11 Essentials for a Romantic Valentine’s Day Dinner
There are so many reasons to stay in and celebrate Valentine’s Day at home. From crazy wait times and sky-high prices at restaurants to the simple desire to challenge yourself to cook more (because, hey, it’s Valentine’s Day), cooking or baking dessert at home is the best way to take a “less is more” approach this year. But less doesn’t have to mean less fun or less special, as these pretty essentials prove. Scroll on for items that’ll make your dinner at home better than ever.
1. Citrus Dinner Napkin by Boutique Textiles ($28): It’s Valentine’s Day, and that means no paper napkins, thank you. This beauty sports the perfect hint of pink color, but isn’t overtly Valentine’s-y, so it’s basically an investment in your year-round dinner ware.
2. Fortune Cakes Cupcake Molds by Fred and Friends ($12): After using these, you’ll wonder why there isn’t a fun message at the bottom of every cupcake or muffin you’ve ever eaten. Best part: They’re reusable!
3. Medals Cookie Cutters by Fred and Friends ($13): If you’re making cookies for dessert, there is no reason you shouldn’t reward yourself for your effort by overtly stamping it right on the face of the cookies. If you start to feel guilty, you can say it’s a message for your beau and they’ll eat it up… literally.
4. Nine-Piece Nest Set ($50): Cooking and baking are so much easier when you have the right tools. This set has nine of them. They’re ultra stackable too, so your kitchen cabinets won’t end up a cluttered mess.
5. Put a Ring On It by I Screen You Screen ($24): If you’re waiting on your boo to pop the question, you can totally consider dropping a not-so-subtle hint on Valentine’s Day, like the one showcased on this Beyoncé-inspired towel.
6. Smart Kitchen Scale and Recipe App by Drop ($100): Take the guessing out of cooking and baking with this technological wonder. The scale works in perfect accordance with the step-by-step app that accompanies it, making measuring ingredients or recalibrating serving sizes a cinch.
7. Flamingo Spatula found by B+C ($12): There’s simply no reason spatulas should be so boring. You’ll never want to store this little guy in a drawer — it’s just too darn cute!
8. Tortilla and Bread Basket by Casa Amarosa ($25): The color scheme and pattern of this tortilla and bread basket makes it an eye-catching piece for your table.
9. Tin Cake Stand found by B+C ($20): If you’re having an extra fancy date-night dinner, a regular ol’ cake pan just won’t do for dessert presentation. Splurge on this and display it in your kitchen when it’s not in use — it’s that pretty.
10. Custom Cake Topper by Bracket ($20): If you’ve whipped up a cake for your romantic meal, top it with whatever words you’d like with this custom cake topper. Make it specific to the day and hold onto it as a keepsake, or customize it with something more general and use it again on other special occasions.
11. Custom Maple Flag Cutting Board by Aheirloom ($38): Spread the love everywhere you possibly can, all the way to your cutting board. This custom maple cutting board lets you celebrate initials, a special date or a sentimental location.
