With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, you might be wondering what to get your loved ones. Chocolates and flowers are always a Valentine’s Day go-to, but if you’re gifting to someone with allergies or asthma it’s not always so simple. The good news is, there are plenty of options that allow you to give that special someone a traditional Valentine’s Day experience while keeping any wheezing, sneezing, or discomfort at bay – and we’ve rounded up some top choices for you here!
FLOWERS
Pollen allergies are extremely common. Symptoms of pollen allergies include a runny or stuffy nose, watery and itchy eyes, an itchy throat, and coughing. While pollen from trees, grasses and ragweed are the most commonly cause pollen allergies, flower pollen can also cause irritation and unwanted symptoms. Try one of these low-pollen arrangements when selecting a gift for an allergy sufferer.
- This gorgeous bouquet of hydrangeas, delphinium, and roses
Hydrangeas, delphinium, and roses are all relatively low-pollen flowers, making them a safe choice for a hypoallergenic bouquet. A hydrangea’s sticky pollen is ideal because it won’t disseminate into the air easily, while a rose’s pollen is very large making it unlikely to become airborne. Delphinium see a peak pollen time in early summer which make them a great February find. Plus, each of these flowers comes in a gorgeous array of colors!
- This heart-shaped box arrangement of pink carnations
Carnations are affordable and hypoallergenic by design. They’re lightly scented and boast multi-layer petals rather than having a center full of pollen. Plus, this arrangement is Earth friendly! The carnations are arranged in a biodegradable floral foam that can be composted.
- This bouquet of roses
Roses are a classic choice for Valentine’s Day, and this bouquet of 2 dozen classic red beauties avoids allergy inducing fillers like baby’s breath. If you’re gifting to someone who also has food allergies, be sure to opt out of the chocolate add on before you check out.
CHOCOLATES
Many chocolate candies include a lot of the top food allergens such as milk, peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, gluten, and soy. If someone has a food allergy or intolerance, this standard chocolates could cause a wide array of symptoms from some mild itching and digestive problems to life threatening swelling and trouble breathing. The below chocolate products are safe (and delicious) options when choosing a Valentine’s Day gift for someone with food allergies or sensitivities.
- These foil wrapped chocolate roses
Amanda’s Own Confections features all-natural chocolate created by a family with a daughter with life-threatening food allergies. These chocolate roses are free of the top 14 food allergens including dairy, nuts, gluten, wheat, soy, and eggs. Plus, they deliver on the Valentine’s Day theme! You can even customize the box by choosing your rose color.
- This heart chocolate truffle box
No Whey! Foods creates decadent chocolates free of the top eight allergens. These truffles are dairy free, peanut free, tree nut free, soy free, wheat free, egg free, and gluten free. The best part? They come in an adorable heart shaped box and feature a variety of truffle flavors including “milk” fudge, raspberry, coffee, grand mariner, and salted caramel.
- This pack of dark chocolate sunflower butter cups
Free2b Foods features chocolates that are vegan and top 12 allergen free. This Bag O’Sweets includes 18 individually wrapped dark chocolate sunflower butter cups in a Valentine’s themed package. Plus, they’re currently on sale if you order in time for the holiday!
There’s no better way to show someone you love them than by keeping their allergies and food sensitivities top of mind while delivering a classic Valentine’s Day experience.