Unboxed: 12 ice creams to stock from ultra-decadent to special-diet desserts
Hunting for a chickpea ice cream? Well, here's one. What about innovative packaging, sugar-free desserts, vegan treats or wonderfully rich real-cream ice cream? There's plenty of those in this summer-ready gallery as well.
![Unboxed: 12 ice creams to stock from ultra-decadent to special-diet desserts Unboxed: 12 ice creams to stock from ultra-decadent to special-diet desserts](https://eu-images.contentstack.com/v3/assets/blt09e5e63517a16184/blt22522151d15e1064/64ff19f1eb6d2e1c462d58c9/unboxed-ice-cream-2021_0.png?width=700&auto=webp&quality=80&disable=upscale)
Alden’s has long been committed to strict allergen controls, which is why the brand went the extra mile by attaining gluten-free certification (from the Gluten-Free Certification Organization–GFCO) for these new, USDA Organic sammies. Sandwiched between these delicious gluten-free chocolate wafers is the brand’s signature organic real-dairy ice cream.
Sink into a pint of this delicious (real cream!) ice cream, with the honey delicately swirled in a delectable cream base, flavored with the perfect synergy of blueberries and lavender. This creamy rich dessert is also made from locally sourced organic milk from pasture-raised cows, and it’s USDA Organic.
This flavor—one of two new releases along with Dark Chocolate Brownie—is so decadently delicious, consumers won’t be able to stop at one pint. It also contains upcycled pieces of dark chocolate peanut butter cups from UnReal made from natural lactose-free dark chocolate. And did we mention the wonderfully salty peanut butter ribbon that runs throughout this lactose-free treat?
It’s been a couple of months since this hit the news, but this new line of Topped ice creams from this Certified B Corp is still creating plenty of buzz. This flavor, one of seven in the new line, features brown butter bourbon ice cream with blonde brownies and whiskey caramel swirls topped with white chocolatey ganache and white fudge chunks.
This decadent gelato is oh-so-rich and oh-so-fabulous. A sweet cream gelato with ribbons of dulce de leche and the occasional crunch of a dark chocolate pearl that evokes, in the words of the brand, “milk and cookies the Argentine way.” Need we say more?
This plant-based dessert has a dairy-like creaminess, texture and taste; however, it’s free of lactose, dairy, soy and gluten. It’s also certified organic, made with cashews from ethically sourced farming collectives and comes in 5 flavors (Vanilla, Chocolate, Cookies and Cream and Mint Chip).
These new nondairy ice cream bars bring together two product lines formerly on the market as Hakuna Banana and Totes Oats. With just 190 calories per bar these frozen treats are all about the simple ingredient list that includes oatmilk, coconut, chocolate, peanuts and cassava.
One of four new no-added sugar varieties—along with Vanilla, Strawberry and Chocolate—this creamy nondairy ice cream has a coconut base and is sweetened with allulose, erythritol and a touch of stevia. It is also Certified Gluten Free, Non-GMO Project Verified, AVA Certified Vegan and the company is a Certified B Corporation.
This new frozen dessert from Nick’s—a brand known for its Swedish-style light ice cream—represents the brand’s new partnership with Perfect Day, the makers of animal-free dairy proteins that use fermentation of plant ingredients to produce whey and casein proteins. The sticky issue for some natural products industry folks might be the use of the word “vegan” for these lactose-free, next-gen dairy products made without cows—let the debate commence!
Young coconut meat is the secret to the creamy texture and nutritional profile found in this line of plant-based gelatos. Sweetened with coconut sugar and enhanced with functional ingredients ranging from mushrooms to botanicals, the line comes in unique lidless packaging and, for now, a total of four evocative flavors (Matcha Mint Chip, Coconut Salted Caramel and Saffron Chai Spice).
This new plant-based ice cream begins with the humble but mighty chickpea, which is blended with cane sugar and coconut oil and almonds to create a creamy nondairy frozen dessert that is also soy- and gluten-free and comes in nine flavors.
These new vegan ice cream bars from Van Leeuwen are, in fact, so delicious that stopping after just one is impossible. Happily, they are also somewhat petite, making polishing off an entire box that much easier. The Vegan Brown Sugar Honeycomb variety is particularly yummy—one of three new oatmilk-based bars. Actually, that’s not true, we loved them all (as well as the brand’s new line of non-vegan bars).
These new vegan ice cream bars from Van Leeuwen are, in fact, so delicious that stopping after just one is impossible. Happily, they are also somewhat petite, making polishing off an entire box that much easier. The Vegan Brown Sugar Honeycomb variety is particularly yummy—one of three new oatmilk-based bars. Actually, that’s not true, we loved them all (as well as the brand’s new line of non-vegan bars).
The weather is getting warm and, after being cooped up indoors for what seems like forever, consumers are more than ready for the spring and summer months. Fun outdoors also means diving into favorite warm-weather foods, including one of America’s favorite family desserts: ice cream.
The ice cream market was valued at $64.40 billion in 2020, with a CAGR of nearly 3% during 2021-2026, according to a report by Mordor Intelligence. All ice cream is not created equal, however, and rising health concerns highlighted by the COVID-19 global pandemic have made consumers more aware than ever of what they’re putting into their bodies.
At the same time, people are still yearning to indulge in their favorite treats, and what could be more indulgent and classic than ice cream?
Today’s natural products ice cream brands are meeting consumer demand for products that reflect a range of attributes including plant-based, vegan, specialty-diet (keto, paleo, Whole30, etc.), sustainably sourced, USDA Organic and more.
And for those consumers that can't wait to put this long winter behind them, this crop of new products will be a welcome treat for the balmy days ahead.
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