How to Throw an Awesome & Easy Galentine's Day Party

Tips to throw the best Galentine's Day party. Leslie Knope, of Parks & Rec fame invented this awesomely fun holiday on February 13th. It's the perfect excuse to gather your best girlfriends and celebrate friendship and delicious food. 

Ok, Valentine's Day is great and all, but us ladies need a day to celebrate our friendships! Thanks to Leslie Knope, or the writers of Parks & Rec, we've got a day to celebrate the power of our female friendships.

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When is Galentine's Day

Gals gather to celebrate female friendships on February 13th. Whether you've got a significant other or not, celebrating friendship is just as important as fostering romantic relationships. I don't need to tell you why, it just is. And thanks to Leslie, we've got the perfect excuse to get together as female friends, eat delicious food, and have fun.

Ok, especially for those of use without significant others, we don't have to miss out on an excuse to eat chocolate and watch chick flicks!

How to Celebrate Galentine's Day

In Parks & Rec, the ladies celebrate by eating breakfast foods. I've celebrated by going on a hiking weekend trip with friends, watched all the chick flicks, and eaten heart shaped pizza. There's no wrong way to celebrate. You just need wonderful female friends, great food, and something fun to do!

What to eat on Galentine's Day

I've gathered some delicious recipes that you can enjoy with your besties. You can 100% eat whatever you want, but Galentine's Day party food includes desserts and breakfast foods.

You can eat dinner before, or have a couple protein heavy options if you'd like them.

I do have to include my dietitian disclaimer: all foods fit, sometimes you'll have days where your intake isn't too balanced, and that's ok. It'll all even out. But if you're anything like me, and get a stomach ache if you just eat dessert-y foods without protein, grab a protein rich snack before or after so you can really enjoy your Galentine's party and friends. Read more about my nutrition philosophy here.

Ok, check out some recipes for your party-

Breakfast Foods:

Throw a DIY Waffle Party! Have friends bring toppings and eat waffles Leslie Knope style-lots of sweet toppings!

Chocolate Strawberry Bread Pudding

This gluten free chocolate strawberry bread pudding can be a decadent breakfast (perfect for Valentine’s Day) or a deliciously chocolaty dessert!

Check out this recipe

Healthy Red Velvet Pancakes

Healthy Red Velvet Pancakes are the perfect Valentine’s Day breakfast treat for your sweetie!

Check out this recipe

Air Fryer French Toast Sticks

Air Fryer French Toast Sticks are a fun, kid-friendly, healthier version of classic French Toast. And thanks to the air fryer, this recipe is made without any oil or added sugar.

Check out this recipe

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Overnight Oats

Chocolate covered strawberry overnight oats are a healthy and delicious breakfast to start the day. They’re the perfect Valentine’s Day morning treat!

Check out this recipe

Chocolate Crepes

Surprise your family or special someone with these chocolate crepes made from scratch! This easy crepe recipe is a perfect dessert featuring chocolate, strawberries and caramel sauce for a combination that is nothing short of heavenly! Try it for a delicious Valentine’s Day dessert or your next birthday or anniversary celebration.

Check out this recipe

Drinks:

Easy Sparkling Apple Mocktail

This 5 minute apple mocktail has thin slices of citrus fruit and a sprig of rosemary to add some tangy and herby flavors to simple apple cider. It's the perfect way to add flavor and intrigue to plain apple cider.

Check out this recipe

Blood Orange Mocktail

This winter mocktail made with blood orange juice, honey, and vanilla is a refreshing winter spritzer. It’s an easy mocktail – a perfect drink for Dry January and a pretty, non-alcoholic drink for girls’ night in!

Check out this recipe

Cranberry Pineapple Mocktail

Check out this simple and delicious non-alcoholic drink that is family and kid-friendly: the Cranberry Pineapple Mocktail. My own spin on a childhood favorite pastime that pleases the taste buds of adults and kids alike. Not only is this drink delicious but it’s nutritious, too! Did you know that 1-cup of unsweetened pineapple juice offers over 25 mg of immune-boosting and heart-healthy Vitamin C? That is 100% of the recommended daily intake for kids! Now that is something you can toast to with this mocktail.

Check out this recipe

Desserts:

Mini Strawberry Heart Cakes with Greek Yogurt Frosting

For a healthier twist on the classic Little Debbie Valentine’s Day cakes, these Mini Strawberry Heart Cakes with Greek Yogurt Frosting are an adorable and delicious way to celebrate the day.

Check out this recipe

White Chocolate Candied Lemon Slices

These White Chocolate Candied Lemon Slices are almost too pretty to eat – except you’d be missing out if you passed on this dessert. The lemons are candied in a sugar syrup, then dipped in melted white chocolate and have edible rose petals as a garnish. Plus they’re gluten free! Impress your friends and relatives with this recipe at your next gathering.

Check out this recipe

Strawberry Glazed Baked Doughnuts

These Strawberry Glazed Baked Doughnuts are a fun and romantic Valentine’s Day dessert or breakfast. Baked donuts, not fried, make a healthier and much less messy alternative to traditional glazed doughnuts. No yeast needed for these easy baked doughnuts.

Check out this recipe

Dark Chocolate Dipped Popcorn Balls

Buttery, lightly salted popcorn and melted marshmallows are formed into a ball and dipped generously in melted dark chocolate. A sweet and salty treat that kids and adults will delight in. These Dark Chocolate Dipped Popcorn Balls are the perfect fun-to-eat dessert for baby showers, birthday parties, Mother’s Day or any springtime celebrations.

Check out this recipe

chocolate avocado pudding

I’m showing you how to make chocolate avocado pudding. This better-for-you dessert recipe is easy, vegan, and ready in 5 minutes.

Check out this recipe

peanut butter chocolate crispy rice treats

5 ingredient peanut butter chocolate crispy rice treats elevate the the treasured childhood treat with protein-packed nut butter and a salted chocolate topping. Naturally gluten-free and with minimal ingredients, enjoy these energizing sweet treats any time of day.

Check out this recipe

Red Velvet Beet Cupcakes

If you’ve ever had a red velvet cupcake then you know why it’s my fav. This Valentine’s Day, #treatyoself to red velvet beet cupcakes with no food coloring or dyes used! That beautiful red? It’s au natural, baby.

Check out this recipe

CBD Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Whether it be Valentine’s Day or a date-night-in, these CBD Chocolate Covered Strawberries will make your next special occasion indulgent, relaxing, and delicious with this easy to make recipe that is naturally vegan, gluten-free, and ready in as little as 10 minutes.

Check out this recipe

Vegan Brownie Pizza

Vegan Brownie Pizza is fun Valentine’s Day treat with a base of a fudgy brownie made from coconut flour and topped with yogurt and raspberries. This healthier dessert is a fun twist on pizza night!

Check out this recipe

What to do on Galentine's Day

In addition to a delicious breakfast & dessert spread you can

• Watch the Galentine's Day episode (Season 2, episode 16) of Parks & Rec
• Watch your favorite chick flicks (may I recommend: A Cinderella Story, When Harry Met Sally, You've Got Mail, 10 Things I Hate About You, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, and Mamma Mia, Crazy Stupid Love, and She's the Man)

Really you can't go wrong. Do something you and your girlfriends would love, do something out of the ordinary, or just get together and enjoy friendship by having a Galentine's Day party.

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