Made from cashew milk, coconut cream, and cocoa butter, this vegan treat tasted the most like classic ice cream out of all the brands we tested. The mint chip went the distance in our 'food duels' to come out on top in the final five. Why it was a hit: Van Leeuwen is one of the best brands of ice cream anywhere and their vegan choices are no different. Where to find it: You can find Oatly at Walmart, Target, Stop and Shop and Whole Foods.

Quick health facts: With 218 calories, 23 carbs and 13 grams of fat per serving, this choice has fewer calories than most. Even non-strawberry lovers will be converted! It's a rich treat and anyone who loves strawberry will not be disappointed. We love the packaging, flavor and attitude of this brand. The newcomer to the freezer nudges aside some of the long-time favorites with its oat milk ice cream that tastes as good as-or better than-the real thing. Why it was a hit: Oatly has its act together, and this ice cream proves it. Here's what the experts - kids! - had to say.įor all the Beet Meters, check out the best vegan products. But these new options are so good, we'd definitely put these treats into our regular rotation. Depending on what they’re made of, you could end up with the same amount of calories and sugar than if you'd chosen milk-based ice cream. With artisan creameries such as Van Leeuwen’s and Nadamoo! leading the way, even big brands like Häagen Dazs, Ben & Jerry’s and Breyer’s have begun introducing dairy-free flavors that taste just as good as the real thing.įinding your new favorite flavor is up to you, but know this: When you head to the freezer at your local grocer and see dozens of dairy-free varieties, be wary that these are not necessarily healthy choices, just dairy-free ones. Today there are hundreds of dairy-free flavors lining the shelves. Plant-Based Ice Creams Are Made With Almond Milks, Oat Milks and Coconut CreamĪs the number of consumers committed to eating a plant-based diet continues to grow, it’s no surprise that the non-dairy ice cream market is booming. These 'food duels' whittled the field down from the round of 32 to a final eight, and finally, five crowd-pleasing winners. Okay, so this wasn’t exactly a scientific test, but we started with one-on-one duels: Basically, 16 taste-offs between two equal pints of similar flavors. Then the wheels start to come off: The kids begin to climb on the table and the boy with the highest sugar rush (who happened to be my son, a vivacious 7-year-old with a love of strawberry ice cream) wins with the loudest endorsement. Then, as the sugar takes hold, the experiment turns into an enthusiastic declaration of personal favorites: Strawberry! Mint Chip! Cookie Dough! They shout when asked which is the winner. What happens when you bring 32 pints of non-dairy ice cream to a pool party for a bunch of 7- to 12-year-olds on a blazing hot day in the summer? First, as the kids gingerly dip their plastic spoons into small bowls and give feedback upon request, there is polite decorum.

We Conducted This Taste Test Back When Social Gathering Was Okay I've rounded up 16 of the best need-to-know non-dairy ice cream brands for you, below.For our biggest product test yet, the growing category of dairy-free ice creams, we enlisted the toughest testers around: Kids, who don’t have to eat plant-based or vegan, and who have zero reasons to like dairy-free ice cream, aka 'nice cream.' These discerning judges told us honestly which flavors they would tuck into and serve at birthday parties, and which ones got a polite thumbs down. So go ahead and indulge in some seriously delicious vegan ice creams. No, you don't have to be vegan or lactose intolerant to try out these dairy-free ice creams (though let's be real: It can be nice sometimes to cool it on the creamy front for a little bit-I'm looking at you, Unexplained Tummy Ache), especially when they're as good as the real thing.

Not to mention, there's an abundance of delicious non-dairy ice creams out there-and I'm here to introduce you to them. The powers that be have concocted various vegan 'dairy' options-including vegan cheeses and soooo many different types of plant-based milk alternatives. If you’re lactose intolerant or have elected to live the non-dairy life, you’re in luck. (See: mac and cheese, grilled cheese, cheesecake! I could go on.) So when we choose to stop eating dairy (whether that be for health or otherwise personal reasons), that means we have to abandon any and all things that contain butter, yogurt, or cheese, right? Wrong! Cutting out dairy can look like one intimidating feat-especially considering how cow's milk tends to be a core ingredient in all of our fave foods.

Best dairy free ice cream