If you’ve ever been food shopping before (and I think all of us have!), chances are freshness is an important factor when you are buying produce, baked goods, meats, and dairy products. But most people don’t give the same thought to freshness when buying chocolate – in fact, freshness may have never crossed your mind until this very moment..and we think it should. Many mass produced chocolates are made with additives and preservatives, not only to add flavor, but to extend the chocolate’s shelf life. Unfortunately, the customer ends up sacrificing quality and increases the amount of artificial ingredients going into their body as a result.

But the reality is that all-natural ingredients and fresh product do make a big difference in improving the chocolate tasting experience. So if you’re a true lover of chocolate, we have some suggestions and encourage you to alter your buying habits (just a little) to reap the benefits! Here are a couple of simple things you can do: (Please note, expiration varies even with all natural products – truffles filled other ingredients will be different then solid bars..we’ll go into more detail in later blogs).

1. Seek out chocolate artisans who are committed to making small-batch chocolate using traditional methods.
2. If you can’t find a local shop that promotes artisan chocolate, you may want to shop online. Be sure that the chocolate boutique you are buying from highlights fresh, fine chocolates, made with natural ingredients and no preservatives.
3. If you do plan to buy chocolate online, make sure that the standards for chocolate delivery will ensure the integrity and freshness of the chocolate.

Keep an eye out for an upcoming entry where we will delve into the characteristics of fresh chocolate!