Balance - Chocolate Caramel Peanut Nougat Nutrition Bar - Oct. 10, 2017

Chocolate of the Day:

The Balance Bar Company
Chocolate Caramel Peanut Nougat Nutrition Bar
Good
Weight: .78 oz. (22 g.) for 1 small bar
Calories: 100 calories in 1 small bar
Cost: N/A - free samples being handed out
Purchased from: N/A - free samples being distributed to passer-bys

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate and Halloween wEEKs.

Many people are looking for healthier, more balanced alternatives to traditional Halloween candy. As a child, I remember a dentist handing out sample containers of dental floss instead of candy. Not really appreciated by children at the time. But, times change and balance means different things to different people.

Today's Chocolate Caramel Peanut Nougat Nutrition Bar was from The Balance Bar Company (Bohemia, NY). The company has aimed for a 40-30-30 blend of carbohydrates, protein and fat respectively in their bars. Today's bar looked like a traditional chocolate candy bar, but had added protein.

This Balance bar did have a slight soy protein taste, but overall the flavors were balanced, and the soy wasn't objectionable.

Trader Joe's - Boffo! Bar - Oct. 9, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Trader Joe's
Boffo! Bar
Good
Weight: 1.8 oz. (51 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 240 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $0.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Trader Joes, Alameda, CA

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate and Halloween wEEK.

Adults who grew up in the U.S. in the mid- to late-1900s celebrating Halloween by dressing up in ill-fitting costumes and going door-to-door for treats often ended up with a fat sackful of candy after a run through the neighborhood.

And they often ended up suffering from sugar overload after downing several (sometimes full-size) candy bars and sweets if they managed to avoid adult vigilance. (It was easier to do the latter if you grew up in a large, chaotic family. Parents were busy doing triage and picking their battles.)

Most parents now monitor candy intake more closely, but individually-wrapped chocolate candy bars are still a thing, even in petite form.

This week begins with featuring more traditional candy bars and then veers into possible chocolate alternatives.

Today's Boffo! Bar from Trader Joe's (Monrovia, CA) possessed all the traits and flavors of a classic candy bar. At its core, it contained white, fluffy nougat, covered by a layer of caramel and peanuts. And it was coated in milk chocolate. I do love the name "Boffo!"* It makes me wonder why this name hadn't been used before.

*And speaking of the 1900s, Boffo is a term linked with a successful production (movie, play, event) and/or satisfying, deep laughter. Make sure to work this term into your comings and goings this week. People may look puzzled, but you'll all be the better for it.

Note: In my haste, I missed that this bar does contain malted barley, and possible traces of wheat. So, gluten-freers should probably avoid this bar.

Hershey's Snack Bites; Mars Crisper bar - Oct. 8, 2017

Chocolate(s) of the Day: 

Mars Chocolate North America, LLC
Snickers Crisper bar
Good
Weight: 1.41 oz. (40 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 190 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $2.00 for 2 bars
Purchased from: Walgreens, Palo Alto, CA

Hershey's
Snack Bites
Good
Weight: 2.5 oz. (70 g.) in total package of 6 pieces
Calories: 370 calories in 1 package
Cost: $1.99 for 1 package of 6 pieces
Purchased from: Walgreens, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #1 of Chocolate and Halloween wEEK.

Halloween is a big chocolate holiday in the U.S.; and two of the largest chocolate suppliers of Halloween chocolate treats have been Mars Chocolate (Hackettstown, NJ) and The Hershey Company (Hershey, PA)—corporations that continue to dominate the market with brands like Snickers and Reese's, respectively.

And just when you think you've tried every variation on a Snickers bar or a Reese's chocolate and peanut butter offering, new ones materialize on store shelves.

Today's twist on the traditional Snickers bar (called the Crisper bar) contained puffed rice, caramel peanuts and chocolate. The rice added some crispy crunchy texture and bulk to the bar, and it was well balanced and integrated.

