Coming out of lockdown is a wonderful event to celebrate, as we’ve been physically disconnected from our family and friends for so long now. The effects on our mental health are plain to see, as few people thrive in isolation. However, the lifting of restrictions and the ability to meet friends and acquaintances again can bring on feelings of anxiety alongside the excitement. A great tip to follow, is to pretend the feelings of anxiety are feelings of nervous anticipation instead.
Even so, you may ask yourself questions such as, “will we still chat like we did?”, “what will we have to talk about?” “Will we feel the same connection?”
There’s a simple answer to all of this, and it involves sharing chocolate!
Sharing the Love Leads to Cultured Conversation
It’s commonplace for all of the small team at Conscious Chocolate to carry some bars and sharing snacks with us wherever we go. We love to share the love and to see the faces of families and friends as they savour the incredible flavours for the very first time.
Nothing beats telling them of the stories behind each bar and watching as they gasp in awe as we regale why our chocolate holds its name.
It’s also a great conversation starter at dinner parties, and an ice breaker when meeting someone new but now studies have found there’s more to sharing our favourite foods, studies have been conducted to highlight how it strengthens bonds and brings communities together.
The Psychology Behind Sharing Chocolate to Strengthen Bonds
The University of Oxford recently released a study which showed that the more people ate with others, the happier and more satisfied they felt with their lives as a whole.
Sharing experiences is a sure-fire way to deepen bonds, to create memories and to strengthen relationships. What better way to share food than with a raw chocolate snack on a walk, or the breaking of a bar of peppermint as you sit down outside with a hot drink?
Professor Robin Dunbar of the University of Oxford’s Experimental Psychology department, said: 'This study suggests that social eating has an important role in the facilitation of social bonding, and that communal eating may have even evolved as a mechanism for humans to do just that.”*
A Word from Our Founder
Emma agrees that sharing a bar equals sharing the love and says this is exactly what the chocolate is intended for. “I created all of my bars and snacks with personalities and the top-quality ingredients to match. I love introducing a friend to a bar I know they’ll love based on their personality or mood at the time, as Conscious Chocolate is more than just chocolate, it mirrors and evokes emotion too.”
- Source – The University of Oxford, Psychology Department
Easily Share the Love
Our Family Care Packs are ideal for sharing the love with family or friends, from nutritious chocolate snacks to indulgent, but not naughty, dark chocolate bars. There's raw, vegan, decadent chocolate for everyone in this generous pack.