Russell Stover - Joy Bites Roasted Almonds in Dark Chocolate - Sept. 2, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Russell Stover 

Joy Bites Roasted Almonds in Dark Chocolate

Good + - Good ++

Weight: 1.16 oz. (33 g.) / 2.8 oz. (79 g.) in total bar

Calories: 140 calories in 5 pieces of bar

Cost: $4.99 for 1 bar

Purchased from: Safeway, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate and Nuts Theme Week, featuring "new" and varied nut + chocolate items I've been able to collect.

Today's Joy Bites Roasted Almonds in Dark Chocolate (bar) was from Russell Stover Chocolates, LLC (Kansas City, MO). The Joy Bites no sugar added line (that also includes peanut butter and sea salt caramel flavors) are sweetened with stevia and are made using fair trade* cocoa.

Aroma notes for this bar included soft chocolate and nutty (sweet almond butter), sweet aromatic wood, and very, very faint sweet citrus green (oxalis, wood sorrel). 

This thin (53% cocoa) dark bar had creamy texture accented with crunchy almond bits, and smooth dark chocolate flavor.

The chocolate was sweetened with erythritol and stevia leaf extract.** It was less sweet than other comparable 53% cacao chocolate bars. (Thank you!) Nuts (almonds in this case) do help balance out sugars; but the less sweet flavor was largely due to the choice of sweetener(s).

A nice choice for those on sugar-restricted diets and who may not appreciate the less sweet realms of bolder, ultra-dark (80%+ cacao) chocolates.

Ingredients: Chocolate, Non-GMO erythritol, chicory root fiber, roasted almonds, cocoa butter, milk fat, Organic soy lecithin, natural flavor and stevia extract. 

Allergen-related information: Contains nuts (almonds) and milk. "May contain peanuts, tree nuts, eggs and wheat."

*Fairtrade cocoa and vanilla: mass balance is used to match fairtrade sourcing. Total 50%.  

**The leaves from the Stevia rebaudiana plant provide a less caloric alternative to cane and beet sugars. (Beet sugar is used less often in fine/artisan chocolate.) Native to South America, stevia (in the form of stevia extract) offers more concentrated sweetness than traditional sugars with very few calories.

Russell Stover - Blueberry Bites - Aug. 17, 2016

Chocolate of the Day:

Russell Stover
Blueberry Bites
Good
Weight: .74 oz. (21 g.) / 6.5 oz. (184 g.) in total package
Calories: 95 calories for 5 pieces
Cost: $4.79 for 1 package
Purchased from: Walgreens, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #10 of Chocolate, Fruit and Botanicals Month.

These Dark Chocolate Blueberry Bites were from Russell Stover Candies, Inc. (Kansas City, MO). Marble-shaped, jewel-toned, blueberry colored and flavored centers were coated with glossy dark chocolate coverings.

This flavor was part of a family of new "Everyday Chocolates" that the company announced this past year that included Bites, Sugar Free Bites, Bark, Pretzels and other confections.

Russell and Clara Stover began their chocolate company in the early 1920s in Denver, Colorado. The company later evolved and moved to Missouri. In 2014, Lindt and Sprungli bought Russell Stover Candies.

Russell Stover - Orange Bites - Aug. 10, 2016

Chocolate of the Day:

Russell Stover
Orange Bites
OK ++ - Good
Weight: .74 oz. (21 g.) / 6.5 oz. (184 g) total package
Calories: 95 calories in 1/2 serving (5 pieces)
Cost: $3.95 (estimate) for one package
Purchased from: Walgreens, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Chocolate, Fruit and Botanicals Month.

Today's Orange Bites from chocolate confection company Russell Stover (Kansas City, MO) was the third of three chocolate items with orange this week.

The package was filled with glossy dark chocolate spheres that, when bitten into, revealed a slightly chewy sweet, fruit-flavored center.

Russell Stover - Caramel Apple with Peanuts - Dec. 1, 2015

Chocolate of the Day:

Russell Stover Candies, Inc.
Caramel Apple with Peanuts
Good
Weight: 2.25 oz. (64 g.) in total package
Calories: 320 calories in 1 package
Cost: $1.48 for 1 package
Purchased from: Safeway, Los Altos, CA

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate and ABC (Apple, Baobab and Cranberry) Theme Week.

Today's Milk Chocolate Caramel Apple with Peanuts was from Russell Stover (Kansas City, MO).

The apple-shaped "Big Bite" apple flavored caramel was covered in milk chocolate, topped with chopped peanuts, and it was just as sweet as you'd expect it to be.

