WWoHP Chocolate frogs

[mefordis]

Yuck! They are overprice ($10) and not even real chocolate! I threw ours out. What a waste of $$. In fact, I think all of the chocolate is fake chocolate. They shouldn't be allowed to say "Milk Chocolate" on the package. False advertising. It has to have cocoa butter to really be chocolate and this stuff doesn't.

 

[Bradsdadg]

It was pretty bogus. I guess the novelty is in the package and the trading card you get with it. I'm glad we only bought one though. Did you try the peppermint toads? I thought they were pretty good.

 

[the Dark Marauder]

I liked the chocolate frog!

Here are the ingredients, as labeled on the box: Sugar, palm kernel oil, milk solids, cocoa, soy lecithin, and vanilla.

 

[Albytaps]

I'm not eating mine. It's still wrapped in plastic in our HP collection cabinet.

 

[fairyprincess88]

I didnt buy it to eat so I have no idea what it tastes like. I just wanted it for my collection. And of course the packaging is what I really spent the money on.

 

[Bradsdadg]

I do appreciated a good collection, but I do think it is weird to save something like that at the same time. It really won't ever be worth anything more then what we all paid for it, So I don't see the need to save the choco part...

 

[tfoster]

After all I've read about these chocolate frogs, I'm so afraid that each of my 4 kids will REALLY want one. I don't want to be the meanie who doesn't let them each get something so cool, but I also don't want to feel like I'm wasting $40.

 

[strawberryblonde]

After all I've read about these chocolate frogs, I'm so afraid that each of my 4 kids will REALLY want one. I don't want to be the meanie who doesn't let them each get something so cool, but I also don't want to feel like I'm wasting $40.

The method that has worked well for my kids (10 +13 now) through the years, is to give them a set amount of "mad money". You decide on the amount that feels right to you, perhaps $10-30 each. If you gave $30, they would need to save it all for a wand if a wand is what they want. Perhaps they want to blow it on butterbeer, a pigmy puff and some odd candy. If they do decide to buy a $10 frog with some of their money, most likely it is because they really, really wanted it. The choice is theirs and it takes you out of the equation....no way for you to be the meanie .

 

[fairyprincess88]

I do appreciated a good collection, but I do think it is weird to save something like that at the same time. It really won't ever be worth anything more then what we all paid for it, So I don't see the need to save the choco part...

I'll probably toss the frog itself. Not saving it for the collection persay, I just dont eat much candy. It's the box and card I really wanted. What makes the box special is that it is an exact replica of those described in the books and shown in the movies. That's where the collector value comes from for me at least. Until the WWoHP, these authentic things were not available. Im not at all concerned with it's monetary worth in the future or anything like. Im just a Potter nerd is all. Plus they come with the Wizards cards, which is a big bonus. To quote the great Ron Weasley when it comes to chocolate frogs, "It's the cards you want anyway."

 

[the Dark Marauder]

The method that has worked well for my kids (10 +13 now) through the years, is to give them a set amount of "mad money". You decide on the amount that feels right to you, perhaps $10-30 each. If you gave $30, they would need to save it all for a wand if a wand is what they want. Perhaps they want to blow it on butterbeer, a pigmy puff and some odd candy. If they do decide to buy a $10 frog with some of their money, most likely it is because they really, really wanted it. The choice is theirs and it takes you out of the equation....no way for you to be the meanie .

That's a smart idea! Plus it makes them learn money management.

 

[canadiankim]

I think the idea of giving the kids 'mad money' is a fantastic idea. Its been a couple of years since our last trip to US & IOA and DS(10) and DD(8) have a completing new idea of what they want.

The other we have been doing over the last couple of weeks is that we have posted 'jobs' and a payrate and if they want to do an extra job they can and get paid for it. This will then be their money that they can choose what they want to do with it. (no, I don't make them do the laundry) but if they want to take the dog out for extra walks, everyone benefits!

DH, Me, DS(10), DD(8)

4 weeks, 2 days till US/IOA & WDW

 

[tfoster]

The method that has worked well for my kids (10 +13 now) through the years, is to give them a set amount of "mad money". You decide on the amount that feels right to you, perhaps $10-30 each. If you gave $30, they would need to save it all for a wand if a wand is what they want. Perhaps they want to blow it on butterbeer, a pigmy puff and some odd candy. If they do decide to buy a $10 frog with some of their money, most likely it is because they really, really wanted it. The choice is theirs and it takes you out of the equation....no way for you to be the meanie .

That's a good idea and I'm probably going to go with it. You can say how much allowance gets put on each of their (resort) cards, right?

 

[glocon]

My son got a chocolate frog and didn't like it either..... but I sure did

 

[strawberryblonde]

That is a great idea to put the money on their resort cards . I'm sorry that I don't know if that can be done, but I'm going to ask when we go, because I think my DD would enjoy being able to charge (my DS has had his own bankcard for a year now, so it won't feel as thrilling for him) and it would be handy for both of them.

I do wish the frogs were made with real chocolate though , we won't be buying them because of this...ick!

 

[strawberryblonde]

That's a smart idea! Plus it makes them learn money management.

Thanks ! I stumbled into this way of dealing with kids and money back when DS was 5. He would ask to ride the .25 cent horse, or press coins for .50, or get some gum ect. whenever we went out to shop. Sometimes I would say yes and other times I would say "not today". I decided that I didn't want to keep mental track of if I was spoiling him or not anymore. I started giving him a dollar a week to spend or save as he wanted. From then on, my answer to "can I have" was "yes, you may spend your money on that". Usually he would rather save his "own money" rather than spend it. When he did hand over his own cash, then I knew he really wanted it and wasn't just asking because he could. The weekly amounts have gone up through the years, and they sometimes have had regrets on how they have spent some of it. I think the mistakes can be great life lessons too, so not a total waste. My kids teach me new things all the time, I just do my best to keep up!

 

[princess_peach]

I liked the chocolate frog!

Here are the ingredients, as labeled on the box: Sugar, palm kernel oil, milk solids, cocoa, soy lecithin, and vanilla.

Ingredients are listed in order of "most" to "least" if that makes sense, LOL.

So... there is more oil in this "chocolate" than there is cocoa or milk. No wonder it's gross!

 

[Magpie]

I don't understand... if something is made with cocoa, isn't it chocolate?

What's "real" chocolate?

 

[JessicaR]

I have to say I am dissapointed in the ingredient list - absoultely!

 

[princess_peach]

I don't understand... if something is made with cocoa, isn't it chocolate?

What's "real" chocolate?

"Real" chocolate should really have cocoa butter in it instead of palm oil (or vegetable oil, hydrogenated oil, etc).

 

[Dragontears]

It's amazing how well this works...and the life skills it builds are priceless.

I went one step further. When DD was 16, instead of taking her clothes shopping at the start of the new school year, we opened her a checking account at the Navy Credit Union where we banked and deposited the amount I had anticipated spending that year. Then I drove and she went shopping with three of her friends. Not only did the money stretch further than I expected – she had $$ left over. Said she wanted to get a Christmas sweater in December.

Learning to handle a checking account while still at home was a “safety net” she never had to use. (But made me feel better)

And the earlier they learn to appreciate that "things" cost the more they appreciate what they have.