Tasty Tidbits About Chocolate:

Who Knew?

©Only the United States, Canada, Mexico, France, Australia and the United Kingdom celebrate Valentine’s Day.

©Seven billion pounds of chocolate and candy are manufactured each year in the United States.

©Americans spent $1.09 billion on candy for Valentine’s Day 2003, according to the National Confectioners Association. Valentine’s Day ranks fourth in candy sales, after Halloween, Easter, and the Thanksgiving through New Years holidays.

©Chocolate is America’s favorite flavor. A survey by The Chocolate Manufacturers Association revealed that 52 percent of US adults said they like chocolate best. The second favorite flavor was a tie (at 12 percent each) between berry flavors and vanilla.

©Only the United States, Canada, Mexico, France, Australia and the United Kingdom celebrate Valentine’s Day.

©More than 36 million heart-shaped boxes of chocolate were sold in 2003 for Valentine’s Day, according to The Chocolate Manufacturers Association.

©Americans’ average per capita consumption of candy is 24 pounds, a large portion of which is consumed around Valentine’s Day. Candy consumption has actually declined the last few years: four years earlier, each American ate more than 27 pounds a year.

©The Midwest and the Northeast consume more candy per region than the South, Southwest, West or Mid-Atlantic states.

©The melting point of cocoa butter is just below the human body temperature, which is why it literally melts in your mouth.

©Older children are significantly more likely to prefer chocolate than younger children (59 percent of 9-11-year olds prefer chocolate vs 46 percent of 6-8-year olds), according to a recent Chocolate Manufacturers Association/National Confectioners Association survey.

©Americans over 18 years of age consume 65 percent of the candy that’s produced each year.

©US chocolate manufacturers use 40 percent of the almonds produced in the United States and 25 percent of domestic peanuts.

©According to a recent survey conducted by Chocolate Manufacturers Association/National Confectioners Association, candy is the No. 1 choice among children for afternoon snacking.

©Younger children are more likely than older children to prefer hard candies.

©About 65 percent of America’s candy brands have been around for more than 50 years.