At the end of January, Sweethearts, the folks behind those tiny, pastel hearts everyone grabs in February, rolled out a bunch of new sayings. They’re leaning right into the realities of modern dating, and it feels spot-on.

Evan Brock, Spangler Candy Company’s VP of marketing, put it plainly: Sweethearts always tries to keep up with the times, and these days, being practical is in. So, not every message this year is about old-school, head-over-heels love.

How’d they land on these new phrases? The team dug into some research and found out that nearly three-quarters of Americans want cheaper date options in 2026, no surprise considering 80% say the economy is messing with their Valentine’s Day plans.

With that in mind, Sweethearts went all-in on a “Love in This Economy” theme. Now, you’ll see hearts stamped with things like “SPLIT RENT,” “CARPOOL,” “BUY N BULK,” and “COOK FOR 2.” Honestly, they nail the vibe right now.

Don’t worry, though. The old favorites are still available. You can dig through the box and find “CUTIE PIE,” “LOVE BUG,” and “MARRY ME.” Some things never change.

Even More Heart-Shaped Treats

Sweethearts aren’t the only game in town for the big day-of-love, you can’t miss the heart-shaped treats this year. Pizza Hut in Englewood is rolling out big heart-shaped pizzas now through February 18th. Craving something sweet? Dunkin’ Donuts has special heart-shaped donuts for the season: Brownie Batter, Cupid’s Choice, and jelly, but blink and they’re gone. Hardee’s in Fort Myers jumps in, too, serving up heart-shaped breakfast biscuits until the 14th.

So, whether you want traditional or non-traditional Sweethearts, pizza, donuts, or biscuits, there is no shortage of heart-shaped snacks to show your love this Valentine’s Day.

The post Modern Love, Vintage Candy: A Tasty Valentine Language of Love appeared first on Englewood Review.