Every freezer needs to be stocked with a good vanilla ice cream. Not only is it a fantastic base for many desserts, it can also be turned into delicious drinks, such as an affogato or an old-fashioned vanilla milkshake. But finding a quality vanilla ice cream can be a challenge, especially if you’re also trying to mind the price tag. We looked at 12 grocery store-brand vanilla ice creams to see how they hold up against each other and found that the Trader Joe’s vanilla ice cream far surpassed the ones from Aldi.
Two of Aldi’s vanilla ice creams made it on our list — the Sundae Shoppe Vanilla Bean Ice Cream and Specially Selected Vanilla Super Premium Ice Cream. The Sundae Shoppe unceremoniously landed second-to-last due to its bland flavor and inconsistent texture. At less than $3 per container, it admittedly has a very low price tag, but some Aldi shoppers have noted that it’s painfully clear the ice cream is just not of high quality.
Aldi’s Super Premium vanilla ice cream performed much better on our taste test. It ranked in sixth place largely because of its exceptional vanilla flavor. Customers are especially in awe of the simplicity of the ingredient list, which only names cream, skim milk, sugar, egg yolks, and vanilla extract. The only thing that wasn’t working with this ice cream was the texture — it was too hard and lacked creaminess, ultimately making the dessert merely average as a whole.
Trader Joe’s French Vanilla Ice Cream deserves its super premium label
Trader Joe’s frozen desserts are among the store’s most popular items, and its French Vanilla Ice Cream is no exception. It was ranked second on our list and wowed us with its smooth consistency and perfectly balanced flavor of sweetness and vanilla. Other customers have particularly praised the strength of aromatic vanilla in Trader Joe’s ice cream — it’s ideal for anyone who genuinely loves vanilla and shudders at the thought of neutral-tasting ice cream.
One important feature of ice cream that you might not be familiar with is the so-called overrun. It refers to the amount of air that makes it into the ice cream. More air is signified with a higher overrun percentage and means a fluffier ice cream, while a lower overrun percentage indicates a denser and more flavorful product. Trader Joe’s French Vanilla Ice Cream only has 26% overrun, resulting in a luxurious texture and a super premium label. Its texture is likened to custard, and the flavor’s richness comes from the inclusion of egg yolks, which is the difference between regular vanilla and French vanilla ice cream. Going for $4.79 per quart, it’s a great store-brand alternative to the many more expensive name brands.
