Sick of filling your kids’ Easter baskets with candy made from
artificial ingredients, nasty food dyes, and synthetic fragrances? Me, too!

That’s why I’ve tracked down the best organic Easter candy to put in your kids’ baskets this year. Read on for links to organic chocolate bunnies, peanut butter cups, jelly beans, and even DIY marshmallow chicks.

But First:

 Don’t Forget: Use Your Big Green Purse to Make a Difference! Why?

This year, 81 percent of Americans are expected to celebrate the holiday, spending a whopping average of $150 per person. That includes $2.6 billion on candy!!! When you shift your spending to healthier, safer, organic products, you support businesses that are trying to do the right thing for people and the planet. You also create incentives for conventional companies to get the nasty junk out of their products. Need proof?

Jelly Belly Organic Jelly Beans , a conventional company that sells billions of jelly beans made the old fashioned way, responded to demand from consumers like you for organic products by making these organic jelly beans with non-GMO ingredients, including organic orange, peach, strawberry, raspberry and lemon juice!

Buy less candy overall (research shows kids are actually just as happy with a little as with a lot), but when you do shop, spend your money to get better products for yourself and send a message to manufacturers that you want them to do better, too.

NOTE: As much as I advocate shopping locally, you won’t find much organic Easter candy in your local CVS, WalMart, or Target. I’ve provided the links you need to buy online, but remember: order early so your deliveries arrive by April 20, the Saturday before Easter. 

Best Organic Easter Candy

Organic Chocolate Box – Coracao crafts chocolate that’s 100% organic, and contains no cane or refined sugar, no gluten, and no dairy or soy (they use coconut sugar instead). You can customize a box with almond butter cups, salted caramels, truffles, and peppermint patties.

sjaaks Organic “Melk” Chocolate Bunny – This vegan, non-GMO chocolate bunny from Sjaak is one of a variety of organic Easter candy options the company makes. Also check out their caramel eggs and solid eggs.Annie’s Organic Bunny Fruit Snacks – A long-time favorite, these certified organic bunnies contain no artificial flavors, synthetic colors, preservatives, or high-fructose corn syrup. The variety snack packs include four flavors: berry patch, summer strawberry, sunny citrus, and tropical treat.

Organic Jelly Beans from Surf Sweets – These organic, gluten- and nut-free, non-GMO candies are also free of allergens related to dairy, eggs, soy, wheat, fish, shellfish, sesame, and sulfites.They’re also free of artificial sweeteners, corn syrup and artificial colors. But they are still sweet, so keep an eye on that. According to the nutrition facts on the label, a serving size, which contains about 30 pieces, contains 32g of sugar!

Organic Sour Beans (as opposed to sweet jelly beans) – These are organic, gluten-free, non-GMO and contain no dairy or nuts.

Sweet & Sour Bunnies – If your kids like sweet and sour gummy things, they might go for these organic sweet and sour organic bunnies that rely on carrot juice, purple sweet potato juice, and cherry juice, among other fruits and veggies, for color and flavor, along with other organic ingredients.

Organic OCHO Chocolate Peanut Butter Easter Eggs – A milk chocolate shell surrounds peanut butter; made in the USA with Fair Trade Chocolate.  Check out the caramel eggs while you’re at it.

Justin’s Organic Peanut Butter Cups – These are delicious and available at Whole Foods and in many food coops. I love the dark chocolate, but you can get them in milk chocolate and white as well. They’re also certified gluten free, kosher, vegan and dairy free! Buy them in a six or 12 pack for the best value.

Want a little something different? These UNREAL dark chocolate crispy quinoa peanut butter cups might be just the thing.

Another option is UNREAL gluten-free, vegan, non-GMO dark chocolate peanut butter cups, made from fair trade cacao, cane sugar and cocoa butter, organic powdered sugar, and sustainably sourced, organic palm oil.

Marshmallow Treats That Aren’t Peeps! – I always hated giving my kids artificially colored marshmallow chicks, though they loved them! I’ve since discovered these healthier DIY recipes from none other than Martha Stewart.

