Five Aphrodisiac Foods For Valentine’s Day

Buh-bye boring Valentine’s Day dinner…hello delectable bites that boost your libido and get you (both!) in the mood for skipping dessert!

That’s right: aphrodisiacs can help spice things up, no matter the occasion. Below, we’ve curated a flirty Valentine’s Day menu sure to entice just about anyone! Let’s get cooking!

Oysters

Start your evening with an appetizer featuring one of the most well-known aphrodisiacs: oysters! (Legend has it, Casanova ate 50 oysters a day!) While oysters on ice are a beloved treat worldwide, some of us might not love raw seafood (you’re missing out, but that’s another blog for another time). If that’s you or your significant other, try Oysters Rockefeller instead. Baked oysters on the half-shell topped with a rich sauce of butter, parsley, and breadcrumbs. Très Magnifique!

Arugula & Figs

Next up on our appetizing aphrodisiac adventure? Arugula and figs! Arugula is associated with Priapus, a Greek fertility god, while figs, particularly when open, resemble something equally luscious—female genitalia. Figs are also the second fruit mentioned in the Bible, and some believe they were first eaten in the Garden of Eden. Hello, forbidden fruit! Make your next course a Warm Fig & Arugula Salad to get the best of both worlds!

Honey

A symbol of fertility and procreation in some cultures, honey is rich in nitric oxide, a vasodilator that increases blood flow (if you know what I mean) and lowers blood pressure. Need more convincing? Try dripping this sweet treat on your lover and see what happens when you lick it off…ever so slowly…wait. What were we talking about? Oh yeah, dinner. Try Honey Glazed Salmon as your main course—a healthy way to add some sweetness to your meal.

Chocolate

Go ahead. Try to name a sexier treat than chocolate. I’ll wait. Considered an aphrodisiac since the time of the Aztecs, chocolate contains two chemicals linked to sexual desire. Tryptophan helps create serotonin, a brain chemical associated with sexual arousal, while phenylethylamine is released in the brain when we’re in love. Things are making sense, no? Bake a Chocolate & Vanilla Marble Cake as the grand finale to your flirty Valentine’s Day feast.

Pro-tip: before dinner, set the mood with romantic lighting, cue up your favorite Marvin Gaye-inspired playlist, and while those oysters are baking? Pass the time in an oh-so-sexy way—a sexy suggestions game for couples! What will the cards reveal…or inspire? There’s only one way to find out!