Vegan ice cream… just shit or THE shit?

Ah, you saw this one coming. Who doesn’t love to blog about the organic, vegan or non-GMO sustenance they put into their bodies? Luckily for you, I’m not here to shove anything down your throat (literally or figuratively). Instead I would simply like to discuss the most important thing we put in our mouths…ice cream. That’s right. Ice cream.

As I began my transition into a vegan lifestyle, two things held me back: ice cream and mac and cheese. The further research I did on the egg and dairy industry however, the more turned off I was by the idea of eating it. Afterall, what’s more important; my taste buds or the livelihood of those cute chickens and cows?

All hail, Victoria!

I knew I would have to find an animal friendly alternative so I could have my occasional indulgence (and by occasional I mean everyday lol). The mac and cheese portion of my dilemma was simple: VV, baby. Throw this on your corkscrew pasta, sprinkle some bread crumbs and you are golden.

Ice cream on the other hand, wasn’t so easy. My infatuation toward ice cream was so deeply rooted in my bones, I would eat it everyday. Every. Day. I had tried everything from cashew based to coconut based ice creams, but nothing compared to the real thing. If anything, eating these vegan ice creams made me crave the classic ice creams even more.

So there I was, somewhat hopelessly standing in the freezer aisle of the my local Wal-Mart. Whilst looking for some dairy and egg free ice cream that wasn’t rock hard and watery, something caught my eye. It was like a vision of the divine. A vision of truth, a vision of love.

Ben & Jerry’s. Vegan Ben & Jerry’s. PRAISE THE LORD MY TIME HAS COME.

A high pitched squeak escaped me along with a hop. But not the kind of magical hop that you see in a  Nicolas Sparks’ movie, it was more like this:

You get the idea. I was electrified with joy.

I bought every flavor (as any seasoned ice cream eater would) and after intense trail, I have come to the conclusion of whether vegan ice cream is just shit or the shit.

First Round: P.B. & Cookies

I was pleasantly surprised by this one considering the fact that I am not fond of Oreo and peanut butter as a pair. This was creamy, chunky and peanut buttery. YUM. Not to mention it only got better as I ate it (oops). There could have been a bit more punch to it, but overall, it was a fair trade for the original. 

Winner by split decision: VEGAN ICE CREAM

Second Round: Chocolate Fudge Brownie

Who knew chocolate and brownie could tumble so far off. The texture to this dessert was mediocre and the taste was bland. I’m not sure what went wrong here, but something most definitely did.

Winner by unanimous decision: original dairy ice cream.

Round Three: Chunky Monkey

I was obviously excited about this one. I love bananas so it’s no wonder this one was such rave on my tongue. It was velvety smooth and had flavor to carry me to the moon. 

Winner by submission: VEGAN ICE CREAM

Round Four: Coffee Carmel Fudge

I have no words for my adoration of this ice cream. It reminds me of a combination I would pick up at Coldstone; a “Love It” with half coffee and half cake batter in a waffle cone. I never imagined I would ever experience a love like that again…until now.

Winner by knock out: VEGAN ICE CREAM

So there you have it. While not all vegan ice cream is exceptional, there are some pints waiting for you that are a national treasure. Your tastebuds (and those cows and chickens) will thank me later.

 

Sincerely,

Abby