Now you can make your own “peep-like” treats at home. Sprinkle them with sugar or coconut, or dip them in chocolate.

NOTE: Big Green Purse has an affiliate relationship with Amazon, so we might earn a teeny tiny commission if you purchase using our link. Those commissions are too small to affect our editorial opinion, but they do help us bring you the expert content you need to lead the greener life you want. Thanks.

The post Here’s The Best Organic Easter Candy to Put in Your Kids’ Baskets appeared first on Big Green Purse.

Valentine’s Day is a great time to make the shift to organic fair trade chocolate. Take advantage of holiday sales to try a new flavor or stock up on your current favorites. Plus, use your spending power to send a message to companies that still produce chocolate the mean way that, if they want your love, they’ve got to show more love to their workers and the planet.

For Valentine’s Day, here’s our first annual review of organic fair trade chocolate you can easily buy in stores or online.  Brands that are “Big Green Purse approved” are non GMO, Fair Trade, and organic.  In our Amazon store, we also list brands that are organic and Rainforest Alliance Certified, but not necessarily Fair Trade. Sorry for the complication — but don’t blame the messenger! The Rainforest Alliance certification includes good criteria pertaining to the treatment of workers, but it’s not as focused on small farmers as the Fair Trade certification. (NPR explains the differences between the two certifications here.) Our top recommendations go to brands that are Fair Trade certified, as well as organic. Many are non-GMO, as well.

Note: In some cases, we’ve linked the chocolate to where you can find it in our Amazon store. You may also be able to find it in your local find co-op, natural foods grocery, or elsewhere online. If you want to skip to our Amazon store to see most of our recommendations in one place, here’s the link. 

Big Green Purse-Approved Organic Fair Trade Chocolate

Salazon – Cacao beans grown under the shade of canopy fruit producing trees in the Dominican Republic lend this chocolate their delicious taste. In addition to sea salt, Salazon flavors its chocolate with spices like cayenne and pepper, an adds crunch with coffee, almonds and coconut. Plus, it’s vegan.

Nibmor – Nibmor stands for Nibble More, and they won’t have to twist my arm. Available in dark chocolate, almond dark chocolate, mint, crispy with rice, and extreme dark chocolate with cacao nibs.

Endangered Species Chocolate – This is often my go-to chocolate bar of choice. It’s often on sale, is easily available online and where I shop, and there are lots of flavor combos to choose from. In addition to the dark chocolate with sea salt & almonds pictured here, you might like dark chocolate with raspberries, forest mint or espresso beans. You can get a variety pack of 12 flavors if you want to try all the options available. 

Theo – Theo’s is a reliable go-to for delicious and flavorful chocolate. In addition to bars, they sell caramels, confections and gift collections that include peanut butter cups. Looking for drinking chocolate? Choose between the chipotle spice or the rich dark mixes. Want to pair your favorite wine or beer with something equally decadent? They offer that, too.

Equal Exchange – Equal Exchange continues to make delicious chocolate even as it sets the bar high for organic and fair trade products. Like dark chocolate? You’ll love their “very” dark options. The bars infused with orange and mint are a treat, too! But don’t stop there. If you like nuts, you have hazelnuts and almonds to choose from – or that other nut, coconut. On the milk chocolate side, try the salted caramel and for more crunch, there’s a bar studded with coffee nibs. Can’t decide? Get a sampler box and try a few. Equal Exchange also sells bite-sized chocolates in a nifty dispenser.

Green & Black’s – Green & Black’s is pretty mainstream. My local Whole Foods and food co-op carry it, but so does my nearby Safeway. Try the milk chocolate toffee, dark spiced chili, or Maya gold for starters. They sell baking cocoa, too, in case you want to use their cookbook to make your sweetheart a decadent dessert.

Taza – Taza employs a stone-ground process based on traditional techniques used in Oaxaca, Mexico, where the cacao beans are grown. Cinnamon is one of four interesting flavors they work into their wheels.

