Love Don't Cost a Thing, but Chocolate Does

To quote the great poet J. Lo, "Love don't cost a thing", but in China chocolate and all things imported sure does.  Right before my birthday I received a wonderful surprise!  Here is what I wrote on Facebook:    

Absolutely gobsmacked tonight! Jamie McClintock comes home with a very cute & large reusable shopping bag filled with chocolate, cookies, m & m's, peanut butter and nutella with a card that is clearly not his handwriting (he had no idea how it had gotten to his desk). My very thoughtful friend, Julie, found a co-worker to deliver my birthday present to Jamie's desk at work...IN CHINA! Not only did she pick out all my favorites, but I know that she used energy that she doesn't have (sleepless nights will do that) and she used free-time that she doesn't have (three kids will steal all of that). I didn't cry, but I could have.

I decided to do some research and see approximately how much all of the goodies she sent to me would cost me in US dollars if I bought them in China versus the US.  

In China:     In US:

$6.03           $3.69    Milano Melts-Dark Creme

$15.86         $4.97    Bunny Mix M & M's

$12.38         $4.68    Petit Ecolier Mill Chocolate Biscuits

$9.29           $3.68    Jif Peanut Butter

$9.20           $3.28    Nutella

$12.00         $4.52    Dove Peanut Butter Eggs

$12.00         $4.52    Dove Dark Chocolate Smooth Eggs

$11.43         $4.79    Ghiradelli Semi-Sweet Chocolate Baking Chips

$88.19         $34.13 

Wow!  That's priceless!

I had planned to take some really artsy fun pictures at the grocery store of the products sitting on the shelf...but I totally freaked out.  I thought store employees might turn in the crazy white lady that was whipping out her massive camera and taking pictures of chocolate chips.  So, I used my iPhone instead and went undercover!

The prices listed are Chinese RMB.  The exchange rate is about 6.3 RMB to $1 USD.

Chocolate cookies similar to the
Petit Ecolier Milke Chocolate Biscuits.

This is where the chocolate chips used to be.
It's not uncommon to go to a store and find
the one ingredient you need missing.

I can only find small bags of M & M's, which
means some of my cookie recipes become
very, very expensive!