Have you ever come across a chocolate bar that was so big it looked like it could last you a lifetime? Well, Trader Joe’s Pound Plus Chocolate is exactly that. Not only is it enormous, but it’s also divided into forty individual pieces. However, breaking it apart can be quite the challenge. The chocolate between the pieces is so thick that it often requires a dramatic slam on the kitchen counter to break it. This results in unevenly sized pieces, sometimes frustratingly so. And let’s not forget about the shredded wrapper and those annoying tiny fragments that end up on the floor. To avoid this mess, I’ve found that transferring the bar into a gallon ziplock bag does the trick.
Now, let’s dive into the ingredients and nutrition of this colossal chocolate bar. One thing that stands out is the simplicity of the ingredient list. Trader Joe’s Pound Plus bar contains just four items: cocoa mass (the whole cocoa bean core), sugar, cocoa butter, and soy lecithin. The Nutrition Facts panel on the label defines a serving as three pieces totaling 200 calories. However, I prefer to define a serving as one piece totaling 67 calories to avoid any guilt trips if I happen to indulge in more than one. It’s a little trick I’ve come up with to ease my conscience, and it works…most of the time.
Now, you may be wondering about the price. I paid $4.99 for this 17.6-ounce bar, which breaks down to $4.54 per pound. That’s a steal compared to the typical chocolate bars you find at convenience stores. Usually, the more you pay, the better quality you expect. But Trader Joe’s Pound Plus bar is an exception to this rule. Here’s why: as a merchant, when you sell more of something, you can charge less and still make more money. It’s all about economies of scale. Handling a large item in the store costs little more than handling a small item, and this bar is no exception. Additionally, unlike chocolate bars with famous brand names, Trader Joe’s has not spent millions of dollars on advertising. So, in a way, you’re paying for the chocolate, not the marketing.
Now, here’s my personal score for Trader Joe’s Pound Plus (72% Dark Chocolate version): 3.9 out of 5 stars for Overall Enjoyment, 4.4 for Nutrition, and 4.5 for Value. Remember, this is just my opinion, and taste preferences differ from person to person.
If you’re curious about other variations, Trader Joe’s offers the Pound Plus bar in five flavors: 72% dark chocolate, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, milk chocolate with almonds, and bittersweet chocolate with almonds (54%).
I hope I’ve satisfied your curiosity about Trader Joe’s Pound Plus Chocolate. If you want to learn more about the fascinating world of chocolate, check out 5 WS’s comprehensive article on everything you need to know about chocolate: 5 WS
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