 Alter Eco – These chocolates from Switzerland include individually wrapped dark and milk chocolate truffles, plus four kinds of bars that include almond, mint, sea salt and cacao, a dark blackout bar, a dark quinoa bar, and a dark brown butter bar. Yum!

Sjaak’s – Try this yummy assortment of 9 European chocolates, one of the only organic and fair trade brands that comes in a gift box. Don’t miss their vegan assorted chocolate box, either.

Dagoba – Like cranberries. One of Dagoba’s bars includes them, along with other flavors. Don’t want to eat a whole bar? Try the choco drops. And if you’re in the mood for hot chocolate or a chocolate cupcake, Dagoba sells unsweetened drinking chocolate as well as baking cacoa.

Do you have a favorite organic fair trade chocolate? Please let us know.

And remember, you can see our complete list of organic chocolate that’s either Fair Trade or Rainforest Certified here.

The post Best Organic Fair Trade Chocolate – Annual Review appeared first on Big Green Purse.

 Candles – Choose candles made from beeswax or soy as opposed to petroleum-based paraffin. They’ll burn cleaner and smoke less. I prefer those that are fragrance-free or scented with plant-based oils, such as essence of lavender, rose or orange blossom, rather than synthetic fragrances and perfumes that can trigger allergic reactions.

 Chocolate – Enjoy the abundance of organic, Fair Trade chocolates available, including truffles, bars, drops, powdered cocoa and even ice cream.  Look for them online, in neighborhood markets, or at specialty shoppes.

Flowers, Plants and Bulbs – As much as possible, opt for plants that are locally grown using no or minimum pesticides.  Potted houseplants will last longer than cut flowers; small flowering bushes like azaleas and mums may be transplanted outside when the weather permits. Potted Phalaenopsis orchids (pictured lef) that last for several months offer another beautiful option. A set of narcissus bulbs already set in a beautiful bowl or vase will provide several months of pleasure, as well.

 Cards – Look for cards made from recycled paper. Or, make your own from photographs, recipe cards, a magazine collage, or tickets to a special event you’re planning. E-cards are waste- and paper-free and can be viewed many times over.

 Wine – Grapes can be one of the most pesticide-intensive crops grown. That’s why organic vineyards and those managed biodynamically make such a difference. Whether you prefer red or white, cabernet or chardonnay, you should be able to find an organic bottle.

 Food  – We prefer eating in to dining out so we can maintain the traditions we started years ago.  Our day begins with a Valentine’s breakfast of whole-grain pancakes made in the shape of a heart, then topped with organic strawberries or raspberries (usually bought frozen since fresh organic berries aren’t available where we live this time of year) and outlined with whipped cream. If I’ve been really organized, I’ve already made shortbread cookies cut out with a heart-shaped cutter. I keep a heart-shaped cake pan on hand for dessert, usually, a frosted chocolate cake. My farmers market operates through the winter, so I can get organic greens, free-range eggs, pasture-raised chickens, and artisanal cheese for a yummy candle-lit dinner.

 Buy vintage – We don’t buy gifts on Valentine’s Day. But for those who do, vintage boutiques are a good place to browse. My local shop sells silky lingerie, lovely jewelry, fun and funky hats and belts, interesting books, and many other items that can be re-used for a low-key but appreciated gift.

 Give the gift of time – The people who love me best know what I enjoy most: time. I much prefer two hours of help in the garden or a leisurely walk in the woods with someone I love over just about anything else.

Tone down expectations for “stuff.” — As I mentioned above, as a family, we’ve decided that, contrary to what advertisers encourage, most holidays are meaningful enough without adding the burden of gift-giving. Does every holiday have to promote consumption? Not in our house.

 Keep it simple. — You probably don’t need to “go all out” to make your loved one feel special. A beautifully framed photo of the two of you, a keepsake that accrues meaning over time, a thoughtful meal, a favorite poem, a single rose can say as much as anything far more elaborate. This is one of those holidays where “it’s the thought that counts” actually rings true.

