The 10 Best Grocery Chains For Buying Chocolate

True chocolate connoisseurs stand up -– this one's for you. If you're in the mood for smooth, rich, chocolatey perfection but aren't always quite sure whether you're getting the best deal (or quality), we've got you covered. Chocolate isn't hard to come across, but getting the right kind at the right price can be. Finding chocolate brands with the highest quality ingredients is one thing. But the convenience of grabbing some while grocery shopping is even better. And though we know nearly every grocery store chain carries chocolate, there are certain supermarkets that may be more worth your visit (and hard-earned dollar) than others.

We'll break down some of the best grocery stores to buy chocolate based on a few criteria. We've dug deep and have found a few markets with super clean chocolate grabs, some with the cheapest price points, and others with an overall great selection. You'll also find quite a few grocery chains that sell shockingly delicious chocolate under their own private label names.

Excited yet? You should be! There's plenty of chocolatey goodness out there, and we've done the work to reveal which grocery chains are offering it at its best. Let's get into it.

Read more: Huge Mistakes Everyone Makes When Shopping At Sam's Club

Kroger

We know from experience the goodness that Kroger holds when it comes to its chocolate, and it's actually one of the chain's in-house brands that we love most. Kroger, and other stores associated with the company (i.e., Pick 'n Save, Dillons, King Soopers, Smith's Food and Drug, etc.), has a wide range of offerings from its generic brand lines, Simple Truth and Private Selection. And though both brands of chocolate are quite delicious, it's the Private Selection variety that really has us swooning.

Choose from a variety of scrumptiously paired Private Selection chocolate flavors, including the 72% Cacao Dark Chocolate Cranberry Orange & Honey Granules Swiss Bar, 72% Cacao Dark Chocolate Almond Blueberry Swiss Bar, and Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramels. If you're more of a chocolate purist and would prefer not to have it infused with so many eclectic flavors, don't worry. Private Selection still has you covered. Its 72% Cacao Dark Chocolate Swiss Bar is worth trying, with a shockingly smooth taste and an even more appealing price tag of only $2.79 for a 3.5-ounce bar in our area.

Apart from Kroger-branded chocolate finds, rest assured you'll find other brands lining the shelves that are also available for purchase. Kroger has a decent dark chocolate selection, with favorite brands like Endangered Species frequently on sale — sometimes even with multiple coupons. You'll also find your standard Dove, Hershey's, Lindt Lindor, and Ghirardelli brands here — though, this might not be the most budget-friendly place to grab them.

Walmart

Walmart might not be the créme de la créme when it comes to shopping for smooth and sophisticated chocolate brands, especially more obscure ones, but when it comes to your standard chocolate grab, expect to cop them on sale. While this won't always be the case, there are instances in which buying certain brands from Walmart will indeed do your pocketbook some good.

Just look at the comparison between chocolate finds discovered at Kroger versus those found in Walmart. In terms of pricing, there can be a big difference between the two grocers. In the case of Lindt Lindor Milk Chocolate Candy Truffles, we've found the brand to be sold for $8.99 at our nearest Kroger location, while the same brand and size are sold at Walmart for only $7.82 at the time of publication. In the same vein, other brands, like Ghirardelli Milk Chocolate With Caramel Filling Squares, can be purchased at Walmart for $5.12 while stores like Kroger are asking as much as $5.99 for it.

Of course, the pricing reflected here does not consider deals and sales happening at either store, so, by all means, use your coupons and watch the ads. There are also some instances in which some supermarkets may offer chocolate at a steeper discount than Walmart. But that doesn't negate the fact that Walmart tends to trend cheaper when it comes to chocolate, so be sure to keep the retail giant in mind the next time you get the craving.

Publix

Publix may not be the best of the best when it comes to chocolate offerings, but after doing a little digging, we found this market to be better than expected when it comes to tickling our taste buds in the world of chocolate fare. Though every Publix selection will vary, its website features plenty of options ranging from your traditional Hershey's grabs to organic dark chocolate favorites like Theo. The market also is home to Brookside Dark Chocolate flavors including acai and blueberry as well as pomegranate.

