People who are vegan, lactose intolerant, or maintain a dairy-free diet can still enjoy a refreshing scoop of ice cream. But which non-dairy treat tastes the most like the real thing?
As part of INSIDER's taste test series, we tried non-dairy ice cream from six different brands to find out, judging each on consistency and flavor. Here's the brand that ended up being our favorite.
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We judged the ice creams on consistency and flavor to see how closely they resembled dairy ice cream.
Trader Joe's Soy Creamy cost $3.69 for a 32-ounce container of vanilla ice cream.
"It's very smooth, in my opinion," one tester said. "It's not frozen or watery."
Despite what some described as a "Play-Doh aftertaste," we enjoyed the creamy texture and rich flavor.
One pint of Archer Farms non-dairy vanilla bean ice cream costs $4.49 at Target.
We thought this ice cream tasted closer to cookies and cream than vanilla. One tester also said the consistency reminded her of Italian ice.
Prices may vary depending on the location of the store, but the pint of almond milk ice cream we picked up from Whole Foods in New York City cost $4.99.
One taste tester said the ice cream tasted nutty. Others said it tasted like coconut or cinnamon. But everyone agreed that it wasn't quite vanilla.
"I wouldn't say it's bad, but you're not getting vanilla," one tester said.
One pint of Tofutti vanilla ice cream cost $4.99 at my local corner grocery store in New York City. Prices may vary depending on where it's purchased.
While the consistency of the ice cream was smooth and creamy, we thought it tasted a little too sweet, and almost "syrupy," as one tester put it.
One pint of Koku non-dairy ice cream cost a whopping $9.99 at my local grocery store. It's also available at Whole Foods stores, but only in the Northeast for now.
The tart mix of vanilla and lemon flavors was a bit too sour for our tasters. We also felt that it was more reminiscent of frozen yogurt than ice cream.
A pint of SO Delicious from Whole Foods would normally have cost $5.99, but it was on sale for $5.49 when I bought it. The "Very Vanilla" flavor was made from cashew milk.
"This tastes like Play-doh again," one tester said, referencing the Trader Joe's ice cream from earlier. "I'm happy about it."
Trader Joe's Soy Creamy was the winner for its smooth texture and rich vanilla taste. Trader Joe's package of ice cream was also the largest and least expensive of the bunch, making it a purchase with great value and great flavor.