Happy Valentine’s Day to you and those you love!

 Disclaimer: This Valentine’s Day post was made possible with support from Fresh Flowers, who asked me to write about ways you can be eco-friendly on Valentine’s Day and still enjoy flowers. Images courtesy of Fresh Flowers.com.au.

The post 10 Ways to Be a Green Valentine appeared first on Big Green Purse.

How do you celebrate Easter? At our house, it’s a time to enjoy the rebirth of Nature, the renewal of our spirits, and the arrival of a long-anticipated Spring. We try hard not to get caught up in the commercialization of this holiday and don’t go overboard making big flashy Easter baskets or buying lots of junk. This year, I’m getting new ideas for green Easter decorations and treats from my green sister bloggers, who offer a wide variety of thoughtful ways to make green Easter meaningful.

Green Easter Tips

Lisa at Retro Housewife Goes Green suggests several natural alternatives to conventional egg dying – including using red cabbage and onions, and dying ceramic eggs for veganistas.

Kristina at the Greening of Westford offers a very useful, step-by-step guide for dying eggs using spinach, blueberries, coffee and chili powder. One smart suggestion: make the dyes early in the morning or even the day before. Another, especially for someone like me who is somewhat artistically challenged: wrap rubber bands around the eggs to make stripes and other designs on the eggs when you dye them.

If you don’t want to deal with dying eggs at all, how about covering them? Lisa at Condo Blues uses Japanese Washi paper to cover her eggs, something I think I’ll try this year after seeing a picture of how Lisa’s eggs turned out (photo left)

Ronnie at Eco Nesting has done something similar with beautiful old silk ties her father-in-law gave her. I never would have thought to use fabric like that, but it makes perfect sense!

If you prefer to give your kids small gifts rather than baskets filled with candy, Lisa at Retro Housewife Goes Green offers a few suggestions here.

Speaking of candy alternatives, check out Trina’s post at O’BoyOrganic. She and her husband put together Easter baskets full of toys and books that their boys can play with over and over.

Amanda of The EcoFriendly Family also suggests looking outside the candy aisle for items to tuck into an Easter basket, like natural bubble bath and beeswax crayons.

Michelle at Everything’s Abuzz suggests several fun and easy ways to green your kids’ Easter baskets. Here’s one useful tip: replace plastic “grass” with shredded paper from home, or buy grass made from recycled paper.

Brenna at Almost All the Truth has some smart suggestions for natural Easter baskets and toys, too. I appreciate the links to the organic chocolate bunnies!

Speaking of bunnies, don’t miss this sweet story of the bunnies that grew up under Karen’s back stoop over at Best of Mother Earth.

Shane at Environmental Booty gets her girls making crafts at Easter, especially if it overlaps with spring
break and the kids need something to do other than watch TV. Here’s a photo of the Easter Bunny change purse her daughter made out of recycled juice boxes. I never would have thought of that!

If you really want to get crafty, there’s a link to decorations you can knit in my Big Green Purse blog on making Easter Earth-friendly.

Meanwhile, Amber at Strocel.com also recycles at Easter, from decorations to Easter baskets. “My kids have had the same Easter baskets for years,” she reports. “During the year they live in a closet, and every Easter we leave them out for the Easter Bunny, like we leave out our stockings at Christmas.”

Betsy at Eco-Novice makes food the centerpiece of her Easter celebration. This year, she’s planning on serving up whole-grain pancakes topped with fresh fruit and whipped cream. Check out her blog to get the recipe.

Diane at Turning the Clock Back recommends shopping second hand if you need spiffy duds to wear to church or to dinner. This is especially good advice if you have small kids who will only wear a frilly dress or fancy pants this one time this year.

How do you celebrate Easter? Let us know!

The post “Green” Easter appeared first on Big Green Purse.

