Unreal - Dark Chocolate Covered Almonds - Nov. 28, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Unreal
Dark Chocolate Covered Almonds 
Good ++ 
Weight: 2 oz. (56.5 g.) / 4 oz. (113 g.) in total package
Calories: 300 calories in 1/2 package
Cost: $5.89 for 1 package
Purchased from: Vitacost, online order 

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate, Movies and Entertainment Theme Week. Some of my most favorite confections in movie theaters were candy-coated almonds (Jordan Almonds); chocolate-covered almonds; or chocolate candy with almonds (Almond Roca).

Today's Dark Chocolate Covered Almonds were made in the USA for Unreal Brands, Inc. (Boston, MA).

Unreal founders started the company to create snacks "made with simple, real ingredients" that everyone might enjoy.

Aroma notes for these almonds included: warm, authentic cocoa; faint warm spice (vanilla); and very faint nut (almond).

What I liked: the authentic dark chocolate coating that was just thick enough to add balanced, chocolate-y flavor, but the coasting wasn't so thick that I couldn't taste the perfectly toasted/crunchy, whole California almonds inside. Despite my first guess that they'd been rolled in dark cocoa powder, my hands were left completely clean (in cool weather at least) after holding and eating them.

I also appreciated the thoughtful execution/creation behind this brand and their short list of fair trade and Non-GMO ingredients. When the founders first unveiled their products years ago, this was a novel and refreshing concept. So glad they're still delivering simple, tasty and arguably much healthier, snacks at a relatively reasonable price.

Ingredients: Almonds, Dark Chocolate (chocolate liquor*, cane sugar*, cocoa butter*, vanilla) (* = Fair Trade Certified by Fair Trade USA.)

Allergen-related information: Contains Almonds. "Made in a facility that handles other tree nuts, milk, peanuts, soy and wheat. Made on equipment that processes milk chocolate."

Unreal - Dark Chocolate Coconut Bar - Aug. 13, 2022

Chocolate(s) of the Day

Unreal Chocolate

Dark Chocolate Coconut Bar

Good +

Weight: 1.3 oz. (37 g.) in total bar

Calories: 180 calories in 1 bar

Cost: $2.69 for 1 bar

Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and Coconut Theme Week.

Today's Dark Chocolate Coconut Bar was from Unreal Brands Inc. (Boston, MA). 

The company offers updated/healthier versions of chocolate covered candy bars, generally with a much shorter list of ingredients. (Today's certified gluten free and vegan bar listed three ingredients: organic coconut, organic cassava syrup and dark chocolate (later spelled out as dark chocolate liquor, cane sugar, cocoa butter, vanilla).)

Aroma notes from this filled bar included: chocolate (dark chocolate ganache (truffle filling)) and sweet coconut. 

The dark chocolate provided a smooth, velvety coating, that contrasted with the chewy, lightly moistened, sweet shredded coconut. These coconut shreds continued to supply an authentic, textural chew that lasted into the finish after the chocolate had melted away.

As expected, the flavor was a blend of dark chocolate and coconut, with one complementing the other. Yes, it was sweet, but not quite as sugary or syrupy sweet as candy bars from the late 1900s. The flavors were balanced and uniform, with very faint, fleeting tropical fruit and nut notes, and a warm blanket of vanilla.

Adults wanting a healthier confection for their families, or wanting to take a trip down candy bar memory lane themselves--without all the preservatives, additives, or "natural flavors"--will appreciate this bar. The fact that some of the ingredients were fair trade was an added plus.

Ingredients: Organic coconut, organic cassava syrup, dark chocolate liquor, cane sugar, cocoa butter, vanilla

Allergen-related information: "Contains coconut. Made in a facility that handles peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, soy, wheat and milk. Made on equipment that processes milk chocolate. Please visit getunreal.com to read our allergen information." (Certified vegan, Certified gluten free; no soy ingredients.) 

Unreal Brands, Inc. - Dark Chocolate Almond Butter - Oct. 3, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Unreal Brands, Inc.

Dark Chocolate Almond Butter (Cup)

Good - Good +

Weight: .53 oz. (15 g.) in 1 cup

Calories: 80 calories in 1 cup

Cost: $0.99 for 1 cup

Purchased from: Sprouts Farmers Market, Mountain View, CA

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate and Almond Theme Week.

Today's individually-wrapped, dark chocolate,* filled with an almond butter filling, was designed to be a healthier alternative to other chocolate candy offerings on the market. The single-serving packet provided a tasty, appealing petite treat.

