It’s Valentine’s Day, and by now, many people have unwrapped boxes of chocolates - but how much of this beloved treat goes uneaten and wasted?– but how much of this beloved treat ends up forgotten and wasted?
Surplus food app, Too Good To Go, is on a mission to reduce food waste and is sharing three essential tips to keep your chocolates delicious for longer. Chocolate is a Valentine’s Day staple, with over half of Irish households treating themselves or a loved one to a box last year. Sales are rising too - up €1.7 million year-on-year - as more people indulge in this sweet tradition to share the love.
Machaela O’Leary, Sales Manager at Too Good To Go Ireland, says: “Receiving chocolates on Valentine’s day is always a sweet treat, but food waste is a growing issue that we can easily tackle with small changes. By storing chocolate correctly and being mindful of how we store it, we can enjoy more and waste less.This Valentine’s Day, show love not just to your partner, but to your chocolates too! Follow these simple storage tips to keep them fresher for longer and help cut down on food waste.”
Top Tips to Store Your Chocolate Properly
1. Skip the Fridge – Keep it Cool and Dark:
It’s a debate as old as time: should chocolate go in the fridge? The answer is a firm no. Chocolate absorbs odors and humidity, which can affect its texture and taste. Instead, store it in a cool, dark place, (like a kitchen cupboard), away from direct sunlight. If you have a wine fridge, the top shelf (14-16°C) is an ideal temperature to keep it perfectly tempered.
2. Dark Chocolate Lasts Longer Than You Think!
Chocolate doesn’t spoil quickly, but its quality does decline over time. Milk chocolate typically has an 18-month shelf life, while white chocolate lasts about 12 months. If you want a longer-lasting treat, opt for dark chocolate, which can stay in great condition for years when stored correctly. If your chocolate develops a white ‘bloom’, don’t worry – this is just the cocoa butter or sugar surfacing due to temperature changes. It might look different, but it’s still perfectly safe to eat!
3. Leftover Chocolate? Get Creative!
If you find yourself with leftover chocolate (or an unexpected surplus of Valentine’s treats), get creative instead of letting it go to waste. Melt it into hot chocolate, chop it into brownies, or even stir dark chocolate into chilli con carne or gravy to add depth and richness. Small swaps like this help reduce waste while adding delicious twists to your recipes.
Too Good To Go is dedicated to empowering consumers and businesses to fight food waste. By using the Too Good To Go app, you can rescue Surprise Bags of surplus food, including chocolate, at a fraction of the price while helping to reduce environmental impact.
Join the fight against food waste with the Too Good To Go app! Find surplus chocolates, doughnuts, and more from local retailers like Off Beat Donuts, Aldi, SuperValu, and Grá Chocolates. Whether for friends, family, or a loved one, it’s a delicious way to celebrate Valentine’s Day while preventing waste.
Visit toogoodtogo.com/en-ie for more.
Slán go fóill.