Russell Stover - Mint Patty - March 10, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:

Russell Stover
Mint Patty
Good +
Weight: .5 oz. (14.3 g.)/20.7 oz. bag of individually wrapped chocolates
Calories: 63 calories
Cost: $9.99 total bag/package
Purchased from: Walgreen's in Palo Alto, CA

Today's chocolate was an individually-wrapped Mint Patty from Russell Stover (Kansas City, MO). A lustrous dark chocolate coating (made with real chocolate the label assured me) covered a sweet, pearl white translucent center that was flavored with peppermint oil.

Today was Day #4 of Chocolate and Mint Theme Week.

Russell Stover - Peppermint Creams - March 7, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Russell Stover
Peppermint Creams
Good - Good +
Weight: .30 oz. (8.68 g.) / 4.9 oz. (139 g.) total box of 4
Calories: 35 calories in 1 bite
Cost: (missing information)
Purchased from: (missing information)

These large, glossy, dark chocolate Peppermint Creams from Russell Stover (Kansas City, MO) were filled with fluffy white peppermint centers.

All was good with these, with one small exception: there was a very slight artificial taste to these. It could have been because this box dated back to the Christmas holidays, or due to the actual artificial flavoring listed in the ingredients. Regardless, there was nothing wrong with dark chocolate + minty fresh breath, all in one go.

Today was Day #1 of Chocolate and Mint Theme Week.

ChocolateBet: December 30, 2011

Chocolates of the Day:

2 pieces
Russell Stover Candies, Inc.
1.) Coconut - Dark Chocolate - Good - Good +
2.) Caramel - Milk Chocolate - Good
Weight: .5 oz. + .434 oz. = .934 oz. (26.6 g.) for 2 pieces
Calories: 126.6 calories in 2 pieces
Cost: $9.99 total bag/package for 4 different chocolates
Purchased from: Walgreens, in Palo Alto, CA

Are you all sick of reading about chocolates yet? I hope not, because this past week, I passed the "I've-eaten-more-than-1,900 different-chocolates" mark (over a period of more than five years). When I started this chocolate adventure, I thought I'd run out of chocolates to try. However, there is almost no chance of that happening. So, join me as I carry on this daily practice into 2012.

On to today's chocolates: two, individually wrapped pieces from a large, Russell Stover (based in Kansas City, Missouri) assortment bag that contained four different flavors. I chose the Coconut and Caramel pieces -- because this is Day #6 of Chocolate + Coconut + Caramel Theme Week. Of the two, I preferred the Coconut covered in dark chocolate; however, eating both pieces together seemed to improve the flavor of both.

Russell Stover is (according to their website) the largest manufacturer of boxed chocolates in North America. Russell Stover and his wife Clara first cooked up small batches of chocolates in their Denver, CO, bungalow in the 1920s; the company has evolved significantly since then. I've found the quality of Russell Stover chocolates to be fairly consistent over time. This may or may not be because of preservatives, or rapid turn-over on store shelves (resulting in fresher chocolates). As companies grow this big, I'm guessing they have all their production and delivery processes down to a science. According to a Funding Universe article (from more than 10 years ago), Russell Stover maintained their own line of refrigerated delivery trucks, to help ensure freshness.

ChocolateBet: December 29, 2011

Chocolates of the Day:

1.) 1 serving
Trader Joe's
Golden Caramel Swirl in French Vanilla & Chocolate Ice Cream (Super Premium)
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 1/2 cup (100 g.) / 1 Quart (946 mL)

Calories: 260 calories
Cost: $4.49 total container
Purchased from: Trader Joe's, Mountain View, CA

I'll kick off today's entry with a random observation: It's impossible to do a Chocolate + Coconut + Caramel Theme Week without thinking about German chocolate cake frosting. If it didn't already exist as a wonderful complement to chocolate cake, then someone would have to invent it.

What do you call chocolate + vanilla + caramel + ice cream? I'd call it a great start. Now, to make this Trader Joe's  Golden Caramel Swirl ice cream an official entry for Day #5 of Chocolate + Coconut + Caramel Theme Week, I sauteed some chopped pecans with coconut shreds in a tiny pan. The result: a great German chocolate topping for ice cream. Unfortunately, my sloppy pan-to-dish presentation and this photo don't do this dessert justice.

2.) 1 piece
Russell Stover
Coconut Wreath
Good +
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.)
Calories: 140 calories
Cost: $0.50 for 1 wreath
Purchased from: Walgreens, Palo Alto, CA

To amp up the crunchy coconut quotient today, I also enjoyed this Russell Stover Coconut Wreath. Russell Stover has been cranking out chocolates since the early 1920s; and the company's chocolatiers have been experimenting with chocolate, coconut and caramel for quite some time. For a brief moment I felt like I was eating a round, upscale coconut version of a Nestle Crunch bar. This wreath also went well with the above Trader Joe's caramel ice cream.

