Every February, millions of lovers venture out into the red, sappy, Hallmark card-filled-universe that is Valentine’s Day. While some prefer flowers, jewelry, or even a romantic dinner, Cupid’s arrow most often lands right on America’s sweet spot: candy. On average, Americans spend about 4 billion dollars a year on these sugary salutations to fill the hearts of their special someones. 

As new candy competitors enter the scene every year, America’s top five most popular options continuously dominate the market: Russel Stover’s heart-shaped chocolate box, Conversation Hearts, Hershey Kisses, and Fun Dip. But which one should you buy for your Valentine? 

 Russel Stover heart-shaped box: a classic favorite 

Since 1923, the assortment and delicious diversity of the Russel Stover chocolate box has stood the test of time. Annually, the company makes about $600 million dollars off of their endless variety of heart shaped chocolate boxes. The boxes are diverse in size, assortment, color, and even print. (Yes, you can purchase a velour cheetah or pink lace chocolate box.) The vibrant appeal of the box’s exterior matches the delicious delicacies inside. The reliability of the milk, dark, white, truffle, or even caramel mix is a strong option for any loved one in your life. 

Conversation Hearts: the universal sweet solution 

Conversation Hearts, first developed in 1847 as a sweet and sugary alternative to cough drops. Now, America annually produces about 13 million pounds of them. Prior to 2020, this sweet sensation spent over 40 years being America’s most purchased Valentine’s Day candy. Last year, Brach’s Candy alone reported a revenue of $22 million collars simply from conversation hearts. Becoming the country’s most popular non-chocolate candy purchased during this season, conversation hearts provide a sweet solution for many valentines with dietary restrictions like dairy or nuts. With various brands, box sizes, colors and flavors to choose from, conversation hearts are the perfect option for any non-chocolate loving valentine. 

Hershey Kisses: small yet mighty 

While Hershey Kisses may not be the most elaborate Valentine’s Day candy, the simplicity of the bite sized chocolates has led to nothing but success. With 70 million chocolates produced daily and an annual revenue of $400 million dollars, the delicious drops of milk chocolate have become one of America’s most beloved sweets. The simplicity of Hershey’s Kisses not only make the candy a perfect delicacy for any occasion, but the miniature presence of the chocolate adds a certain tone of casualty that makes it the perfect nonchalant candy, a small innuendo that simply doesn’t say too much.

Fun Dip: A Colorful Forgotten Favorite

Grape Yumptious, Cherry Yum Diddly, and RazzApple Magic are just a few of the many Fun Dip flavors available this Valentine’s Day. Originally invented in 1950 under the name Lik-M-Aid, Fun Dip has been providing candy lovers with more than just a satisfied sweet tooth for almost a century. The powder-and-stick candy immerses the customer in a colorful, sour, vibrant experience that perfectly embodies the childlike wonder of Valentine’s Day. While this candy is primarily marketed to children, I find its vibrancy contagious. Fun Dip’s silliness makes it the perfect candy for any Valentine that enjoys both a good time and a blue tongue.