Undoubtedly, your chocolate cravings are followed more often than not by feelings of guilt and unworthiness. You attempt to ignore these cravings, reminding yourself of your ~Fitness Inspo~ Pinterest board and cringing at the fact that summer is only three months away.
Maybe you distract yourself with some veggies, a jog, or a satisfying glass of ice water. It shouldn’t always be this way, though. Life calls for reckless, uninhibited chocolate binges – you simply need to listen.
1. When Things Go Wrong
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Life’s not perfect. Maybe you failed an exam, or you forgot to call your grandma on her birthday, or you never got a text back when your friends guaranteed that you would. When things fall through, you can count on the fact that cocoa never will. Grab that tub of cookie dough and eat on.
2. When Things Go Right
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The happiest moments in life deserve to be accompanied by the happiest of foods. Give your special days, your big accomplishments, and even the little moments the recognition they deserve with chocolate, and smile a bit bigger because of it.
3. Holidays
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When people say that holidays are about spending time with loved ones, they are lying to your face. Holidays are for eating three Easter bunnies in one sitting, hiding the cream pie from your grubby-handed cousins, and trick-or-treating at the same house seven times because they give out king size candy bars.
4. For Warmth
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No control over your dorm room heating? Electric bill jaw-droppingly high with winter’s chilling cold? It’s time you realize that chocolate was made to keep your warm. Why turn up your thermostat when an extra-large mug of rich hot cocoa (or a volcano cake, or a fresh-out-of-the-oven pan of double chocolate brownies) can keep you just as warm? It’s not only smart, it’s economical.
5. Birthdays
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Because your birthday candles shouldn’t be stuck in anything short of chocolate. From a classic cake to this extravagant dessert, chocolate is just ready to shine in an infinite number of forms. Wanna make your own Candy Cake? Watch the video.
6. When You’re Eating Anything Salty
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Ring-ring. Chocolate is calling, and it’s looking for its best friend named Salty. There’s no better way to shake up your dessert routine than giving your sweets a salty companion. From chocolate-covered pretzels to salted caramel bark, sweet and salty will prove to be the power couple of the food world.
7. Balancing Your Diet
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The USDA may have ditched the Food Guide Pyramid, but you still know your basics of a healthy diet. Having trouble fitting everything in? Get more dairy with chocolate milk. Up your fruit intake with fondue. It seems reasonable to count a croissant au chocolat toward your grains quota, no? It’s about time we deem chocolate a superfood, because there’s nothing it can’t do.
8. Improving Your Memory
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Though it may not be the most effective strategy when you’re cramming for a midterm at 3 am, chocolate can nonetheless help brain function. The flavanols of dark chocolate have been proven to reverse the effects of age-related memory loss. You know what they say: it’s never too early to start planning for the future.
9. Chocolate IS Excitement
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There’s no denying it, chocolate tastes like excitement; not a single quality of chocolate can be described as boring. So next time you’re looking to shake up your routine, you’ll know where to turn. Brace yourself, though, as there’s no telling what sort of adventures are in store.