ChocolateBet: December 25, 2011

Chocolates of the Day:

Russell Stover
1.) Dark Chocolate and Coconut Cream Santa 
Good +
Weight: 1.25 oz. (35 g.)
Calories: 150 calories
Cost: $0.50
Purchased from: Walgreens, Palo Alto, CA

Russell Stover
2.) Caramel Santa - Covered in Milk Chocolate
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.25 oz. (35 g.)
Calories: 170 calories
Cost: $0.50
Purchased from: Walgreens, Palo Alto, CA

Ho ho ho. Merry Christmas. It's time for chocolate Santas -- two different kinds: dark chocolate coconut and milk chocolate caramel. Perfect for Day #1 of Chocolate, Coconut and Caramel Theme Week.

I enjoyed the coconut Santa the best. I like coconut and I prefer dark chocolate; although, this piece was not shaped like St. Nick. For that matter, the caramel Santa form was only vaguely human-shaped, but if you're in the holiday spirit you won't mind.

Hope you all had a great holiday weekend.

Russell Stover - Candy Cane Snowman - December 17, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:

1 snowman
Russell Stover
Candy Cane Marshmallow Snowman
Good - Good +
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.)
Calories: 110 calories
Cost: $0.50 for 1 Santa
Purchased from: Walgreens, Palo Alto, CA

When candy canes start to appear everywhere, images of snowy landscapes and Christmas generally follow. And where there is snow, there are snowmen and snow creatures.

Today's chocolate, Russell Stover's Candy Cane Marshmallow Snowman,  captured all these themes in one gooey, crunchy treat. A pink peppermint marshmallow center was coated with chocolate, and then topped with crushed candy cane pieces.

Once unwrapped, the snowman did look rather forlorn without a hat, eyes, nose, and other features. So, the least I could do was pop some googly eyes on the poor fellow, before taking a bite out of him.

Today was Day #2 of Chocolate and Peppermint Candy Cane Theme Week.

ChocolateBet: July 3, 2011

 Chocolate of the Day: 

1 bar
Russell Stover
Bunny Solid Milk Chocolate "1,000,000,000 note"
2 oz. (57 g.) total bar/"note"
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 2 oz. (57 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 310 calories
Cost: $ information not available
Purchased from: Walgreens

Today was Day #6 of Chocolate and Animal Theme Week. Included in theme weeks like this are a variety of tenuous connections between chocolate and animals -- which, like Hoppy McCarrot -- referred to on this Russell Stover Bunny Bar label, are often used to sell products. Yes, I know most of you are shocked, simply shocked, to hear that cute, fuzzy woodland creatures are used in this way. But, it's true. And, I certainly bought into this marketing strategy -- to the tune of 1,000,000,000 -- the denomination of this chocolate bunny note. A billion is a good round number, although I'm not sure what bunny units we may be talking about with this U.S. made bar, shaped like a monetary instrument and stamped with "In Bunnies We Trust" on the outside label, and "In Chocolate We Trust" on the bar itself.

Should you invest in fine art, or in chocolate? Who's to know what the better strategy might be in the long term; however, in the short term, I can tell you that eating solid milk chocolate bunny money is sweet.

ChocolateBet: September 7, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

1 square
Russell Stover
Mississippi Mud Truffle
(American Classics Assortment; Private Reserve)
Good+
Weight: .56 oz. (16 g.) / 6.2 oz. (176 g.) total package/bag
Calories: 95 calories for 1 individually-wrapped square
Cost: $3.48 for total package
Purchased from: Walmart, in Mountain View, CA

This morning I did some hiking out in the Baylands, and the tide was out. There were large areas of bay mud glistening in the sun. So, these Mississippi Mud truffle squares from Russell Stover seemed like an appropriate chocolate for today.

Many months ago, I bought a package of Mississippi Mud Truffle squares to try. However, my daughter and others ate them before I had the chance. So, I "re-bought" these last night when I saw them, even though they were only available in a larger assortment package that contained three Russell Stover American Classic flavors (I sampled the other two flavors quite awhile ago). I opened the 6.2 oz. package and found just one Mississippi Mud square. Yikes, $3.48 was a lot to pay for just one square. Oh well. This square was good, but it was too sweet for me.