*Ingredients included: dark chocolate, almond butter, organic powdered sugar, organic palm oil, organic blue agave inulin, organic coconut flour, salt, and sunflower lecithin.

Unreal Brands - Chocolate Caramel bar - November 29, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Unreal Brands, Inc.
Unreal 5 - Chocolate Caramel Nougat Bar
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.6 oz. (45 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 170 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $1.09 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Miki's Farm Fresh Market, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #6 of Chocolate and Caramel Theme Week, and today's chocolate covered caramel came in bar form.

A relative newcomer (2010) to the chocolate candy market, Unreal Brands is based in Boston, MA. The company's Chocolate Caramel Nougat Bar looked like an ordinary candy bar, but the company refers to their offerings as "Unjunked" -- made without artificial ingredients, preservatives, GMOs, hydrogenated oils and corn syrups frequently found in store-bought caramels and candy bars.

I enjoyed getting less of a sugar/corn syrup buzz with this Unjunked bar, as I have from other Unreal bars. My favorite Unjunked item so far has been Unreal's caramel bar with peanuts (similar to a Mars Snickers bar), but that may have more to do with my love of nuts, and preference for Snickers bars (over other bars without nuts) when I was young. I still eat a handful of nuts to help balance out sweet items.

ChocolateBet: October 31, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:

Unreal Brands, Inc.
Unreal 54 - Candy Coated Chocolates with Peanuts
Good +
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42 g.) total package
Calories: 200 calories in 1 package/bag
Cost: $1.00
Purchased from: CVS Pharmacy, Mountain View, CA

Trick or Treat. This week has been filled with treats. If you're going to eat Halloween candy, may I suggest "unjunked" chocolate candy choices from Unreal Brands (Boston, MA).

Today I enjoyed Unreal's Candy Coated Chocolates with Peanuts, No. 54 in their candy series. What does unjunked mean? Answer: Among other things, it means: "no artificials, no hydrogenateds, no corn syrups, no preservatives, no GMOs." Unreal, and much appreciated.

I also enjoyed a pumpkin sundae with Double Rainbow Pumpkin and Dulce de Leche ice creams, topped with a chopped Unreal caramel bar, that I'll write about later.

This week was brought to you by the color Orange. This was the last day of Chocolate and Pumpkin week (lots of orange and brown, and piles of pumpkins from everywhere in town).

San Francisco buildings have been lit up orange; and today the city held a welcome home parade for the San Francisco Giants baseball team (orange and black) to celebrate their World Series Championship win -- on Halloween day (more orange and black), no less.

I've added a skeleton, and a few flowers and candles today to celebrate this great Orange day. Happy Halloween to all who celebrate pumpkin day, and a great day for chocolates as well.

ChocolateBet: August 20, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Unreal Brands, Inc.
Unreal Peanut Butter Cups
Good +
Weight: .53 oz. (15 g.) in 1 cup/ 6.3 oz. (180 g.) total package of 12 cups
Calories: 75 calories in one cup
Cost: $5.39 (estimate) for total package/bag
Purchased from: Walgreens, in Palo Alto, CA

Yesterday I tried my first "unjunked" candy bar offering from Unreal (the company's caramel with peanut nougat bar).

Today I sampled an Unreal Peanut Butter Cup, similar to a Reese's peanut butter cup with the sugar dialed back ever so slightly. Like other Unreal candy, this individually wrapped cup was sweetened with agave and contained some inulin fiber. And it was made without corn syrup, GMOs, and ingredients that some might find less desirable.

Today was the first day of Chocolate and Peanut Butter Theme Week.

ChocolateBet: August 19, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:

Unreal Brands, Inc.
Unreal Chocolate Caramel with peanut nougat
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.7 oz. (48 g.) in 2 bars/ 8.5 oz. (240 g.) total package
Calories: 200 calories in 2 bars
Cost: $5.39 total package of 9 bars
Purchased from: Walgreens, in Palo Alto, CA

Great concept. Take popular chocolate candy bars and subtract what some may find less desirable ingredients, such as corn syrup, preservatives and extra added lactose. And add agave syrup and other ingredients instead. Less sugar rush than, say, a Snickers bar, although just as good. Unreal Brands was doing just that, with their "unjunking" philosophy.

One shiny, pink and black Unreal (bag) contained nine individually wrapped, snack sized, chocolate caramel with peanut nougat bars.

Note: Information and photos were delayed this week due to travel.