With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, many people will scramble to finish up their last-minute shopping while at the same time still being cost-aware. One of the most popular, convenient, and cost-efficient gifts is candy. I traveled to the Valentine’s Day section of Target to find out which sweet treats are worth the money. 

Fun Dip: BYE

My inability to resist indulging in any and all things sweet is most definitely one of my biggest downfalls. With that being said, I’m going to be straightforward and say that nothing appears less desirable to me than eating a mouthful of flavored sugar from a stick made of sugar. 

Maybe it’s because I’m getting older and have now realized there is actually such a thing as something being too sweet, and maybe it’s also the idea that handing someone a package of sugar as a way of expressing your affection is honestly quite odd. With all the other options made available, it just doesn’t make sense to grab packs of Fun Dip off the shelves when there exists an array of other sweet treats to choose from. 

Nerds: BUY

For a while now, Nerds have been my go-to candy that I will, without a doubt, always say yes to treating myself to. I have yet to actually refuse Nerds when offered, but it’s still nice to have a little change every once and a while– and these new Nerds do just that. The crunchy and chewy candy still gives the nice taste of nerds we’re all familiar with while at the same time allowing us to experience the candy in a new, great way. I must warn you that this candy proves to be particularly dangerous because it is very easy to get carried away and eat the whole bag in one sitting. 

Conversation Hearts: BYE 

I strongly believe candy conversation hearts are one of the many things in life that seem like a good idea but don’t actually prove to be so in reality. My sole reasoning behind this is simply that candy hearts don’t taste appealing in the slightest bit. If I’m treating myself and spending my hard-earned money on food, even if it is only a mere four dollars, I would hope that the food is enjoyable to eat and not just for show.

Blow Pop: BUY

Every time I open up the wrapper to enjoy a blow pop, I’m brought back to the good old days of elementary school. I’m immediately nostalgic of the joyful times when I would receive a sweet treat for spelling out all of my words correctly on my weekly spelling tests and would then carry on to a 30-minute recess with a nice game of four square. Everyone says that money can’t buy happiness, but for only a few bucks you can most definitely buy happiness for me and I’m sure for many others, too.  

Skittles: BUY

In today’s world, everything is much more complicated than it actually needs to be. The makers of Skittles recognized this and didn’t make celebrating Valentine’s Day more complicated than it needs to be. The Love Mix Skittles pack features the classic colors of red, white, and pink to celebrate the day. Whether you aim for a bigger gesture or just want to keep it simple, these festive Skittles are the perfect candy to please everyone.

Russell Stover Assorted Chocolate: BUY

Compared to everything else on the list, this chocolate proves to actually be quite the investment with a whopping price tag of 10$. However, it’s truly worth every dollar and remains the perfect go-to gift if you’ve run out of time to buy something else or wish to make a simple gesture. This package features a vast assortment of different chocolates to choose from, coming in both milk and dark chocolate to satisfy everyone. The variety in chocolate makes this the perfect gift for a friend, family member, dare I say significant other, and even yourself, if you wish.