vegan-friendly options, but Unreal has got you covered. Easy to find and affordable, this parent-owned company prides itself on high-quality ingredients for kids of all ages. Pick up Dark Chocolate Peanut Gems or Coconut Bars as your new favorite snack.
Pro tip: freeze your UnReal bars for an extra special treat.
Vegan Variety Pack – $26
7. SmartSweets
If you’re not a chocolate fan, SmartSweets has plant-based versions of the gummy candies we loved as kids. Each bag boasts 13 grams of fiber for only three grams of sugar, making these a great alternative to their artificial counterparts. But don’t let the numbers fool you, their Sourmelon Bites, Peach Rings and Sweet Chews will still stir up some seriously delicious nostalgia.
Plant-Based Candy – $19.74 (6 pack)
Mix & match or get treats from all seven brands! No matter which ones you choose, these sweets are sure to satisfy your valentine (even if it’s a self love kind of year).