If you are hunting for the best Easter chocolate to share with friends and family this weekend, there are certain ingredients to look for, and to avoid, to make sure you are getting a high quality product.

In addition, there are precautions to take with children and pets when it comes to chocolate.

 Here is what to look for:

• Physical appearance. Good quality chocolate should have a shiny appearance, not dull or cloudy. It should also smell like chocolate, not just sweet, experts tell HuffPost. Check the ingredients to ensure the chocolate doesn’t contain Red Dye No. 3 which has been identified as a cancer risk. “The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has banned the use of Red Dye No. 3, but food manufacturers have until January 2027 to remove from their product,” notes Denise Castronovo, owner of Castronovo Chocolate in Florida.

• Simple ingredients. Castronovo says that the best chocolate has few ingredients and cacao, from cocoa beans, should be the most predominant. Dark chocolate only has two key ingredients: cacao and sugar. High-quality milk chocolate should have four ingredients: cacao, sugar, cocoa butter and milk. White chocolate is made with cocoa butter, sugar, milk and possibly pure vanilla. Watch out for additives such as palm oil, paraffin, and vanillin, a synthetic vanilla substitute, that are added to cut costs but have no place in quality confections.

• Low cost. If the product is ridiculously low in price, chances are it’s not a high-quality product since the price of cacao has risen recently. Expect to pay between $5 and $7 or more for a good quality two-ounce chocolate bar. Anything below $4.00 may be poor quality.

Dark Chocolate and Kids

If you’re buying chocolate for children, dark chocolate can be a healthy option but should be given in moderation. Dark chocolate contains less sugar than milk chocolate and has numerous health benefits due to its high cocoa content, including antioxidants that can improve cardiovascular health.

However, its intense flavor may not be appealing to all children, and the higher caffeine content could be a concern for very young kids. When giving dark chocolate to children, opt for varieties with lower cocoa percentages to ensure a balance between health benefits and taste enjoyment.

One ounce of dark chocolate with 60-69% of cacao solids contains 24 milligrams of caffeine, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. This is equal to the amount in a quarter cup of coffee. While children can tolerate a small amount of caffeine, but preferably not before bedtime, larger amounts can cause sleep difficulties, anxiety, diarrhea, vomiting and increased heart rate and blood pressure.

Health Canada has a handy guide that outlines the advisable amounts of caffeine for both kids and adults. The bottom line is that most experts agree that dark chocolate poses a moderate risk to children but, like anything, consumption should be monitored and limited as part of a well-rounded, nutritious diet.

Chocolate is Toxic to Pets

Any form of chocolate is toxic to dogs and cats. Chocolate contains theobromine and caffeine, which are similar compounds and cause similar clinical signs such as an increase in heart rate, blood pressure, agitation, tremors, and seizures.

Chocolate ingestion can result in significant illness and could be fatal, says VCA Animal Hospitals. Contact your veterinarian or the Pet Poison Helpline at 800-213-6680 to determine if a poisonous amount of chocolate has been ingested. If a toxic amount was ingested, immediate evaluation by a veterinarian will be recommended. The sooner treatment begins, the better your pet’s prognosis is and the less costly the treatment.