Ben & Jerry's vs. The Girl Scouts - Chewy Gooey Cookie

Chewy Gooey Cookie Ben & Jerry's - Target

Samoa ice cream? 

This has milk chocolate and coconut ice creams, shortbread pieces, fudge flakes, and a caramel swirl. All the ingredients of top-tier Girl Scout cookie, Samoa (aka Caramel deLites.) Since this is as subtle as a baseball bat to the face, I'm far from the first person to make the connection. Which makes me wonder, why isn't this a collaboration? 

Ben & Jerry's previously released, "Thick Mint," a clear parody of Girl Scout's, "Thin Mint," so maybe there's some bad blood between the two junkfood giants? Someone more versed in brand politics can fill me in down in the comments. I'm sure I'm missing something. 

Whatever the reason, I love Samoas, and I love ice cream, so I have high hopes for this pint! 

Triple Scoop Review - 3 Aldi Flavors

Triple Scoop Review - 3 Aldi Flavors

Today we're finally putting a dent in my ice cream freezer. A triple-Aldi post, two seasonal novelties and a bonus "Super premium" pint. Let's get to scoopin'!

First up, Shamrock Swirl - Mint ice cream with yellow fudge chips & Choco-cookie crumb swirl 

LOOK Choco Mint Ice Sand

"Ice sand?" Looking at this product's name, some of you may be a little confused.

"Sand" is short for "sandwich."  Or, "sando." Which is also short for sandwich. Basically, Japan doesn't have time for your long, not-cute, words. (Joking.) Reading manga and watching anime, I'm pretty familiar with this shortened term, but even if you weren't I think the context clues make it rather obvious that this is ice cream sandwich themed. In this case, a chocolate mint one.

Berries 'n Cream - Dr. Pepper Edition

New Dr. Pepper has dropped and, for me, the timing could not be better.  

I've been craving strawberry ice cream for weeks, but I already have 4 different flavors in my freezer, so, until I consume what I have (and blog about it), I'm not letting myself buy anymore ice cream. (Sporadic food blogger problems.) I actually walked to a local ice cream shop for a scoop, so I could scratch the itch without taking up freezer space, but there was a note posted saying they were closed for the rest of the month. (Even though I saw them open the day before! A literal sign from the universe?) 

Then Dr. Pepper swoops in with THIS! A 20 oz. bottle of strawberries and cream themed soda. 

Honeycomb, Hold the Honey - Van Leeuwen French Ice Cream

I thought I had already reviewed this, but I guess I never got around to typing it up. Since I've bought it twice, safe to say. I like it. 

But the funny thing is, there is no honey in this. 

Ice SCREAM Pumpkin Delights

Little Debbie has branched out into ice cream. Turning classics, like Cosmic Brownies and Oatmeal Creme Pies into scoop-able desserts.  

After the Fruity Pebbles ice cream left me feeling is was more of a gimmick than it was edible, I figured these would likely be the same and skipped them. Until I saw that the seasonal sweet, Pumpkin Delights, were getting the ice cream treatment. 

Pumpkin Delights look...rather unfortunate. I reviewed them back in 2015 and I stand by my comparison that they looks just like the Koopas from the live action Mario Bros movie. 

Twinning. 

They may look bizarre, but they are absolutely delicious. If the ice cream is even half as good, I'll consider this a win. 

Maid-Marion-berry Cheesecake Ice Cream

A while back I picked up a pint of Honeycomb flavored Van Leeuwen's ice cream from the Walmart clearance section. Turns out, it wasn't clearance at all. (There were a dozen of the exact same pint in the discount freezer case, so it wasn't like, a single accidental pint or something.) Annoyed, but already at checkout, I bought it anyway. It sounded yummy, even though it was $7.00! Upon getting home I cracked it open, and it was delicious. 

Then certain flavors started showing up at Lidl, and I thought, why not see what else they had to offer? 

Like Marionberry cheesecake. 

Neapolitan vs. Neapolitan

Name Brand vs. Generic: Neapolitan Edition

This new Oreo came out, I bought it, and then I went to put it away and found this box of cookies from Aldi that were a different take on the same thing. In fact, they're an Aldi twist on a Neapolitan Trader Joe-Joe's item that's been around since at least 2018. 

I figured I'd take this opportunity to compare the two and see who did it better. Oreo? Or Aldi? 

