One of my very favorite gifts to receive is a box of chocolate covered strawberries. Because our closest Godiva is at the airport, I end up getting them delivered. However, I recently discovered that not all chocolate covered strawberries are the same.

I’m not going to name names, but I think this is important information. The last time that you shopped online for chocolate covered strawberries, what was the actual description of the product. Did it include the word “chocolate”? I’ve been noticing that many of them don’t. Most say things like “hand dipped strawberries” or “covered strawberries.” Chocolate isn’t mentioned when you look closely. Why is that? Because it isn’t real chocolate and the FDA won’t allow them to say “chocolate covered” unless they truly are.

I talked to the owner of ccberries.com to get the scoop. Apparently most companies use a candy coating rather than chocolate. In order to be called “chocolate,” the coating must contain cocoa butter…and a lot of cheaper coatings do now. Instead, they use vegetable oil. Yuck!

So if you are looking for chocolate covered strawberries this Valentine’s Day, get your facts straight and make sure that you are getting what you pay for. Read descriptions of products called “hand dipped strawberries” carefully and check out their ingredients. Find sites like ccberries.com that actually sell the real deal.

I recently launched a new website that will focus on one of my true passions in life, chocolate!! When I was trying to figure out what I might be an expert in, I was having a difficult time coming up with anything. Then it hit me–I am an expert in chocolate. Not the kind of expert that goes to school. But an expert in experimenting and learning.

If you are a chocolate fan as well, come check out my new site: www.chocolatepicnic.com.