Hershey's Snack Bites
Today's chocolate Snack Bites treat from Hershey's consisted of "Snackable Milk Chocolate and Almond Clusters." These roundish, chocolate bites, contained embedded pieces of toasted almond.

These packages were a bit larger than the average snack-sized Halloween bar; but if you want to upsize, there are plenty of traditional treats like this available.

Cadbury - Halloween Screme Eggs - Oct. 7, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Mondelez
Cadbury
Screme Eggs (Halloween)
Good - Good +
Weight: 2.4 oz. (67.9 g.) (estimate) for 2 eggs
Calories: 360 calories (estimate) in 2 eggs
Cost: $2.98 (estimate) for 2 eggs
Purchased from: Safeway, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #7 of Cadbury Chocolate Theme Week.

The first Cadbury chocolate eggs debuted in 1875. They were Easter Eggs. Today's cream-filled milk chocolate eggs looked like Easter eggs. However, these "Screme" eggs were designed for another big chocolate holiday: Halloween.

The hollow chocolate eggs were swaddled in black, purple and green foil, and contained sweet, scary green-colored creme filling. Eeeek. Good fun and tasty sweetness.

*According to the Cadbury website: "The first Cadbury Easter egg was made in 1875. The earliest eggs were made with dark chocolate, and had a smooth, plain surface. They were filled with sugar-coated chocolate drops known as 'dragees'. Later Easter eggs were decorated and had their plain shells enhanced with chocolate piping and marzipan flowers."

Cadbury - Royal Dark Creamy Mint - Oct. 6, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Mondelez
Cadbury Royal Dark Creamy Mint
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.52 oz. (43 g.) / 5.5 oz. (155 g.) in total package
Calories: 220 calories in 1 serving (3 pieces)
Cost: $3.50 for 1 package (2 for $7.00)
Purchased from: Safeway, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #6 of Cadbury Chocolate Theme Week.

Today's individually-wrapped Cadbury Royal Dark Creamy Mint chocolates were the best ones I've tasted so far this week.

Fudgey dark chocolate with a creamy texture and melt surrounded a layer of mint in the middle. The combination worked well.

Cadbury - Royal Dark Salted Caramel - Oct. 5, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Mondelez
Cadbury Royal Dark Salted Caramel
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.52 oz. (43 g.) / 5.5 oz. (155 g.) in total package
Calories: 200 calories in 1 serving (3 pieces)
Cost: $3.50 for 1 package (2 for $7.00)
Purchased from: Safeway, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #5 of Cadbury Chocolate Theme Week.

Today's Cadbury Royal Dark Salted Caramel, individually-wrapped 2-bite sized, chocolates from Mondelez were distributed in the U.S. by The Hershey Company (Hershey, PA).

These Royal Dark small 2-square, rectangular chocolates smelled like sweet, dark chocolate. They also contained milk.* A silken, smooth melt and texture was due, in part, to the inclusion of both cocoa butter and milk fat.

A tasty salted caramel filling oozed out with every bite.

*The chocolates were made with semi-sweet chocolate (sugar, chocolate, cocoa butter, milk fat, natural and artificial flavors, lecithin (soy), milk).

Cadbury - Dairy Milk English Toffee - Oct. 4, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Mondelez
Cadbury Dairy Milk English Toffee
Good
Weight: 1.27 oz. (36 g.) / 5.4 oz. (153 g.) in total package
Calories: 190 calories in 1 serving (3 pieces)
Cost: $3.50 for 1 package (2 for $7.00)
Purchased from: Safeway, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #4 of Cadbury Chocolate Theme Week.

Today's Cadbury chocolates were individually-wrapped Dairy Milk English Toffee miniature "bars" (from Mondelez International/U.K.), distributed by The Hershey Company (Hershey, PA).

These two-square rectangles of milk chocolate, packaged for portability and convenience, contained a relatively low percent of cocoa solids. However, the bits of English toffee (with almonds and salt) embedded in the chocolate were rich enough to lift the tasting experience.