Strawberries are too cliché and pound cake is for amateurs. I’ve conducted tedious, pain-staking, chocolate-covered research, and at the expense of my love-handles, have landed upon ten new foods to dip in chocolate.

1) Chocolate covered gum is a sweet and cleansing way to end the night after any party or get-together. Dip a hard-shelled gum ball into melted dark chocolate, place the pieces on wax or parchment paper, and stick the sheet in the refrigerator for a few hours prior to your party. Then, pour them in a little serving dish and serve with dessert. To add a fun checkerboard look, dip half of the gum pieces in dark chocolate and dip the others in white chocolate. With this creation, your teeth get to dive into a chocolate decadence just before they are cleared of the evidence.

2) If you like “ants on a log,” try throwing some “mud” into the mix. Dipping celery sticks into melted milk chocolate actually works! And, If you start to grow nostalgic for your “ants,” you can still throw some raisins on top of the chocolate.

3) Try dipping salted potato chips in chocolate. Stick to the sturdier chips, like the ones with ridges, so the chip doesn’t flake and break away in the chocolate.

4) Let some cheddar Gold Fish Baked Snack Crackers swim in a pool of chocolate. This treat is sure to be a favorite for children and adults alike.

5) Try popping some cherry tomatoes into your chocolate. Oddly enough, the acidity of the tomato pairs very well with a nice bittersweet chocolate.

6) Expand your bagel-and-cream-cheese horizons by adding melted chocolate. If this seems difficult to execute, defrost some phyllo dough and put your own twist on this breakfast classic. Start by cutting out 3 x 9 inch strips of phyllo dough. Then, create a mixture that is 1-part cream cheese and 1-part feta cheese and place about 1 teaspoon of this mixture at one end of each dough strip. Next, roll each strip into a tube shape, brush them with egg wash, and place them in a 375 degree oven for about 10 minutes, or until golden. Now you’re ready for some dipping!

7) Find a hard, mild cheese that you can cut into cubes that won’t dissolve into the warm chocolate. I’ve found rich chocolates work wonders on the salty tang of Manchego cheese. This dish will act as a chocolate dessert and a cheese plate all in one.

8) Try dipping your favorite chili pepper into a chocolate of your choice. The creamy chocolate helps balance out the heat. If you have time, you can pre-dip the chilies in dark chocolate, drizzle them white chocolate, and stick them in the fridge for a few hours before serving.

9) You guess it, bacon! Yes, this salty, smoky meat creates a wonderful savory sweet combination when mixed with a dark or milk chocolate.

10) If you think you are really ready to try something new, trade out the martini for some chocolate and dip that olive right in! Yes, olives. I’ve found that black olives go very well in white chocolate and green olives thrive in milk chocolate, but you are free to create your own combinations.

If I haven’t satisfied your sweet tooth, then you can go back to your chocolate-covered-banana ways, but if you’re ready to try something different, dip into some of these new ideas! -Paige Ross