Why not Hershey’s? The company has been under fire for years from international organizations that monitor child welfare. Most of the world’s cocoa is produced in West Africa, where cocoa farmers typically live in poverty and where forced labor, especially among children, and human trafficking, are tragically common. Reports from concerned humanitarian groups describe how children often work long hours on cocoa farms performing hazardous work like using machetes, carrying heavy loads, and coming into close contact with toxic pesticides.

Several non-profit groups organized a “Raise the Bar” campaign to ask Hershey to take meaningful steps to combat child, forced and trafficked labor in its supply chain, and an online petition drive generated over 100,000 letters to the company asking it to improve its cocoa sourcing practices.

Happily, the company announced recently that it will commit to sourcing independently certified cocoa for its Bliss line by the end of 2012. However, Hershey’s produces many products that contain chocolate, including Almond Joy, Kit Kat, Whoppers Malted Milk Balls, and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. What about responsibly sourcing ALL the cocoa it uses in all these products? Eighth grader Jasper Perry-Anderson has created a follow-up campaign on Change.org to ensure that the Hershey Company expands its commitment to certified cocoa to all its products in the future.

Which gets us back to alternatives to Hershey’s Kisses for Valentine’s Day. Look for chocolates that are certified both fair trade and organic. Fair trade helps protect kids, and organic helps protect the environment. Here are some yummy options you should be able to find in your grocery store, at food co-ops, and at chains like Whole Foods that have made a commitment to carry more sustainably produced products.

Dagoba – Ironically, Hershey owns this company, which was already organic and fair trade when it was acquired. Dagoba sources cacao, the primary ingredient used to make chocolate, from Latin America, South America and Madagascar. Their entire line of drinking chocolate, syrup, and cacao powder has been certifed Fair Trade by Transfair. You can buy a box of “bites” or choose full-fledged bars.

Endangered Species ORGANIC DARK CHOCOLATE CHIMP MINTS They’re certified organic, vegan, gluten-free, kosher Non-GMO and the cacao is sourced from Rainforest Alliance Certified  ethically traded cacao farms ensuring fair trade, responsible labor practices and sustainable farming. Plus they taste good!

Wei of Chocolate –  This organic and fair trade chocolate, also certified by the Rainforest Alliance, is infused with “energetic” flower essences that they claim lead to greater tranquility, peace and joy. They’re beautifully wrapped; a box-ful would certainly enhance my peace and joy, at least as long as they lasted!

Lake Champlain Chocolates makes some delicious organic chocolates – but they’re NOT Fair Trade: Organic Chocolate Truffles from Lake Champlain Chocolates –  or organic chocolate squares in flavors that include cinnamon, sea salt and almonds, milk, and dark.

Then there’s Ghirardelli. It promotes some of its bars as “100% all natural,” but offers no explanation of what that means. There’s no mention of Fair Trade or organic on its website, either. What gives?

If you prefer chocolates from these companies, please go to their websites and encourage them to adopt certified fair labor and organic practices.

 RELATED POSTS:

Fill Your Heart With Organic Chocolate

Environmental In-Box: Seeds of Change Chocolate

Later this year, look for Hershey’s Bliss® products made with 100 percent cocoa from Rainforest Alliance Certified farms. Rainforest Alliance Certified farms have met comprehensive sustainability standards that protect the environment and ensure the safety and well-being of workers, their families and communities. Hershey’s Bliss® chocolates are available to U.S. consumers at more than 35,000 retail outlets. Meanwhile, you can read more about Hershey’s sustainability plans here.

What Did I Miss?

If you make an organic, Fair Trade chocolate we didn’t mention here, please leave a comment with all the pertinent information. If you love an organic, Fair Trade chocolate we failed to notice, please let us know! Thanks.

The post Think Twice Before You Buy Hershey’s Kisses for Your Valentine appeared first on Big Green Purse.