Oops, I did it Again - I bought $85.00 Worth of Ice Cream

Salt & Straw Summer Picnic Series (5 Flavors)

Salt & Straw ice cream flavors always sound fantastic, but I try not to buy food online because it's expensive. Then, last fall, their Thanksgiving themed 5-pack was just too intriguing to resist. I treated myself to 5 pints of ice cream for $85.00. A pricey payout, BUT every single flavor was amazing and it taught me that cranberry sauce is criminally underused in the ice cream world. 

I was so happy with all 5 of those flavors, that when I saw a similarly intriguing summer picnic themed drop, I did it again. I spent another $85.00 on 5 pints of ice cream. 

This time the flavors are: Pink Rose & Watermelon Sorbet, Baked Brie & Fig Cheesecake, Chocolate Nocino Cherry Pie, (plus the two I am most excited about) Cinnamon & Honey Fried Chicken, and Deviled Egg Custard with Smoked Black Tea. 

Innovation is where Salt & Straw really shines. I loved the combination of salty turkey bacon and tangy cranberry sauce mixed with ice cream, so I am very excited to see if the fried chicken flavor will be equally delicious.  

Banana-ang on the Drum All Day! - Banana Split Drumsticks

Banana Split DrumSticks

Salt and Straw dropped another really delicious looking ice cream collection, (this one is summer picnic themed), and I decided to go for it. Their Thanksgiving drop was innovative, playful, and most importantly, delicious, so I was pumped. Problem is, I needed to make room in my freezer. I have always liked ice cream, but I never pegged myself as an "ice cream" person. But my freezer begs to differ. 

 

After some rearranging, I came to realize...I already had a LOT of ice cream. So, get ready for a lot of back-to-back ice cream posts!

Banana Split is a recurring limited edition offering from Drumstick, and I have bought it several times with the intention of reviewing it, only to go through the whole box before I get the chance. Finally, it's time as come.

Barbie-sized Ice Cream Cones

Senjaku Soft Ice Cream Candies - Hung Vuong

In spite of decorating my home with skulls and spooky objects year-round, I am not immune to pastel cuteness. That said, this is hella cute. (When have I ever said, "hella?" It felt right at the time, but now I'm getting early 2000's No Doubt flashbacks.) 

We have uniquely shaped packaging, pastels, stripes, confetti, and the promise of tiny ice cream cone shaped vanilla candies. I had to have it. 

As far as the candy inside, I wasn't sure exactly what to expect. The descriptor says "soft ice cream shaped cute candy," so it'll be ice cream shaped, but the "soft" refers to this being based on vanilla soft serve ice cream, so I wasn't sure what form the candy inside would take. Gummy? Mellowcreme? Turns out they're actually hard candies and they're 3D!

A Scoop of Seasonal Flavors - Thanksgiving Ice Cream

Salt & Straw Friendsgiving Ice Cream Pack

I have been super into Thanksgiving flavors this year, more than ever before. Normally I try and restrict my food purchases to in-person only, but these flavors sounded so perfect and fed right into my cravings. So I made an exception. 

This is the first time I have ever bought fancy ice cream from the internet. (They're available locally as a normal shop, but no where near me.) There were five different flavors in this release, and they came packaged in a recyclable cardboard box, with insulation that I am using in one of my winter cat shelters, and dry ice. Dry ice is so cool, and I have never gotten to play with it before, so I tossed some into a bowl full of water and added food dye to make fun videos on Instagram. 

 

I haven't had a spoonful yet, and I am already getting my money's worth out of this purchase. Let's jump right in. 

An Aldi Girl Shops at Lidl - Chocolate Pistachio Ice Cream

Chocolate & Pistachio Cones - Lidl

If you're looking through the novelty ice cream freezer at Aldi, you're likely to see a lot of chocolate and vanilla, maybe the occasional seasonal item shaped like a snowman or whatever with a hint of fruit, but for the most part they play it safe. Lidl's offerings seem to lean more towards their European roots, and they don't shy away from nutty offerings like hazelnut or pistachio. They actually offer two different pistachio themed items, an ice cream bar covered in a layer of chocolate, and white chocolate, with pistachio pieces, and these chocolate pistachio cones. As a pistachio-lover, I had to give these a try. You know, for science. 

