The list of items I want to find in my stocking is short. So short, in fact, that I could trim it down to the very essentials with one word: chocolate. (some links below are affiliate links)
Sure, okay, I’ll take a piece of fruit and some nuts, for the sake of tradition, and go ahead, knock yourself out, toss in a fun lip balm or a bamboo toothbrush to spice up my life. I won’t complain.
But, really, at the end of the day, I’m here for the chocolate.
Luckily, I happen to be the person in charge of stuffing all the stockings in my family, so I can make my chocolate dreams come true relatively easily. Sure, the magic is lost a little when you know what’s in your stocking already, but when your stocking is jam-packed with all your favorite fair trade, organic, single-origin, fancy pants chocolates? It’s really not all that bad, at all.
If you’re like me and think stockings are really just socks built to hold chocolate, you’re going to love this list of stocking stuffer ideas. Hint: they’re all chocolate.
And, since I’m me, the chocolate options below are all made by companies doing chocolate right-that is to say, there’s no Hershey’s chocolate here. Just full flavor, high quality, earth-and-people-friendly companies whose values align with mine. Oh yeah, they’re all pretty darn tasty, too.
I definitely lean towards the super dark end of the chocolate spectrum, but I’ve included lots of options for milk, semi-sweet, and dark chocolate here, because I think everyone should be able to receive the chocolate-filled stocking of their dreams. There’s even some white chocolate on the list because white chocolate lovers need good chocolate too!
Go forth and spread chocolate love to the world, friends!
HU KITCHEN
why I love it: small batch, handmade, coconut sugar sweetened chocolate with BOLD flavor; made with organic, fair-trade cacao; entire line is vegan and paleo-friendly
favorite flavors: Cashew Butter + Pure Vanilla Bean Dark Chocolate Bar; Salty Dark Chocolate Bar; Cashew Butter + Raspberry Jelly Dark Chocolate Bar
EQUAL EXCHANGE
why I love it: every ingredient is grown on organic, fair trade certified, democratically organized farmer cooperatives worldwide. farmers get adobe-market premiums for their products and are always put first. their chocolate is made by master chocolatiers in Switzerland and is always perfectly smooth, rich, and creamy. I love that they’re an alternative company that produces traditional-style chocolate, so it’s approachable for everyone! Also, their packaging always has a picture and information about the farmer who grew the cocoa/sugarcane/etc, that I love reading while I snack on their chocolate!
favorite flavors: Organic Panama Extra Dark Chocolate (80%); Organic Milk Chocolate (43%); Organic Dark Chocolate With Lemon, Ginger & Black Pepper; Dark Chocolate Minis (55%)
ALTER ECO
why I love it: they have fun flavors, invest in farmers, the planet, and sustainability, and use 100% compostable, plastic-free, toxin-free candy wrappers for their truffles, and packaging made from plant-based, renewable, non-GMO materials for their bagged products like quinoa.
favorite flavors: Dark Salted Burnt Caramel Bar (70%); Deep Dark Blackout Bar (85%); Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Truffles; Dark Chocolate Salted Caramel Truffles
LOVING EARTH
why I love it: they have such fun flavors, use only organic, vegan ingredients + single-origin cacao which has been grown by the Ashaninka community, in the remote forest at the source of the Amazon River in Peru. All their bars have been sweetened with sustainably harvested coconut sugar, and their white chocolate (aka caramel chocolate) has a gorgeous golden hue from the coconut sugar. This chocolate literally melts in your mouth…it’s so good! Bonus: their packaging is 100% compostable.
favorite flavors: Organic Salted Caramel Chocolate (this is their ‘white chocolate’); Creamy Coconut Mylk Chocolate; Lemon Caramel Cheesecake Chocolate Bar (another ‘white chocolate’ bar)
LIVING RAW
why I love it: Living Raw is owned by a small family in Tennessee who believes in the nourishing power of raw, organic, quality foods. They source all of their ingredients ethically (and are strong advocates for crafting chocolate that is child and slave-labor free), and use only raw, organic, fair-trade ingredients. Their chocolate is coconut sugar sweetened, vegan, and has an intense, full-bodied chocolate flavor profile (even the milk chocolate bars are quite intense, which we love!), and they are the only chocolate bars on the market that have a single ingredient (just whipped maple syrup!!) caramel…it’s so incredibly good!
favorite flavors: Maple Caramel Dark Bar (60%); Dark Bar (60%); Coconut Milk Bar (45%); Original Power Mint Patty (like a peppermint patty but better!)
ENDANGERED SPECIES
why I love it: their chocolate is consistently smooth, creamy, and flavorful; they have a wide range of flavor and cocoa percentage options, and 10% of their net profits are donated to wildlife conservation programs worldwide! They are also fair trade and organic certified.
favorite flavors:Dark Chocolate (88%); Milk Chocolate (48%); Dark Chocolate With Salted Peanuts (60%); Dark Chocolate with Espresso Beans (72%)
DIVINE CHOCOLATE
why I love it: their chocolate is made from cocoa grown by family farmers in Ghana, Africa’s Kuapa Kokoo Cooperative; divine empower women by ensuring that they are given an equal opportunity to become cocoa farmers, seek education, and earn an income for their families. Their chocolate is also incredibly rich, smooth, full-flavored, and is sold in a 3.5oz bar, which is larger than most, and nearly double the size of many others on this list!.
favorite flavors: Milk Chocolate with Toffee and Sea Salt (38%); Exquisitely Rich Dark Chocolate (85%); Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Truffle Bar