Did you ever look at the colorful checkout stands at the local supermarket as a kid and said, "but mom, I want it!," as your eyes fixated on a shiny Snickers bar. Chocolate is a simple, yet complex sweet. It can taste creamy, bitter, bittersweet, salty, spicy, citrusy –– you get the idea. Furthermore, different chocolates can have the same flavor yet create unique tasting experiences for each person due to different textures.

Americans eat about 2.8 billion pounds or spend $18.275 billion on chocolate each year, so it's rare to find a person who does not enjoy its flavor in some form. However, buying chocolate for any Valentine poses a challenge due to so many brands and varieties sold. How does anyone decide what specific bar or box of chocolates to purchase? Have no fear. Discover your Valentine's taste preference, then scout the candy aisle or virtual shelves for one of these 10 different chocolate types.

1. Dark

Trade Joe's 85% cacao dark chocolate bar tastes like chocolate should but without the overly sweet flavor. This bar is rich and will satisfy cravings for bold, yet rich chocolate.

The chocolate in this bar comes from Colombia's Tumaco region, which is known for subtle fruity flavors that shine in darker varieties and give it a more exquisite taste. The best part? This bar only costs $1.45 and wont break the bank. Go ahead and buy two, or even three.

2. Fruity

Ghirardelli created a couple different flavors of these intense dark chocolate bars; mango sunset, cherry tango, and raspberry radiance. The slightly sweet fruity pieces perfectly pair with the intense, dark flavor. These bars literally taste like chocolate covered fruit.

3. Nutty

Nut lovers just found their chocolate heaven. This Russel Stover chocolate covered nuts box holds six different nutty flavors –– pecans, English walnuts, walnuts, peanuts, cashews, and almonds. Let your Valentine try a different flavor each day and see which one tastes the best.

4. Creamy

If you grew up receiving Easter Baskets full of candies, you probably ate a Cadbury cream egg at some point. Cadbury perfects the creamy flavor in any chocolate variety across all their products.

The big taste bar contains creamy white, milk, and dark chocolate flavors for a triple chocolate sensation. It's crafted from dairy milk, which boosts its smooth texture and allows it to melt in your mouth. The best part? The bar's large size makes it great for sharing –– or keeping to yourself for a couple months.

5. Bittersweet

There's nothing like good chocolate that tastes bold, yet doesn't send anyone into a sugar coma. For the ultimate experience, purchase a Whitman's dark chocolate sampler box that includes a spectrum of semi-sweet flavors, including almond nougats, coconut creams, toffee chips, chocolate covered peanuts, caramels, molasses chews, maple fudge, cherry cordials, chocolate covered almonds, nut clusters, truffles, and whips.

6. White

A box of entirely white chocolates? Yes, it exists. Godiva creates gourmet chocolates and specializes in truffles. Nibble on a white chocolate assortment, which looks as great as it tastes and features cute shapes like hearts or stars.

7. Foreign

European chocolate always tastes better than American chocolate because our country fills candies with preservatives and artificial ingredients. Europe, on the other hand, sticks to the natural root, preserves the cacao bean flavor, and also contains more cocoa butter, which gives the candy a richer taste. Chocolate Class states that more adults consume chocolate in Europe, while more children consume it in America. In addition, the United States mass produces chocolate and generally does not carefully craft it like companies in other foreign countries.

Chocolate connoisseurs agree that Switzerland and Belgium produce some of the most exquisite, European chocolate. The good news is that consumers can find some of this rich chocolate in United States stores like Costco from Lindt, a company that creates premium truffles. The brand sells common flavors like dark, hazelnut, and caramel, but they also sell less common flavors like coconut. These chocolates cost a bit more, but they're worth the price.

8. Mint

Andes mints are a classic. My family always kept some in the house for baking, eating, and as stocking stuffers for Christmas. Restaurants often give these specific mints to customers after they finish their meal. People use them in s'mores, cookies, or just eat them plain.

There's nothing special about these small little mints except that they bear a strong creme de menthe flavor, which fuses finely with the dark chocolate coating. They're small enough to indulge in without feeling guilty about calories.

9. Crunchy

While many chocolate lovers prefer smooth textures, others crave that crunch. Shop at Costco or Walmart for barkThins, dark chocolate slivers made naturally crunchy with from nuts.

Try any of these varieties; dark chocolate with sea salt, pretzel with sea salt, coconut with almonds, mint, peanut with sea salt, dark chocolate pumpkin seed with sea salt, dark chocolate gingerbread, dark chocolate blueberry with quinoa crunch, dark chocolate peppermint pretzel with sea salt. For the ultimate crunch, snack on the coconut or blueberry flavors.

10. Salty

Here's your chocolate, salted caramel lovers. Dove created the ideal sea salt caramel dark chocolate squares that are silky smooth with caramel ribbons and salt crystals. They're individually wrapped and bite-sized, which makes them easy to carry on-the-go for that Valentines day movie with your sweetheart at the theaters.