Ahh, nothing makes me feel as warm on a cold night - or day - than a comforting mug of hot chocolate. It’s definitely something I stock in my pantry this time of year. So, naturally I was curious when I found out Consumer Reports (CR) just rated ten popular ones.
Sensory panelists tasted 10 cocoas prepared according to the directions on the package. They rated two brands as excellent: Ghirardelli and Cacao Reserve. The panelists note both are more expensive than many, and the Ghirardelli cocoas have more calories when prepared with milk, as is recommended.
The panelists also found when they made the Cacao Reserve with milk instead of water, it made the flavor more “milk-chocolaty.” And in the lower-rated brands, adding milk added flavor and “covered some defects” like the thin consistency the panelists noticed.
The complete ratings (per 6 or 8 ounce serving) include the cost and calories of the cocoa mix plus any extras called for in the recipes, e.g. milk and sugar. Here’s the list in order of overall quality:
EXCELLENT: Full, rich, thick, flavorful, chocolaty, with a big dairy flavor
- Ghirardelli Double Chocolate: 262 calories, 6.3 grams of fat, 63-cents
- Cacao Reserve Mayan Blend by Hershey’s: 140 calories, 2 grams of fat, 53-cents
VERY GOOD: Swiss Miss more chocolaty, Hershey’s more milky
- Swiss Miss Dark Chocolate Sensation (CR Best Buy): 150 calories, 3.5 grams of fat, 28-cents
- Hershey’s Cocoa (CR Best Buy): 159 calories, 3.5 grams of fat, 33-cents
GOOD: Some thin, mild, or oily; some reddish. Marshmallows or whipped cream would help
- Swiss Miss Milk Chocolate: 120 calories, 2.5 grams of fat, 22-cents
- Land O’Lakes Cocoa Classics Supreme: 140 calories, 3.5 grams of fat, 64-cents
- Droste Holland Cocoa: 185 calories, 6.8 grams of fat, 60-cents
- Hershey’s Good Night Kisses Milk Chocolate: 150 calories, 3 grams of fat, 49-cents
- Nestle Rich Chocolate: 80 calories, 3 grams of fat, 26-cents
- Nestle Milk Chocolate: 80 calories, 2.5 grams of fat, 24-cents
The bottom line from Consumer Reports: “You can’t go wrong with the excellent Ghirardelli or Cacao Reserve. Two very good, less-expensive alternatives are Swiss Miss Dark Chocolate Sensation and Hershey’s Cocoa.”
Okay, so I have to admit - my usual hot chocolate of choice is near the bottom of this ratings barrel and I feel like I’m missing out on some delicious cocoa. The trade-off - I am saving myself some calories. But is the temptation of tastier hot chocolate worth it? Maybe… in moderation, of course.
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