Valentine’s Day is a special occasion for many people. Adults and kids alike display their affection by gifting red hearts, flowers, and delicious chocolates. If you’re planning to give a gift this Valentine’s Day, the chocolate you choose can definitely have an impact on how well your gift is received. Follow these tips to find the best chocolate for Valentine’s Day, and ensure that your special someone will be impressed and feel loved.

We’ll begin by talking briefly about the best and most popular types of gifts that are given, then we’ll explain how to decide between flavors of chocolate.

Best Chocolate for Valentine’s Day: Heart-shaped Gift Boxes

Heart-shaped gift boxes are a great gift no matter what’s on the inside. These gifts look great, have a classic and upscale vibe, and often contain high quality chocolates made with Valentine’s day favorites. Their festive design is iconic, and many people have dreamed of receiving one from their significant other.

Valentine’s Day is a time to showcase love and commitment to a relationship. Giving a heart-shaped gift box fits the theme of love perfectly. Best of all, chocolate also symbolizes love, commitment, and respect towards someone else. This means the packaging, the chocolates inside, and the symbolism are in line to make for a gift that is perfect for the season. 

Another way to give a great gift is by giving a personalized gift. This is just a general gift giving idea, but it holds true for this time of year. You can personalize the message with the gift box to make it extra special, some places allow you to personalize the exact contents or even images on the chocolate, or you can send an additional customized gift. Everyone loves receiving something that is thought out and specifically for them, and personalized gifts are the best way to do that. 

It may be the thought that counts, but you should certainly try to control the actual quality of the gift. When it comes to chocolate, you can definitely control the quality based on where you buy.

How to Find the Highest Quality Chocolate

In order to find the best chocolate for Valentine’s Day, look to buy something that can satisfy all these traits of great chocolate:

Freshness

This should be fairly obvious, but finding chocolate that is fresh is incredibly important. Make sure that the chocolate has been made recently and with the finest ingredients possible. Avoid getting stale chocolates by finding something that has been made with care. Big brands can sometimes be a concern here, and the same can be said of chocolates in grocery stores. Generally Valentine’s themed chocolates won’t be too old because it is a short Holiday season, but it is still something to watch out for, especially if you’re not getting chocolates that are themed. 

Chocolate is also unlikely to last long if it isn’t stored properly. Chocolate and candy shops know this, and will usually keep their extra products stored effectively. Ensure freshness by buying from someone who specializes in sweets. 

Made Specifically for Valentine’s Day

In order to increase the chances of getting freshness, stick with chocolates that were made specifically for Valentine’s Day. These are more likely to be made recently, and will also include flavors that are more popular around this time of year. Trust the chocolatiers to know what your special someone is most likely to want, as their sales numbers in past years is generally a pretty good implication. This means chocolate shops will be including seasonal favorites in Valentine’s boxes. 

This meaningful time of year also leads to improved gift wrapping and a better ability to send your own message. This means chocolate gifts made with Valentine’s Day in mind are more likely to be a cherished gift. 

Nicely Wrapped and Packaged

Why bother struggling to wrap an oddly shaped box when you can get something that is already prepared to look stunning and festive? Finding a nicely packaged gift will help make for a memorable gift. An added benefit of finding nicely packaged chocolates is it means the chocolate makers care about making a great gift. If they know how important the quality of the packaging is, they likely also care about the quality of the product inside. 

Sealed Tightly

A general tip for finding high quality chocolate is that the wrapper should be sealed tight. Exposure to warm, humid air can affect the sugar and other ingredients in the chocolate, altering the appearance and perhaps the taste. Something that is tightly sealed will maintain its freshness for longer, and will be in optimal condition when your special someone opens their gift. 

Cocoa is High On the List of Ingredients

When you look at the ingredients list on the chocolate, cocoa should be high on the list. While cocoa (including its derivatives cocoa butter, cocoa liquor, cocoa solids, cocoa mass, etc.) doesn’t have to be the first ingredient on the list, higher quality chocolates will have a higher percentage of cocoa than cheap brands. 

It’s important to remember that too much cocoa can create a bitter taste, and the amount of cocoa changes based on the type of chocolate. When buying dark chocolate, look for something with about 50-60% cocoa. Milk chocolate, meanwhile, should have closer to 20-25% cocoa. Evaluating cocoa content is critical to finding the best chocolate for Valentine’s Day, as cheap brands have more superfluous ingredients. 

Melt in your Mouth

The ability to melt in your mouth is a great sign for the quality of chocolates. Lucky you, this means you might have to test out some chocolates before buying the perfect gift (if you have the time). Melting in your mouth is a key sign of quality because cocoa butter (a main ingredient of chocolate) has a very unique melting point. It starts to get soft at 85 degrees (Fahrenheit), and melts at about 93 degrees. Good chocolate will start to soften in your hand, and will begin to dissolve when you eat it. Chocolates that are lower quality will have extra ingredients that will alter the melting point. 

The Right Flavor of Chocolate

Most important to finding the best chocolate for Valentine’s Day is finding the flavor that will be most loved. Try to find out the preferences of the person you’re buying for, mainly regarding whether they prefer milk, dark, or white chocolate, and whether or not they like things like nuts in their candies. If you aren’t able to get any information and don’t want to take a guess, you can always find a selection with a variety of flavors, or try to speak to an expert chocolatier. Tell them which foods they like the most, and they might be able to identify their flavor profile and help you make an educated guess. 

Abdallah’s Best Chocolate for Valentine’s Day

Sticking with family owned shops is always a big recommendation, as it increases the chances of finding high quality chocolate that is made with care, stored correctly, and features the finest of ingredients. Our fourth generation family owned chocolate shop take great pride in our ability to create smiles will our chocolate Valentine’s gifts. Anyone hoping to find the best chocolate for Valentine’s Day is welcome to search through our featured Valentine’s Day selection, which satisfy every trait of great chocolate! They’re all fresh, made specifically for the season, packaged beautifully and sealed tight, and are made with the finest ingredients possible to melt in your mouth. Happy shopping, and happy Valentine’s Day!