ChocolateBet: December 26, 2008

Chocolate(s) of the Day:

1.) 1 item/snowman
Russell Stover
Chocolate Marshmallow Snowman
Good; a bit too sweet for me, but it might be nice dunked in some hot chocolate
Weight: 7/8 oz. (25 grams)
Calories: 100 calories for one snowman
Cost: $0.41
Purchased from: Walgreens, in Palo Alto, CA

2.) 1 piece of Cheescake Factory flourless Peppermint (Chocolate) Cheesecake
topped with whipped cream and bits of peppermint candy - not counting this on my spreadsheet, but I will come back and try the other flourless varieties in the future.

Another two-fisted chocolate day this holiday week. I'm going to have to work hard at the gym this weekend - meaning more than my usual 15-minute workout.

ChocolateBet: December 17, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

1 piece
Russell Stover ("American Classics" series)
New York Cheesecake Ganache
Good
Weight: 16 grams for 1 square/ 4.5 oz. (128 grams) in total pkg.
Calories: 80 calories for 1 square
Cost: ?
Purchased from: Walgreens

Today's milk chocolate squares from Russell Stover Candies (Kansas City, MO) were filled with a New York cheesecake ganache, and a hint of raspberry.

ChocolateBet: December 16, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

1 serving, 2 squares
Russell Stover (American Classics series)
Southern Pecan Chocolate Torte ("naturally flavored")
Good - Good +
Weight: 32 grams/4.5 oz. (128 grams) in total package
Calories: 160 calories in one 2-piece serving
Cost: $3.49 for total package
Purchased from: Walgreens, on Stockton St., in San Francisco, CA

These are even better when you eat them with a handful for pecans.

ChocolateBet: February 15, 2008

Chocolate of the Day

1 serving
Russell Stover
Dark Chocolate Marshmallow Heart
Very Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28 grams)
Calories: 110 calories for 1 heart/piece
Cost: $0.59
Purchased from: Walgreens, Palo Alto, CA

It's a heart-shaped candy week, due to Valentines Day (yesterday).

ChocolateBet: December 12, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:

1 serving (3 individually-wrapped squares)
Russell Stover International
French Cafe Vanilla Creme
Very Good
Weight: 1 serving/3 squares (38 g.) / 4.95 oz. (140 g.) total package
$?
Purchased at: Long's Drug store, Mountain View, CA


Today's milk chocolate, individually-wrapped squares from Russell Stover had a very nice vanilla flavor (French Cafe Vanilla Creme) in the center.

ChocolateBet: December 11, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:

1 serving (3 squares)
Russell Stover Private Reserve
Very Good
Weight: 38 g. for 3 pieces/1 serving; total package = 4.5 oz. (128 g.)
Calories: 190 calories for one 3-piece serving
Cost: $ ?
Purchased at: Long's Drugs, Mountain View, CA

These individually-wrapped dark (60% cacao) chocolate squares from Russell Stover (Kansas City, MO), part of the company's Private Reserve, Origin Select product line,  were made from "100% Ecuador cacao beans."

ChocolateBet: August 15, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:

1 serving - 3 pieces
Russell Stover ("Internationale" line)
Swiss Lodge Mocha Cream
Good
Weight: 3 pieces (38 grams) / 4.95 oz. (140 grams) total package
Calories: 200 calories in 3 pieces
$?
Purchased at: Long's Drug store, in Mountain View, CA

Today's individually-wrapped Swiss Lodge Mocha Cream squares from Russell Stover (Kansas City, MO) were primarily milk chocolate with a slightly creamier flavored center layered over a thin layer of white chocolate. These were a bit on the sweet side for me, but had a fairly smooth texture.

Health Impact of Chocolate?
This week I went to Long's (drug store) to have my blood sugar and blood cholesterol levels measured. (Long's hosts a mobile unit that comes in and does testing once or twice a year. It's convenient; you don't have to make an appointment.) I was somewhat apprehensive about the results given the work schedule I've been keeping (trying to do three jobs in the last few months, long hours sitting behind a desk, busy events and speaking opportunities, not enough time for fun, etc.)

Instead, I was shocked to find out that my results were very good. "Whatever you're doing, keep it up," the nurse advised. Really? The only thing I've been doing differently (from when I last was tested) has been eating chocolate every day, and walking around San Francisco a few times a month. Could that make a difference? Have other people seen similar results?

I'm starting a Chocolate and Health page on this site, and will be researching this topic in the future.

ChocolateBet: July 19, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:

1 serving
Russell Stover ("Internationale" line)
German Black Forest Truffle
Good - Very Good
Net Wt.: 4.95 oz. (140 g.); 1 serving = 38 g.
Calories: 200 calories
Cost: $ ?
Purchased from: Walgreens

Today's individually-wrapped, German Black Forest Truffle chocolate squares from Russell Stover were crafted from both dark and milk chocolate, and flavored with a hint of cherry.