FOOD

Organic food can cost as much as 30% more than food that’s been conventionally grown using pesticides or under inhumane conditions for animals and people. Unfortunately, it’s unlikely that staples like organic milk, meat, poultry and fresh vegetables will be on sale just because it’s Black Friday. But specialty foods – like chocolate, tea and coffee, nuts, and dried fruits – are likely to have their prices slashed, particularly at more conventional grocery stores where they’re seen as a premium item. I expect online retailers to offer bargains on gift packs of these items – but there’s no reason why you can’t buy them for yourself.

ELECTRONICS and APPLIANCES

I hate to encourage anyone to buy more electronics, given how much e-waste is piling up. However, if you’re truly in need of a new phone, tablet, computer, or printer, Black Friday is the day to buy it. Do your research now so you can aim for the most energy-efficient, eco-friendly equipment; check this Greenpeace Guide to Greener Electronics to pick the most environmentally responsible company for the item you want. Plan now to recycle your old equipment when you replace it; stores like Best Buy, Staples, and Office Depot accept almost any electronic device, regardless of the manufacturer. If you still don’t have an energy-saving power strip, get one of those while you’re at it. Appliances will include the federal government Energy Guide sticker to help you choose the refrigerator, freezer, washer or dryer that uses the least amount of energy.

CLOTHING

While you’ll find fashion bargains galore on November 25, not many of them are likely to be green, especially at the mall. Sadly, stores like Macy’s, Target, Ann Taylor, Chico’s, Express, Coldwater Creek, and the Limited are embarrassingly limited when it comes to dresses, shirts, pants, and other couture made from organic or eco-friendly fibers. You might have some luck at H&M; the last time I was in there, I found skirts and blouses made from organic cotton, and some sweaters made from recycled polyester. If you’re not looking for dressy work clothes, head over to Lands End, Northface, Patagonia, and REI. Patagonia has done a particularly good job of using recycled fibers to make its vests and jackets; plus, you can recycle old t-shirts and other clothes at Patagonia when you shop.

JEWELRY

More and more fine jewelry stores are offering bracelets, rings, necklaces and earrings made from recycled gold, reclaimed stones, and diamonds sourced from humane and fair trade mines. Before you buy, ask to see certification that shows where the jewels originally came from.

TOWELS AND SHEETS

Organic towels and sheets are a real luxury, and their usual high price shows it. But even their cost might come down on Black Friday; if it does, go for it! JC Penneys, Target, and Wal-Mart stock organic linens regularly; hopefully, they’ll put them on sale November 25 along with the conventionally produced items. Check online or in the newspaper for “money off on anything” coupons.

WINE, BEER, SPIRITS

Most liquor stores sell organically produced wine, beer, vodka, gin, and possibly other spirits. Whether you’re stocking up for the holidays or want to refill your fridge or wine cellar, take advantage of storewide discounts or sales on individual brands.

SOAP, SHAMPOO, PERFUME, PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS

Stores like Bath & Body Works, the Body Shop, and Origins increasingly sell soaps, shampoos, lotions, and cremes free of parabens, phthalates, and synthetic fragrances. Read labels carefully, and look for products packaged in paper, cardboard and glass rather than plastic.

YOGURT AND BREAD MAKERS

If you buy a lot of yogurt and bread, chances are you’re throwing away a lot of plastic yogurt containers and paper bread wrappers. Pretty much every department store will have these two items on sale on Black Friday.

WRAPPING PAPER AND HOLIDAY CARDS

The “greenest” option is to use paper you saved from last year and to send e-cards. You can also wrap presents in fabrics, towels, or table cloths and napkins or bundle them into reusable shopping bags. But if it’s paper you must have, look for 100% recycled paper or tree-free paper options in both wrapping and cards from Hallmark and Papyrus, among other shops.

Don’t forget your own shopping bag… your reusable one, of course!

Related Posts:

Recycling Your Computer Just Got Easier

What if You Buy Nothing?

How to Shop for Eco-friendly Clothing (Parts 1, 2, 3)

Top Ten “Green” Thanksgiving Tips

Give to Your Favorite Charity Whenever You Shop – At No Extra Cost to You

For more ideas on how to be a green consumer this holiday season, check out the Green Moms Carnival this month, hosted by Betsy over at Eco-Novice.

