After playing in the snow, my kids almost always ask for Hot Chocolate. Usually, my answer is yes, if we are at home. Like everything else we eat, we must check the label. Hot chocolates are usually NOT safe for us to drink. Like regular chocolate candy, most hot chocolate mixes are made in facilities with nuts, or other winter/holiday items that contain nuts. Rather than memorizing a million different safe brands, I have chosen 2 safe brands to research and stay on top of.
1. Swiss Miss
2. Quick Bunny powdered mix
I have been a Swiss Miss fan since I was a little girl, so I’m happy when my kids ask for it. It really brings back good memories of my brother and I sledding and playing in our yard.
Swiss Miss is also made in Wisconsin, which I love. They use real milk (sorry if you have dairy allergy) and patronize over 80 dairy farms in our state to make their products. Swiss Miss is owned by a large food conglomerate ConAgra. Since ConAgra manufactures a ton of different items, I felt it was necessary to write to ConAgra to see how safe the SwissMiss chocolate is that we have been drinking:
” Quote from Swiss Miss coming soon!”
Please note the big name hot chocolate mixes are NOT safe. I repeat, NOT safe to drink if you have nut allergies of any kind.

  1. Starbucks: cafe, drive thru, store bought, target packets – NOT SAFE
  2. Ghirardelli: store bought or in a coffee shop (many small coffee shops use this brand, ask to see a label) NOT SAFE
  3. Hershey’s: I don’t trust their labeling
  4. Archer Farms: Target brand, NOT SAFE

If you’re out and about this season and want to get a safe drink for you, or your child, I recommended a vanilla milk steamer. STARBUCKS makes these for my kids all the time, and they even keep the temperature down so they can drink them right away.