Raise your spoons! Ben & Jerry’s has finally entered the dairy-free market with a full line of almond milk-based non-dairy frozen desserts. And the flavor creator, Kirsten Schimoler, obviously has chocoholic tendencies as every new pint has at least a chunk or swirl of cacao.
Pictured above, clockwise from top left: Chunky Monkey, Chocolate Fudge Brownie, Coffee Caramel Fudge, and P.B. & Cookies.
Yes, the people’s petition of over 28,000 paid off. After years of testing to get the perfect creamy mouth feel, Ben & Jerry’s Non-Dairy Ice Cream is ready to hit the shelves and Scoop Shops in mid to late February.
Each flavor of Ben & Jerry’s Non-Dairy Ice Cream is Certified Vegan, Fair Trade, and Non-GMO, and built upon a luxurious blend of almonds, sugar, and well … other stuff. What may come as a surprise to many consumers, is that these new flavors do contain soy (oil and lecithin) and in most varieties, gluten (barley) or wheat. In fact, Ben & Jerry’s Non-Dairy Ice Cream seems to be a true indulgence, not rivaling other brands in the purest ingredient use.
Not that I’m complaining; this is a big win for dairy-free ice cream lovers, including myself. The idea of being able to walk into an ice cream shop and walk out with my own scoop (that isn’t sorbet), as a special treat on a sunny day, makes my heart melt. The only problem left: which Ben & Jerry’s Non-Dairy Ice Cream flavor to choose first?
Chunky Monkey: Just like their infamous flavor, but better – it’s dairy-free! A totally bananas non-dairy frozen dessert with chunks of fudge and walnuts.
Chocolate Fudge Brownie: Chocolate on chocolate with pieces of rich fudgy vegan brownies from Greyston Bakery, a New York institution that provide jobs and training to low-income city residents.
Coffee Caramel Fudge: The creamy fair trade base is spiked with fudge chunks and a caramel swirl, perhaps enough to even bring us tea lovers over the the java side.
P.B. & Cookies: This may be the first one I sample. You just can’t go wrong with vanilla ice cream blended with chocolate sandwich cookies and crunchy peanut butter swirls.
40 Comments
Made me super sick. Had the choc fudge. Had diarrhea and vomiting all night and day. What the hell are they putting in this stuff!! Toxic!!
I just had to go dairy free and I LOVE ice cream and didn’t look forward to giving it up. I tried this and it was hard to put down the pint! Soooooo delicious.
Glad it put a dairy-free smile on your face Samantha 🙂
Why would you put gluten in ice cream. So many people have a problem with gluten. I am very disappointed in this new ice cream.
I am severe lactose intolerant and when ever I eat these “non-dairy” ice creams I have bad stomach cramps and diarrheal so it has to have some lactose in it maybe from using the same line
So disappointed to hear there is soy oil/lecithin in these new products. That eliminates me. It makes me very sick. :-(.
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I don’t support Unilever. They test too many products on animals.
Where can I find this non dairy ice ice cream?
See their website for locations Jennifer.
What Website. I did not see it in your article.
Also if there are not stores listing in my area, how do I get it stocked in my store?
Ben & Jerry’s website – http://www.benjerry.com/
Beware, this product is not only almond milk, they are all SOY based, we are so disappointed
Wow I was really excited about these for the fun flavors but didn’t realize they would have soy and gluten. Still got my fav So Delicious Cashew Milk Ice Creams! If only my local Whole Foods could keep the Salted Caramel Cashew in stock!
I agree, So Delicious Cashew Ice Creams are amazing!
That is my favorite too. When I do find it, I buy the store out! You would think that they would then keep it in stock.
Does anyone know if any of the new flavors of Dairy Free Frozen Dessert are also Gluten Free for those of us that need to be both DF and GF?
Hi Kimberly, read the article you’ve commented on – I covered that! 🙂
In speaking to Ben & Jerry’s – these are not made on a separate/ dedicated line. So between batches of “regular” ice cream and non-dairy, it goes through an FDA-approved/ required cleaning process. For me, disappointed because my son has anaphylactic allergy to dairy. I do not think I will be taking a chance since these are on the same equipment.
Thanks for sharing Steve! I’m actually sending someone next week to the Ben & Jerry’s facility where they will see the process first-hand. You might be surprised how many “allergen-safe” products are made on shared lines. Depending on the processes and the type of the allergen, they are sometimes able to make it pretty safe. For dairy, things like chip factories are more of a risk, because the milk powder can “float” and stick in crevices more easily. For fluid milk and often ice cream, the cleaning can actually be quite thorough since it washes away much more easily. But batch testing should still be done. That said, I totally agree that you have to do what is safest for your son.
I have a severe aniphilaxtic allergy to dairy and I tried this. I did not get sick so I will continue eating this product.
I’m so happy, I can’t wait for it… Finally, a treat for me… Please tell me, Where will they sell them and can I find them in Buffalo, N.Y?
I’m sure they will be. See their website for stores and scoop shops Acaena!
Do you know of any gluten free ice creams any where that are not single flavor such as vanilla, chocolate, or strawberry? It would seem that someone somewhere would take that ball and run with because so many people have gluten problems these days.
Yes, So Delicious makes a ton of them! Their Snickerdoodle cashew ice cream is to die for, and yes, it’s gluten-free! Details / pics: http://www.godairyfree.org/product-reviews/delicious-dairy-free-cashew-milk-ice-cream – They also have almond or coconut based cookies and cream, also gluten-free.
Are they safe for Severe dairy allergic people
Hi Rena, I don’t know as of yet, but will be finding out in a couple of weeks. Stay tuned for our review of the ice cream!
NOT gluten free plus allergens (wheat, barley, peanuts) are NOT clearly called out on the label! What a disappointment!
Yes, noted above – I was disappointed in the allergen labeling, too! I hope it’s better on the packaging then it is on their website.
Part of my life is reading everything on a label. I never feel safe assuming and often, it trips up friends who bring me food or a treat- they will get *vegetarian* and think “Hey, this is the same as vegan”,and I get so sick. (And don’t ever tell that I did!) So just always read labels, it is safer to be our own watchdogs anyway! 🙂
So I say yayayay!! So amazingly sick of coconut based everything, go Team Almonds 🙂
Wonderful news, Alisa. I’m SO excited to try these. Any idea whether available in Canada? I figure that’s not info you have, but worth asking!
I’m honestly not sure. Usually these companies trial in the US stores first, but it’s possible they’ll just blast it wherever they distribute. Fingers crossed!
Do you know if they are gluten free as well ?
Hi Melissa, details (including gluten, soy, etc) on that are all in the post above! No, not gluten-free.
Ooooh hope these are available in the UK about time other companies did dairy free ice-cream and other products xx well done Ben and Jerry’s xxx
Are they available in the UK?
I’m not sure Fiona, you would need to contact the company to inquire on that. If they have Ben & Jerry’s in the UK, then there is a good chance the Non-Dairy versions will hit there, too!
Oh…yum!!!! Just in time for my youngest sons birthday. Thanks so much for sharing – will definitely be on the lookout for these.
Are they Refined Sigar Free? I can’t have Dairy, Gluten or Refined Sugar or artificial sweeteners.
Pretty sure they’re loaded with plain old sugar.