Extreme! Maximum Fudge Moose Tracks - Aldi Ice Cream Review

Extreme Maximum Fudge Moose Tracks - Aldi 

As I reached for my tried and true pint of Make Fudge Not War I thought, why not try something new? This container of Extreme Maximum Fudge Moose Tracks was a seasonal product, popping back in time and again throughout the year, mostly during warmer weather, and I had never tried it. Why not now? 

For comparison, Make Fudge not War is a Ben & Jerry's knock-off with "super premium ice cream," but it's just a chocolate ice cream with brownie chunks, and this is just chocolate ice cream "maxed out" with Moose Tracks fudge. How different could they be? 

If you want to be all responsible and science-y, and compare the two nutritional panels, these are actually quite different. A serving of the Make Fudge Not War is half a cup, which clocks 310 calories, while this stuff is portioned out at 2/3rds a cup for a mere 240 calories. So you get less calories per scoop, which means there's something to the "super premium" labeling after all.  

Compared to the pint this has less fat, less sugar, and about the same amount of sodium. Health-wise, that sounds like it would be "better," right? Well when it comes to ice cream, fat is good. It makes things richer, creamier, which is why all those light ice creams are so styrofoam-y and full of air. Will this taste diet-y? 

Coffee, Coffee, Who's Got The Coffee?

Brewed to Matter - Target

Ben and Jerry's has expanded their dairy-free line, created "topped" flavors, "core" flavors, store-exclusive flavors, Netflix tie-ins...and while I did enjoy their (very under appreciated) Punch Line flavor, nothing announced gave me that "I gotta run out to the store to find that"-feeling. 

Punch Line was such a success for me, not for the novelties and branding, but because of the actual flavors. Almond and cherry are a classic combination, which seems boring compared to sugar-cookie-dough cores and fudge meteors, but at the end of the day I want an ice cream that tastes worth the calories, and leaves me wanting more after I've finished the pint. That said, this Target-specific flavor is not trendy or complicated, but it sounds pretty solid. Coffee and chocolate, another classic pairing, but is it well executed? 

The Styrofoam of Ice Creams

 Fruity Pebbles Light Ice Cream Pint - Walgreens

I'm no food scientist, so I can't explain to you the chemical make-up of...whatever this is. Instead, let me explain it to you with childhood memories and products.

Punch Line is a Welcome Break from the Hype Machine. -UPDATE

Ben & Jerry's X Netflix Punch Line - Shop Rite

Food and flavors are subjective. I know that, you know that, but we all love to hop online and compare tastebuds with strangers. (Hi!) Why do we do it?

Whether it's to find out if a product is worth your money (which is my main goal), or for validation in your opinions, or just to see how your taste-buds compare to others. We feel compelled to try new and potentially gross food, then turn to our friends and say, "You gotta' try this!" It's just human nature. But, in doing so, we fall victim to the hype of new-ness and extra-ness. 

I've been blogging for a long time, I think 7 years (I keep forgetting how long exactly) and from what I can tell, I'm an oddball.

A Space-al Pint that's Udderly Out of This World

Ben & Jerry's Boots on the Moooo'n - Wawa 

I know this is a tie-in with Netflix's Space Force, but I haven't watched it. Should I? (Let me know what you thought of it in the comments.) These days I've been watching The Boys, The Haunting of Bly Manor, Lovecraft Country, and New Girl, because I am dark and spooky, but also fighting off depression because... *motions vaguely at everything.* 

Originally I wasn't going to pick this up because I thought it sounded too sweet. I know, "ice cream? Too sweet?!" Hear me out, this is a milk chocolate ice cream, with fudge cows, toffee meteors and a sugar cookie dough core. Not a spot of dark chocolate or sea salt to contrast anything in sight.  

I thought I wouldn't want to finish the whole pint in one sitting. Turns out...I was wrong.

Feeling Salty

Sea Salted Caramel and Chocolate Truffle Pint - Lidl

I decimated the banana pint last week, so it's time to crack open something new. Let's see how the creatively named "sea salted caramel and chocolate truffle" compares.

Code Blue!

Blueberry Gobbler Big Gay Ice Cream - Wawa

My first foray into Big Gay Ice Cream didn't quite live up to my expectations, but this flavor? You had me at blueberry balsamic swirls! 

I already covered the packaging in my past post so let's skip the pleasantries and get right into the review!