Surprisingly, there are some chocolatey finds that may run you even cheaper at Publix than at Walmart. For example, Lindt Lindor Chocolate Truffles at Publix were running $4.99 at the time of publication, with a buy-one-get-one-free deal on top of that. Walmart was selling the same brand and size for $5.12 at the time, making the purchase at Publix a much better option. It's worth mentioning that this isn't always the case, as certain chocolate brands definitely ran higher than the same brands at its Walmart competitor. Still, when you're able to score a deal like the buy-one-get-one-free chocolate sale at Publix on top of already low prices on certain grabs, be sure to jump on it — it just might save you a little cash.

Costco

At Costco, not only will you reap the benefits of abnormally large-sized chocolate goods, but you'll also get a chance to sample some pretty delicious chocolatey options coming from the store's generic brand known as Kirkland. Fans rave over items like Kirkland Signature Milk Chocolate Almonds and Kirkland Signature Milk Chocolate Raisins. Get the former in a 3-pound canister, and snag the chocolate-covered raisins in a 3.4-pound portion.

Looking for decadent, melty chocolate chips? Costco has those too. Kirkland's Signature Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips are hailed as some of the yummiest chocolate chips available, and for a 4.5-pound bag, we think it's more than plausible to stuff your next batch of homemade chocolate chip cookies full of them.

In addition to Kirkland-branded chocolate items, you can also expect to get your hands on some classic brands as well. Hershey's, Lindt Lindor, Ferrero Rocher, and more can all be found in bulk sizes. Costco also sells bags full of old-school chocolatey favorites, with miniature packs of M&Ms, Twix, Snickers, and more, all in a 90-ounce bag for $22.99 at the time of publication. Yes, please!

Aldi

If you've ever been to Aldi, you likely know that it features quite a few special chocolate brands that you aren't likely to find in other grocery store chains. Choceur, for example, has got the masses quite impressed, with some stating that the chocolate has become among their top favorites. Others fall head over heels for Schogetten, a chocolate made in Germany, which isn't surprising to find considering Aldi's roots in the European country.

Another chocolate brand we love to buy at Aldi is Moser-Roth. There's a wide range of flavors available at Aldi markets, and though the selection may vary by location, we highly recommend sampling the Moser-Roth Dark Sea Salt Caramel Chocolate Bar. Those crunchy little bits of caramel enveloped in smooth and silky dark chocolate is enough to make even the snootiest of chocolate connoisseurs sigh in awe. Other varieties like Moser-Roth dark chili chocolate bar, toffee crunch chocolate bar, dark mint chocolate bar, dark chocolate sea salt bar, and dark orange and almond chocolate bar are all flavors fit for indulgence any time of day. Oh, and don't forget the fact that Aldi is indeed a discount store. Score many of these yummy chocolate finds for $2 or less. Now, that's sweet.

Target

Shopping for essentials and want a little chocolate to soothe your mind? Target's got your back. No, Target isn't technically a grocery store chain, but it does carry groceries, and, most importantly, chocolate. Not only does the famous shopping mart carry chocolate classics like Hershey's, M&M's, Ferrero Rocher, and Dove, but it also has in-house branded chocolate as well. Known as Favorite Day, the brand encompasses all sorts of yummy treats, but in this case, we'd like to make special mention of its chocolate.

From chocolate-covered pretzels to peanut butter milk chocolate candy bars, Favorite Day has a large assortment of chocolate goodies to choose from. And while some chocolate flavors are preferred over others, in general, reviews suggest that most of these cocoa finds taste pretty darn good. According to customers, favorites among the brand seem to be the Dark Chocolate Covered Almonds, Milk Chocolate Covered Mini Grahams, Dark Chocolate with Sea Salt Truffles, and more. Give them a go the next time you shop at the store!

Trader Joe's

Already known for affordable pricing on groceries in general, Trader Joe's is also a great place to grab some pretty amazing chocolate. While you might not find your run-of-the-mill classic chocolate varieties here (Trader Joe's mostly sells its own brand for customers to enjoy), you will be able to sample a variety of different chocolate types. One chocolate variety, The Dark Chocolate Lover's Chocolate Bar, is priced at only $1.99 per 3.5-ounce bar, features 85% cacao, and, according to its label, has no bitter aftertaste commonly associated with dark chocolate types. Fans agree that this particular bar carries with it a definite wow factor, with some denoting it as one of the best chocolate bars they've ever tasted.

