The recent hot weather has had many of us in the mood for ice cream but like many things these days, the summer favourite doesn't always come cheap.
An artisan ice cream in a fancy deli or park café can set you back a small fortune and even the cost of a Mr Whippy can take you by surprise, especially if you go for a big one with a flake. Buying ice cream from the supermarket to enjoy at home is a cheaper way to cool down, but favourites like Ben & Jerry's and Haagan Dazs are still on the pricey side.
That's why this week we decided to try supermarket own brand ice creams to see how they tasted compared to the more well known brands. We've tucked into tubs from Asda, Co-op and Sainsbury’s and were more than a bit surprised at the results.
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Here's our verdict:
Asda Loaded Chocolate Fudge Brownie Ice Cream - 480ml
I may have grown up in a two up, two down terrace house in a small town in Yorkshire, but I'm a complete snob about ice cream. It's completely unjustified (seriously, who do I think I am?) but I knew this week's supermarket review would have its work cut out.
I ventured to my local Asda and picked up a tub of its Loaded Chocolate Fudge Brownie Ice Cream, which piqued my interest because it immediately reminded me of Ben & Jerry's version though significantly cheaper, at just £2. It's made up of chocolate ice cream with chunky, fudgy brownie pieces interspersed throughout the tub.
The ice cream itself isn't the best, it's a little on the bitter side yet it somehow manages to be a quite plain and nondescript. It's also not as creamy or decadent as pricier alternatives, though the brownie pieces are delicious and provide a much needed injection of sweetness.
For a cheaper treat, this will certainly satisfy the taste buds - more so due to the generous helping of brownie pieces that work well with the ice cream - but I won't be making the switch from my favourites. I think other supermarkets have tastier budget-friendly options than this one (I'm looking longingly at you, Co-op) and I am open to trying more - it's a tough job, but someone's got to do it.
Rating: 3/5
Price: £2
Where to buy: Asda stores and online
Sainsbury’s Taste The Difference Salted Caramel Ice Cream
Personally I find it hard to enjoy an ice cream as much as Ben & Jerry’s Chocolate Fudge Brownie, but unless it’s on offer it doesn’t come cheap. A 465ml tub is currently £4.50 in Sainsbury’s, compared to the supermarket’s ‘Taste The Difference’ ice cream tubs, which are £2.50 for 480ml.
I hadn’t tried this range before so was interested to see if it could come anywhere close to my favourite. I picked up the Salted Caramel flavour, though have to admit the orange colour of the ice cream on the packaging looked a bit sickly.
Thankfully when I opened it up, the ice cream was actually a much lighter colour, more like a vanilla flavour would look. The ice cream is made with West Country Milk and Cream - sounds delicious - ‘and a hint of sea salt’ - yum.
These flavours are right up my street so I couldn’t wait to tuck in. But wait I did as when you open the lid you’re greeted with a peel back label that state’s ‘Bet you can’t wait to try me… but if you resist for 10 minutes you’ll really taste the difference’.
Wanting the best possible experience, I did just that and it was worth it. By then it was soft enough to easily scoop out and melting slightly at the edges.
The ice cream had a rich, restaurant quality flavour. It’s the kind that would be delicious with a slab of sticky toffee pudding. The sea salt was distinctive but not overpowering and the same could be said for the caramel flavour.
It had just the right amount of sweetness, without being sickly. The taste also reminded me of golden syrup drizzled on pancakes if you like that sort of thing.
While chocolate will always be my favourite ice cream flavour, I was genuinely impressed with the taste and quality of Sainsbury’s £2.50 tub and would recommend it if you’re looking to save some cash on your next ice cream fix.
Rating: 4/5
Price: £2.50
Where to buy: Sainsbury’s online or instore
Co-op Vanilla Ice Cream - 900ml
I’ll be honest, I don’t have a lot of ice cream in my house, purely because if I did I’d end up eating the whole tub. I usually go for something low calorie like the Halo Top ice cream - but it’s never quite the same, is it?
When I first saw the price of this Co-op own brand vanilla ice cream I was pretty shocked. I don’t remember ice cream being as expensive as £2.30, but I suppose the price of everything is on the rise.
To look at, the tub of ice cream looked pretty basic. It wasn’t until I lifted off the lid that I was pleasantly surprised, the ice cream was really beautifully presented.
You could see the essence of the vanilla pods creeping through the ice cream that looked almost whipped in a swirled pattern. After just one glance I knew this ice cream was going to be delicious.
I took a bite and I was amazed. I hate to admit it because the price was pretty steep, but this was some of the nicest ice cream I’d ever had (although nothing will beat Ben & Jerry‘s).
The ice cream was so rich, and just the right amount of sweet. Some ice creams can almost lose their flavour because of the sheer amount of sugar, but not this one.
Considering you can get the same flavour and same amount of ice cream in Tesco for 30p cheaper, I was a little disappointed. However, I do understand that the Co-op is great for convenience.
Rating: 5/5
Price: £2.30 for 900ml
Where to buy: Your local Co-op store
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