Feb 1 is National Dark Chocolate Day

February 1, 2023, is National Dark Chocolate day. Dark chocolate is generally less sweet and smooth compared to milk chocolate. 

Trina Dodge, an Arrowhead Math teacher, says,“Dark chocolate to me is how chocolate should taste without the sugar and flavoring to make it milk chocolate instead.” 

As of Jan. 31, 2023, dark chocolate was not available in the Arrowhead school store, the Hawksnest, but many other chocolate candies were. Butterfinger, Charleston Chew, KitKat, M&Ms, Reeses, Snickers, Tootsie Rolls, and Twix bars are sold at Arrowhead’s North Campus School Store. All of the chocolates are $1.50 except for the tootsie rolls which are 10 cents a piece. The school store is located in Arrowhead North campus cafeteria and open _______. 

Brock Rumohr, an Arrowhead Art teacher, says, “Dark chocolate is less sweet and more of a unique flavor.”

The Nutrition Source, a website from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, says, “Dark chocolate contains 50-90% cocoa solids, cocoa butter, and sugar, whereas milk chocolate contains anywhere from 10-50% cocoa solids, cocoa butter, milk in some form, and sugar.”

Students and teachers at Arrowhead have conflicting opinions about which type of chocolate is best: white chocolate, dark chocolate, or milk chocolate. 

Rumohr says, “Milk chocolate is the best (type of chocolate).” 

Dodge says, “I am a dark chocolate a holic.”

Dark chocolate’s flavor is used for baking and cooking. 

Dodge says, “I don’t usually bake with it — I have a lot of snacks with dark chocolate — dark chocolate hummus, dark chocolate covered almond and pretzels, etc. And I love to give those as gifts as well.”

According to Restaurant Clicks, many popular chocolate brands are Lindt, Nestle, Hershey’s, Milka, Mars, Cadbury, Godiva, Dove, and Ghirardelli.

Rumohr says, “Ghirardelli is a really good brand that I like.”

Dodge says, “I am a Ghiradelli fan big time.”