Most kids love chocolate and would welcome a Chocolate Tasting experience at home!  This is an easy and fun activity that can create wonderful memories as well as an opportunity for your family to learn more about chocolate.  

Many factors influence the flavor of chocolate, such as its origin. Both the country and region where the cacao is grown has an amazing effect on its taste.

Below is a sample map of Chocolate Tasting Notes Around the World. Of course, there are many other countries around the globe producing chocolate that are not included on the map, but this gives a general view.

Featured on the map:

• Fruity: Madagascar, Hawaii, Brazil, Dominican Republic
• Earthy: Mexico, Philipines
• Nutty: Venezuela, Nicaragua
• Spicy: Vietnam
• Smoky: Papua New Guinea
• Roasty: Tanzania, Grenada
• Tangy: Peru
• Floral: Ecuador

Chocolate comes from the seeds of the fruit of cacao trees, which grow near the equator. They thrive in hot, rainy tropical forests. These trees can live for over 200 years! Most cacao trees are grown on small farms in developing countries, where they do the work by hand.

Cacao has a rich history, having been enjoyed for thousands of years. Long ago, Mesoamerican native cultures used cacao in many different recipes. One recipe was a frothy drink, only consumed by the elite, as it was considered sacred. Due to its high value, cacao beans were used as an early form of money. Later, the cacao seeds were brought to Europe, where different technological advances, and adding sugar and milk have created the chocolate we know and love today.

A few fun facts about how cacao grows and is eventually turned into chocolate:

• The cacao flowers are tiny. They are pollinated by midges (tiny flies).
• Cacao pods are about a foot long and sprout directly from the trunk and branches.
• Cacao pods take 5-6 months to grow and ripen. They start as green or red and eventually turn yellow or orange.
• Each pod holds 20-50 cacao seeds about the size of almonds. They’ve also been nicknamed chocolate beans.
• The seeds are so bitter that animals won’t eat them.
• Farmers ferment the seeds, which changes the flavor. The seeds also change in color, from purple to dark brown.
• The seeds are dried and then shipped worldwide, ready to be processed for chocolate-making.

Preparing for Your Chocolate Tasting

For this fun activity with your kids you’ll want to prepare ahead of time:

• Purchase 5 bars of chocolate.  Instead of buying the types of chocolate your kids are used to, find fancy or unique bars for them to try. It will be so much more fun! There are many different flavors and add-ins. Younger kids may enjoy unusually flavored chocolates such as potato chip, peanut butter, pretzel, or confetti.  Older kids may enjoy subtle flavors of cashew butter, sea salt, lemon, coconut, firecracker, or honey. If adults would like to participate, they may enjoy experiencing the varying degrees of cacao percentages.
• Print the free Tasting Key. Write down which kind of chocolates you’ll be using. Turn the key over, so participants can’t read it.
• Print the Chocolate Tasting Mat.
• Print one Chocolate Tasting Evaluation for each participant.

Set up Your Chocolate Tasting Activity

• Place the Chocolate Tasting Mat into the middle of the table. Break a chocolate bar into pieces and place them on square #1 of the Mat. You won’t need to use the entire chocolate bar – just use enough that each participant can have a taste. Repeat this process for each type of chocolate, placing the pieces into boxes #2, #3, etc. (Ensure they match the Tasting Key).  
• Provide a Chocolate Tasting Evaluation for each participant, along with a pen.

Time for Chocolate Tasting!

• Invite the kids to taste the chocolate from box #1. Ask them to eat it slowly, taking time in their evaluation to engage their senses and enjoy the flavors.
• Have them fill out the Evaluation Form and give an overall score.
• Before moving on to the next sample, encourage them to cleanse their pallet with fruit, nuts, or pretzels, along with a sip of water.
• When you are finished tasting chocolates from each box, discuss which chocolate you enjoyed most.
• Show them the Tasting Key to reveal what kind of chocolates they’ve sampled.

Fun questions to ask kids:

• What were your favorite flavors and textures?
• If you were a chocolatier, what kind of chocolates would you make?
• Looking at the Chocolate Tasting Map, where would you want to grow your chocolate and why?

You can also pair this activity with fun read-alouds such as:

• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, by Roald Dahl
• The Candymakers and the Great Chocolate Chase, by Wendy Mass

Your Free Chocolate Tasting Activity packet with the forms below can be downloaded here:

• Chocolate Tasting Notes Around the World
• Tasting Key
• Chocolate Tasting Mat
• Chocolate Tasting Evaluation

We hope you enjoy this Chocolate Tasting Activity as much as we have!