Hot chocolate is a festive sweet treat that we like to reach for during the holidays, but some of us like to drink it all year long. According to Statista , 14% of Americans enjoy an average of two or three cups per day. That percentage may not hold a candle to coffee, but it's still a lot of hot chocolate.
When it comes to instant mixes, though, not all will meet your expectations, which is what Daily Meal found during a taste test. Daily Meal's Monika Sudakov ranked more than a dozen hot chocolate brands and was rather disappointed with That's Smart! as soon as she tore open one of the packages and smelled an off-putting, synthetic scent . Then, she noted how let down she was by the watery, thin texture and muted flavor after she mixed it with hot water.
She compared it to "drinking sugar water with a dusting of cocoa thrown in for good measure." Sudakov's experience can be explained by the package ingredients, which include emulsifiers, extra sweeteners, flavorings, and preservatives. While many instant hot chocolate powders contain additives and preservatives, That's Smart! tastes too artificial and not chocolatey enough.
Choose a better brand or make your own Now that you know to avoid the That's Smart! brand, you have the option to choose a better brand of instant hot chocolate or make it yourself. When it comes to the best brands, Nestlé's Abuelita Mexican Style Instant Hot Chocolate Mix is distinct from others because it contains cinnamon and has a deep chocolatey f.
