The Store Brand To Avoid When Buying Chocolate Chips

The invention of chocolate chips seriously changed the culinary game. There are near endless ways to use every type of chocolate chip in your baking, and they greatly improve many sweet treats. Whether you know them as chocolate chips or morsels, the cute size and irresistibly sweet flavor of these chocolate pieces means they should have a permanent place in your pantry. That being said, there is one store brand you should avoid when purchasing chocolate chips: Good & Gather.

After reviewing and ranking 11 store-bought chocolate chip brands, our team ranked Good & Gather's Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips as the worst chocolate chips out there. These Good & Gather chocolate chips have no chocolate scent and, unfortunately, this isn't made up for by their flavor. In fact, they were described as having a very weak cocoa flavor that was nowhere near as strong as the flavors found in some of the products produced by competing brands. These chocolate chips also don't melt very well. So, if you bake with them, don't expect decadent pools of chocolate in your brownies or cookies.

It seems Good & Gather Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips don't really tick any boxes. Luckily, there are plenty of other worthy brands out there. If the low price is what draws you to Good & Gather's chocolate chips, Great Value Semi-Sweet Chocolate Baking Chips are a fantastic alternative. Although priced at $3.28 for a 12-ounce pack, these chocolate chips not only have a strong scent, but are also full of fruity, decadent flavors. In other words, Great Value Semi-Sweet Chocolate Baking Chips are a great, budget-friendly alternative to Good & Gather's product.

If you're willing to spend a few extra bucks, Ghirardelli Premium Baking Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (which retail on Amazon for $5.84) have an even bolder fruity aroma and flavor. Aside from the strong and bright cocoa taste, these chocolate chips also melt well, meaning they are perfect for making decadent desserts with. If fruity chocolate flavors aren't for you, Simple Truth Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips have a wonderfully intense dark chocolate flavor and a similarly impressive ability to melt. We suggest buying any of these options instead of Good & Gather Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips. After all, life is too short to be eating subpar chocolate.