Chocolatey Snack Room Treats

Friday, March 6, 2020, is National Employee Appreciation Day!

It is always the 1st Friday in March and can be time for an employer to do something a little extra to show staff that they are valued. Obviously a bigger paycheck would be nice but if you can't do that what about some treats for your employees? I used two coupons at Staples -- one for a free (up to $5) Break Room Item and a $5 off no minimum coupon together to get these three treats at our nearby Staples. Let's check them out.

I got two bags of Lovely treats; a brand I had not seen before.

Dark Chocolate Honey Patties in Mint flavor is a bit weird because I think the honey would overwhelm any additional flavor though it might blend, too, depending on the flavor. This is dark chocolate, the label claims 99% and it has a dark flavor to it with a lot of bitterness on its own. Not a treat for the average person probably. However, the honey center is a good counter when you chew it up and there is a slight mint edge to it. The center is very soft and sweet but it can disappear before the dark chocolate so you might want to warn employees about that before making this a treat in your office. These are gluten-free, dairy free, and have no artificial ingredients.

Milk Chocolate Pretzel Balls look a lot like chocolate covered malted balls, don't they? So you may want to label them if you put them out at work. These are very crunchy and have a lightly salted taste but the milk chocolate coating is a bit waxy in flavor and texture both. The chocolate coating is also very sweet and that sweetness lingers. The difference between the milk and dark chocolate for these Lovely brand treats is starkly different. In terms of allergies and dietary concerns these are gluten-free, have no high fructose corn syrup, are kosher, have no artificial ingredients, and are non-gmo.

We are familiar with Sheila G's here on The Chocolate Cult but we haven't looked much at their Thindulgent line before. I got the Milk Chocolate Bark primarily because it doesn't have tree nuts so I can share with my "employees" who are also my family. Hey, an author who does conventions has roadies but I also have a great frontline editor in my husband, too. The first thing I notice is the discoloration which tells me that Staples was not storing this candy under proper conditions because we see a little sugar bloom. Contrary to what others may say, I think that does affect the flavor. I know from previous experience with Sheila G's that these should be tasty but these are a bit off. You may not be able to toss out products like this if you are operating on a shoestring budget at your business but it should make you think twice about where you buy your goodies.

I'm not sure that Staples is the least expensive way to get snacks for the kitchen or break room or whatever you call at your business. But if you didn't think ahead and want to do something to celebrate National Employee Appreciation Day, think about possible snack items like these that could appeal to an array of different people who work for you.