The Best Chocolates for Valentine’s Day

Courtesy of onwardstate.com

Courtesy of onwardstate.com

Masooma Haider, Writer for the Bottom Line

Seeing as it is almost that time of year again, you may be wondering what gift to select for that someone special of yours. Supermarkets are overflowing with a plethora of attractive options, so it is not a surprise that most are confused about what to select. In this scenario, chocolate is the easiest option, not to mention the most delicious.

However, going to buy chocolate presents another dilemma. All chocolate is divided into seven different types: milk, dark, unsweetened, bittersweet, semi-sweet, white and compound. Of these types, America has over a hundred chocolate brands available to choose from. Furthermore, 36 million heart-shaped boxes of chocolate are projected to be sold for Valentine’s Day this year. The fundamental question: which chocolate box do you pick?

Considering this chocolate is a gift for a deserving person (who may just be yourself), you would want to select the best chocolate brand, of course. Many organizations have conducted research on America’s favorite chocolate brands throughout the years. According to 24/7 Wall Street, America’s favorite chocolate bar is the Snickers bar. Closely following it in most units sold annually are M&M’s and Reese’s Cups, America’s second and third favorites, respectively.

While these brands are proven favorites, they may not be the most sophisticated of choices. If your gift requires a little more taste and touch, consider the top “quality” brands that have ranked best in regards to popular “passion” and “love” for, according to NetBase. The third place spot on this list goes to Lindt chocolates, and second place goes to Dove. The overall best chocolate brand seems to be Ferrero Rocher, the popular producer of Nutella chocolate hazelnut spread. Also, on the list is Ghirardelli, especially noted for its sea salt and caramel chocolates, as well as its peppermint flavored treats.

In case you are willing to spend a little more this Valentine’s Day, the Huffington Post pulled together the best of the best chocolates to indulge on. Third place in top tier chocolate brands are L.A. Burdick Chocolate Penguins, which are adorable penguin shaped chocolates that come in an elegant wood box. Second place goes to Vosges Haut-Chocolat Noir Collection, a name that itself suggests the finesse of these chocolates. Finally, the overall winner of best chocolate out of the bests of all brands of chocolate is La Maison Du Chocolat, a French based chocolatier that is considered the best chocolate producer in the entire world by many polls.

Depending on your budget, there are a wide variety of brands ranked best in their categories that you can choose from next time you look for that perfect gift. At the end of the day, research seems to agree that even a Snickers bar will be appreciated by your favorite person come February 14th.