The post Use Black Friday Sales to Try New Green Products appeared first on Big Green Purse.

As it turns out, it also presents one of the best opportunities to shift your spending to greener goods. Of the billions of dollars spent on Valentine’s Day gifts every year, more than a third are spent on flowers.  As beautiful as they may be, conventionally-grown cut flowers are usually doused with toxic pesticides that are damaging to people as well as the environment.

Don’t miss this important article on the toxic impacts most flowers have on people and the planet.

Solution?

• Go organic. If you’re planning to give a bouquet of classic red roses, order organically grown flowers to avoid growing systems that use toxic chemicals.  Plenty of businesses, like Organic Bouquet, offer organic roses as well as their conventional assortment.

• Choose flowers and greens grown locally. Your gift will leave a smaller carbon footprint than a bouquet that was flown in from South America or another tropical clime.  Visit Local Harvest to locate the flower grower nearest to you.

• Forage your own blooms.  Spend your money on a reusable vase rather than throwaway flowers, then fill it with holly branches, red twig dogwood, pine boughs, dried hydrangea blooms, cattails, or whatever else you can find in your yard. Garnish with a re-usable red ribbon.

• Give a potted plant instead of cut flowers.  The live plant acts as a mini carbon sink, and will last longer longer than any cut bouquet. Focus on plants that are particularly good at purifying indoor air, like Chinese evergreens, spider plants, and peace lilies.

• Make a basket.  Stock a garden basket with an assortment of flower seeds, a trowel, some gardening gloves, and maybe a new pair of clippers. In the spring, help your beloved sow the seeds, then enjoy the blooms all summer long.

• Dish up some bulbs. Fill a shallow bowl with small pebbles; place five or six narcissus bulbs on top. The bulbs will begin to grow as soon as they’re watered; in six weeks, they’ll have sprouted beautiful foliage and fragrant blooms that keep Valentine’s Day alive long past Feb. 14.

Where’s the chocolate, you ask?  Right here!

(Image credit)

The post Six Ways to Green Your Valentine’s Day appeared first on Big Green Purse.

Every Monday morning, I’ll review at least one of the products I’ve been sent during the previous week. I’ll award three green purses to products that merit your consideration, two purses that are almost there, one purse to a product that’s on the right track but has a long way to go. Plus, I’ll give a “thumbs down” to goods that don’t live up to their own claims.

If you’re familiar with the product yourself, please leave a comment. If you want me to review your product, please send me an e-mail first – there’s no sense mailing me something I might not be interested in. But a note of caution: There’s no quid pro quo here. Just because you send a product to review does not mean I will feel obligated to make glowing comments. I particularly abhor unverified claims, even the hint of greenwashing, and superlatives like “best,” “greenest,” “healthiest,” or “first.” Let the product speak for itself. And if you can’t back up your eco-claims, please go back to the drawing board – or at least check out these labeling standards for some additional guidance.

Here’s what’s in my In-Box today:

Seeds of Change Chocolate – Seeds of Change built its reputation by preserving heirloom and traditional seed varieties. The company also produces certified organic foods “inspired by cultures and flavors from around the globe.” Now they’ve turned their talents to chocolate. That’s a very smart move in my humble opinion, given the environmental impact producing chocolate has — as well as the fact that, in my household, chocolate is considered its own food group.

The Product: Seeds of Change certified organic chocolate comes in six flavors: organic milk chocolate; organic milk chocolate with puffed grains (like a crisp); organic dark chocolate; organic dark chocolate with cherries and vanilla; organic dark chocolate with coconut; and organic dark chocolate with mango & cashew.

What I like: The plain dark chocolate, with 61% cacao, is scrumptious – a great melt-in-your-mouth texture and full bodied flavor that lasts a long time. The milk chocolate is rich, smooth and creamy.

