- Categories:
- Food & Beverage
- Tags:
- ChocolateDessertSweet Food
- Where:
- United States
- Date change rule:
- Week starting with the 3rd Sunday of March
- Holiday emoji:
- 🍫
American Chocolate Week arrives every year during the third full week of March, inviting everyone to celebrate the rich, diverse world of chocolate. From gourmet bars to everyday treats, this week is a perfect excuse to savor your favorite cocoa creations. Gather friends for a chocolate tasting, bake a decadent dessert, or simply enjoy a quiet moment with a premium bar.
Want to sponsor American Chocolate Week? Learn how
Expected American Chocolate Week Deals
While we wait for official 2027 promotions to drop, history shows that American Chocolate Week brings a cascade of sweet deals. Expect major retailers like Target and Walmart to offer discounts on popular chocolate brands such as Hershey’s, Mars, and Ghirardelli. Specialty chocolate shops and online purveyors like Godiva and Lindt often feature buy-one-get-one offers or exclusive bundles. Look for local bakeries to roll out limited-edition chocolate desserts, and even coffee shops like Starbucks might offer promotions on chocolate-themed beverages. We will update this page with confirmed live deals as March approaches.
Platform Guide for American Chocolate Week
Tag @nationaltoday_ and use #AmericanChocolateWeek. Share photos of your favorite chocolate treats, baking projects, or a visit to a local chocolatier.
TikTok
Tag @www.nationaltoday.com and use #AmericanChocolateWeek. Film short videos of chocolate taste tests, easy dessert recipes, or chocolate-themed challenges.
Mention National Today (facebook.com/nationaltoday) and use #AmericanChocolateWeek. Share your go-to chocolate recipes, favorite brands, or host a virtual chocolate tasting with friends.
American Chocolate Week Hero
Milton Hershey
History of American Chocolate Week
Chocolate is made from beans of the cacao tree which is found mainly in remote areas of West Africa, Southeast Asia, and Central and South America. Cacao beans, however, are bitter and must be fermented to develop the flavor. After this, the beans are dried, cleaned, and roasted. The shell is removed to produce cocoa nibs, which are then ground to cocoa mass, from which chocolate can take on many avatars.
But we must travel back 4,000 years to ancient Mesoamerica, present-day Mexico, to trace the roots of chocolate. The Olmec, one of the earliest civilizations in Latin America, were the first to cultivate the cacao plant and turn it into chocolate. Many years later, the Mayans turned chocolate into a brew made of roasted and ground cacao seeds mixed with chilies, water, and cornmeal. They created a thick foamy beverage called ‘xocolatl,’ meaning bitter water. This drink was so heavenly that the Mayans considered chocolate to be the drink of the gods. Legend even states that Aztec God Quetzalcoatl brought cocoa to earth and was banished from paradise for giving it to man.
Chocolate arrived in Europe in the 1500s and has grown in popularity ever since. It was considered an aristocratic indulgence as its high price point meant that only the wealthy could afford it back then. In the UK, it wasn’t until the 19th century that lower import duties meant chocolate could finally become more affordable.
Today, chocolate can be found in every part of the world with each culture having its own twist on the confection. But that’s not all, around 40 to 50 million people depend on cocoa for their livelihoods, with chocolate farmers producing 3.8 million tons of cocoa beans per year.
American Chocolate Week timeline
The Aztecs use cocoa beans, which are seen as a luxury, as currency.
Explorer Hernán Cortés discovers chocolate during an expedition to the Americas — presents the Spanish King Charles V with cocoa beans and the tools needed to prepare it.
The world’s first solid chocolate is created in the U.K. by adding more cocoa butter, rather than hot water, to cocoa powder and sugar.
Milton Hershey establishes the Hershey Chocolate Company.
How Businesses Can Celebrate American Chocolate Week
Local businesses can celebrate American Chocolate Week by offering special chocolate-themed menus or products. Cafes might introduce limited-time chocolate lattes or hot cocoa flights, while bakeries can feature unique chocolate cakes, cookies, and pastries. Retailers could create chocolate gift baskets or host tasting events with local chocolatiers. Restaurants might add a special chocolate dessert to their menu, encouraging diners to indulge in the week’s sweet theme.
American Chocolate Week FAQs
When is American Chocolate Week?
American Chocolate Week in 2027 will be observed from Sunday, March 21, through Saturday, March 27, providing another full week for chocolate enthusiasts to celebrate.
How much chocolate do Americans eat?
By 2027, chocolate consumption in the U.S. is projected to remain robust, with per capita intake continuing around the 11-pound mark, underscoring its enduring popularity as a snack and dessert ingredient.
What are the health benefits of chocolate?
Studies continue to explore the positive effects of moderate dark chocolate consumption, linking it to improved brain function and a reduced risk of heart disease, thanks to its flavanol content.
What are the main types of chocolate?
Beyond the traditional varieties, you’ll also find ruby chocolate (naturally pink with a fruity flavor) and various single-origin chocolates, each offering distinct taste profiles based on their cacao bean source.
American Chocolate Week Activities
Get cooking
Make something chocolatey. Cake, ice cream, mousse, pudding, and so on. Go the extra mile and make different desserts for each day of the week.
Gift goodies to your friends
Surprise your friends by giving them little hampers full of chocolatey goodness. It could contain anything from cookies to candy bars.
Watch “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”
Grab a tub of chocolate popcorn and rewatch this classic with your friends and family. You’re never too old to fantasize about a chocolate river, we know we never stopped dreaming about it.
5 Facts About Chocolate That Will Blow Your Mind
It was used as medicine
The Olmecs of Mesoamerica drank their chocolate during rituals and used it as medicine.
It’s great for a quick energy boost
Chocolate is rich in carbohydrates and is an excellent source of quick energy as it contains traces of stimulating alkaloids, theobromine, and caffeine.
It’s a movie star
Alfred Hitchcock’s classic 1960 film “Psycho” used watered-down Hershey’s chocolate syrup to represent blood in the iconic shower scene.
The U.S. loves chocolate
Americans consume around half of all the world’s chocolate — that’s more than three billion pounds.
Chocolate helped invent microwaves
In 1945, the heating effect of a high-power microwave beam was accidentally discovered by American engineer Percy Spencer, who noticed that microwaves from an active radar set he was working on started to melt a chocolate bar he had in his pocket.
Why We Love American Chocolate Week
It’s made for every occasion
Made your girlfriend mad? Give her some chocolate. It’s your friend’s birthday? Get them some chocolate. Upset child? Chocolate. Are dementors getting you down? You guessed it, chocolate!
Everyone loves chocolate
Simply put, chocolate is great. There’s nothing else quite like it. It can be used to make a host of other delectable desserts like cakes, ice cream, trifles, sandwiches, cookies, soufflés, and pies. The list goes on.
It makes us happy
Chocolate contains a chemical called phenylethylamine, which releases certain endorphins in the brain. These make people feel good all over — similar to how we feel when we’re in love.
American Chocolate Week dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | March 15–21 | Sunday–Saturday |
| 2027 | March 21–27 | Sunday–Saturday |
| 2028 | March 19–25 | Sunday–Saturday |
| 2029 | March 18–24 | Sunday–Saturday |
| 2030 | March 17–23 | Sunday–Saturday |
Social Media Tips for American Chocolate Week
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