Category: chocolate

HaPPi Oat Mil Chocolate Advent Calendar

advent calendar, Children, chocolate, eco friendly, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gluten Free, Plastic free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Disclaimer : We received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review but all words and opinions are our own

A fun way to count down the days to Christmas is with an advent calendar and these days there so many different ones to choose from. When you have food allergies and intolerances though, the choice of chocolate calendars is very restricted, so I was really pleased to be able to try an oat milk chocolate advent calendar from HaPPi Choc.

The calendar has a fun Christmas bauble design on the front with 24 numbered doors to help you count down to the big day. Behind each door you will find a delicious Salted Caramel, Plain Milk or Orange oat milk chocolate wrapped chocolate. The chocolate is suitable for Vegans and is also gluten, soya & palm oil free, as well as dairy, egg & nut free so it is the perfect choice for anyone with a food intolerance or who eats a plant based diet.

Lower in sugar than other chocolate brands HaPPi chocolate is sustainably sourced with their cacao purchased directly from Luker, a Columbian family owned business and co-operative. HaPPi are 100% ethically driven and work closely with a network of farmers, alliances and communities to improve social welfare, biodiversity and farming practices and their oat milk chocolate is made using single origin 47% Colombian cacao and oat milk.

In line with HaPPi’s sustainable ethos all the packaging is recyclable with the calendar containing no plastic at all. The inner tray that contains the chocolates is made from cardboard rather than plastic which is fantastic, I’ve been trying to reduce my plastic use this year so it’s great to have an eco-friendly advent calendar this year. HaPPi also give 1% of their annual net sales revenue to good causes and mental health organisations so buying a HaPPi advent calendar helps lots of other people too.

With smooth creamy chocolates no one needs to miss out on a chocolate advent calendar this year.

Divine Deliciously Smooth 70% Dark Chocolate Advent Calendar and Joyful Caramel, Hazelnut and Candied Orange Chocolate Bar

advent calendar, Children, chocolate, Christmas, eco friendly, Family Life, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Home, Vegan, Vegetarian

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

The world is divided into those who love dark chocolate and those who detest it. I am definitely a lover of dark chocolate, and the higher cocoa content the better so this 70% advent calendar from Divine was mine for the taking. Plus, I’m never one to pass up the opportunity to try chocolate, so when it came with Divine’s Joyful Christmas chocolate in caramel, hazelnut and candied orange flavour, there was no stopping me!

The advent calendar is packed with 24 windowed chocolate pieces, one for every day of advent up until Christmas Eve.  The calendar itself is beautiful, in black packaging to illustrate the dark chocolate and brightly coloured with decorations and figures of the farmers who product the cocoa. Unlike other calendars, this one is vegan too.

Every bar of Divine Chocolate helps to directly change the lives of cocoa farmers around the world. Divine Chocolates are made with only Fairtrade cocoa and sugar, so the majority of the ingredients are sourced from the right farmers who are given the right compensation. That alone should make you feel good about buying Divine Chocolate but it doesn’t stop there. All of the flavours and ingredients are natural, and they use only 100% pure cocoa butter. Additionally, Divine are helping to save the environment and habitations too by using NO palm oil.

This is an advent calendar clearly children will enjoy but adults will too, and anyone with a conscience will appreciate that somewhere in Ghana, there is a farmer and his family whose life will be improved by you supporting Divine Chocolate.

What is the Joyful chocolate like though? As a special edition for Christmas, this chocolate is 45% cocoa so a higher amount than typical milk chocolate without being bitter. You can feel the texture of the hazelnut filling and there are lovely pieces of caramel to give it the slightly sticky, sweet taste too. I can’t say that the orange flavour is very strong, so if you’re a fan of citrus or candied orange then this isn’t overpowering. The whole bar is a grown-up way of celebrating Christmas though, and very moreish. I would suggest this is a good treat for when you’re Christmas shopping, or to have one dark evening after dinner. If you give chocolate and money as gifts to adults, I would recommend the Divine Joyful Christmas Chocolate every time, but don’t expect it to last past Boxing Day!

Advent calendar available for £5 from Ocado, Whole Foods, Oxfam and online at: https://www.divinechocolate.com/product/divine-dark-70-chocolate-advent-calendar

Joyful Christmas Chocolate bar available for £4.50: https://www.divinechocolate.com/product/divine-joyful-christmas-bar-180g

Divine Seriously Smooth Milk Chocolate Advent Calendar

advent calendar, Children, chocolate, Christmas, Family Life, Food & Drink, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, Home, Stocking Fillers

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

Chocolate is no longer just for children, nor is it the over-farmed, unfair trade that it used to be, or at least it doesn’t have to be if you choose the right retailer. Divine Chocolate is co-owned by cocoa farmers to give them a better deal on their wares plus improves the standard of the chocolate. It’s a win/win for everyone and their 2023 advent calendars are no exception!

We were sent two to try, the first one being the Seriously Smooth Milk Chocolate Advent Calendar. With 24 days (or nights if you’re being pedantic) of chocolate to taste, it’s the usual size and structure of an advent calendar. Slightly larger than A4 size, it can be posted and most of it is recyclable due to the cardboard involved.  The windows open to reveal a Christmas-themed chocolate which appeals to both children and adults.  Nothing complicated about that? Well there isn’t anything complicated, it’s just that the chocolate has secret powers… Secret powers to change lives. Let me explain more.

Every bar of Divine Chocolate helps to directly change the lives of cocoa farmers around the world. Divine Chocolates are made with only Fairtrade cocoa and sugar, so the majority of the ingredients are sourced from the right farmers who are given the right compensation. That alone should make you feel good about buying Divine Chocolate but it doesn’t stop there. All of the flavours and ingredients are natural, and they use only 100% pure cocoa butter. Additionally, Divine are helping to save the environment and habitations too by using NO palm oil.

What is the chocolate like though? Well as you would imagine, it’s smooth milk chocolate, and it has a more authentic chocolate taste because it has pure cocoa butter and contains no palm oil. No substitutions mean that it’s a richer, smoother chocolate both in texture and taste.

This is an advent calendar clearly children will enjoy but adults will too, and anyone with a conscience will appreciate that somewhere in Ghana, there is a farmer and his family whose life will be improved by you supporting Divine Chocolate.

Available for £5 from Ocado, Whole Foods, Oxfam and online at: https://www.divinechocolate.com/product/divine-milk-chocolate-advent-calendar