What could improve?  I wasn’t as wild about the bars that had cherries or mangos in them – the fruit pieces are so tiny, they felt gritty between my teeth. Plus, the bits are too small to impart much flavor; I never could taste the mango or cherry, though the coconut flavor comes through just fine. Overall I would have preferred larger pieces of fruit that seemed intentional, rather than an afterthought – think Cadbury’s Fruit and Nut bars, where you can taste everything individually, but the flavors then meld into total deliciousness (however, Cadbury’s bars aren’t organic, a definite negative).

What about the packaging? The bars seem overpackaged, given the product. Three individually wrapped 28-gram bars are encased in a cardboard envelope. The company says that the individual bars are “perfect for portion control, freshness and portability.” Maybe – but honestly, if I’m in the mood to devour an entire chocolate bar, three individually wrapped packets won’t stop me. The extra cardboard container is recyclable – but is it necessary at all?

Corporate responsibility: Seeds of Change donates 1% of net sales to promote sustainable organic farming initiatives worldwide.

Price comparison: A 12-pack order online will cost a little more than $3.00 bar, plus shipping and handling. In store, this product is competitively priced with other organic bars.

Product comparison: You can compare Seeds of Change to Alter Eco,as well as Dagoba, Divine, Theo’s, and Equal Exchange.

How you can win a free 365-day supply of chocolate: Submit photos, stories or a video no longer than 3 minutes to SeedsofChangeChocolate.com describing what you’ve done to help the Earth. Sadly, eating chocolate doesn’t count!

How many purses? Two. This chocolate tastes great, is certified organic, and fuels donations to charities that support sustainable agriculture. I’d like to be able to taste the fruit and nuts in the variety bars. I also encourage Seeds of Change to reduce its packaging.

The post Organic Chocolate from Seeds of Change appeared first on Big Green Purse.

That’s particularly true if the cocoa is produced organically. Cocoa powder is derived from cacao seeds that grow in pods on the cacao tree. The tree’s botanical name, Theobroma cacao, means “food of the gods,” nomenclature with which I wholeheartedly agree. Cocoa “beans” are only called that once they’re removed from the tree. What does any of this have to do with the environment? The cacao tree grows in the rainforest. Ideally, cacao trees will be grown on small farms, in the shade, to keep rainforests intact and reduce pesticide use.

Even better is organic cocoa that is also produced according to Fair Trade principles, ensuring that farmers are paid a decent wage for their work and no child labor is involved. In countries like Cote d’Ivoire in West Africa, children are being used like slaves to produce cocoa, with profits going to fund the country’s civil war.

Online, at natural foods stores and food coops, and increasingly at local grocery stores, you can find organic, fair trade cocoa and chocolate. Here are some brands to look for:

* Dagoba

* Divine Milk Chocolate

* Endangered Species Organic Chocolate

* Equal Exchange

* Green & Black’s

* Theo

But which of these tastes best?

I asked the moms over at Green Moms Carnival for their faves. Here’s what they recommend:

Jess Trevelyan, who blogs at The Green Phone Booth, raves, “I love Divine first and foremost for the flavor (both dark and milk).But also cause the HQ is here in DC so I can support a local business.”
Jess

Lynn Miller of OrganicMania.com, has her favorite, too. “Diane, I love Green & Black’s and Divine. Divine is fair trade from Ghana and is based here in DC. Black’s is often on sale at places like Giant (yay!).

Anna over at www.green-talk.com, did some serious research on the subject. “I went to the NYC chocolate fair this year and reviewed many of the organic chocolates,” she reports. “I preferred dark chocolate with about 70-85 percent cacao. What I liked about the show is that the chocolate was not all
offered at your local health food shops or was not made into bars. See the bark one or toffee one. I especially liked the foodie chocolate where it was infused with an herb or food ingredient. Try rosemary and chocolate some time. It is amazing.” See Anna’s articles, including “Organic Chocolate Never Tasted So Good.”

Got an organic or fair trade chocolate you love? Let us know!

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