Oh, and that's not all. Trader Joe's has a little something for everyone, with some chocolate bars containing no dairy, gluten, or soy. The chain's Oat Chocolate Bars are made with ground oats and rice syrup to achieve the milk chocolate creaminess without the milk. These bars contain minimal ingredients and have quite the fan base from what we can tell from comments on Reddit. And even though your typical Hershey's, Lindt Lindor, and Reese's Cups candies might not be up for sale here, you can still treat your taste buds to different yet tasty options at your local Trader Joe's.

Whole Foods

So many fun brands, so little time! In keeping with its whole foods theme, Whole Foods Market keeps its selection fresh and fun by offering shoppers an eclectic assortment of all sorts of yummy chocolate, many of which have clean, organic, or at least very minimal ingredients. Omnom Chocolate Reykjavik (yeah, we don't know how to pronounce it either) is one such brand, with its chocolate bars made in Iceland that feature mostly organic ingredients and cacao beans often sourced from various locations like the Madagascar version that is described to have notes of citrus, berry, and floral.

If that's not your thing, take a peek at other brands like Lily's chocolate bars, which come sweetened with Stevia and feature low-sugar and low-carb options that make a typically sugar-laden bite a bit lighter and more friendly for those monitoring added sugars. Other brands like Taza Chocolate, Chocolove, and Hu Chocolate are just a few of the wholesome yet totally fun brands you can expect to see on Whole Foods store shelves and online. It's a chocoholic's dream ... get there.

H-E-B

Known as one of the biggest privately held grocery store chains nationwide, H-E-B has plenty of chocolate to go around. And while it may not have stellar pricing when stacked up against places like Walmart on many of its classic Hershey's and M&M's- style buys, the price is comparable and may not always require a special trip to a cheaper-priced store to satisfy your chocolate craving. You can choose from an assortment of decently priced chocolate buys at H-E-B. But that's not all. Be sure to check out the market's own label sold at a marked-down price tag for even better deals.

H-E-B sells several varieties of chocolate under its own brand name. We've found H‑E‑B Milk Chocolate-Covered Pecan Toffees, Dark Chocolate-Covered Sea Salt Caramels, and several darkchocolate bar grabs featuring cacao from Colombia to get you started. The privately held store also features its Central Market Organic brand of chocolate, which sells for a steeper price point but also features organic ingredients. It's still tempting, nonetheless. Thus, if you're lucky enough to find an H-E-B in your area, expect to be able to pick up some tasty chocolate bites. And for the most part, the price won't be too far off from what you'd pay at other steeply discounted marketplaces.

Sam's Club

Last but certainly not least, Sam's Club is another great place to score chocolate, especially if you find yourself blitzing through it on the regular. Unsurprisingly, Sam's Club sells all of your favorite chocolate brands in humongous, where-can-I-store-all-of-this containers. Similar to Costco, Sam's Club features its own Member's Mark chocolate alongside classic brands for the ultimate chocolate selection.

Starting with Member's Mark varieties, Sam's Club has a few decent options. Member's Mark Milk Chocolate Toffee Truffle with Sea Salt has received high marks from fans, with most admirers singing its praises. One reviewer on the store's site even describes these toffee pieces as "heaven on Earth." Member's Mark Dark Chocolate Thins carry with them a similar reputation, featuring almonds and sea salt for the ultimate sweet and salty bite.

As far as traditional chocolate varieties go, expect to get popular brands in bulk sizes at usual Sam's Club bulk prices. Like Costco, the retail giant sells traditional chocolate brands all in one package, meaning you'll be able to snag the likes of Snickers, Twix, Milky Way, and 3 Musketeers candy bars all in one box. No, you won't be able to grab your standard one-and-done chocolate bar here, but if it's a long-term supply of chocolate you're after, Sam's Club is the place to be.

Methodology

In order to determine the best grocery store chains for buying chocolate, we looked at pricing, selection, and general quality. Grocery chains that offered chocolate for bargain buys made the list, but even supermarkets that had more expensive options were given a chance, especially if they offered eclectic, wholesome, or distinctly unique chocolate varieties. Lastly, there were some grocery chains that provided both value and a wide selection of traditional grabs that simply prove a good option when you aren't necessarily looking for anything fancy.

Looking for specific options? Check out our best picks for inexpensive store-bought chocolate bars.

All in all, though, while our list of stores might not be exhaustive, we did our best to include the grocery chains that would get you the best bang for your buck, while also featuring brands that are either traditional, clean, or very high quality. We hope this helps the next time you're looking for a bite of chocolate!

Read the original article on Mashed