Our Favorite Supermarket Ice Creams
We dug into store-brand vanillas to see if you could get a delicious scoop for less
Store-brand ice creams—those that carry a supermarket’s name—may be only half the price of ice creams from companies like Breyers and Häagen-Dazs. But is that lower-priced tub just as good as those more famous brands—from both a taste and an ingredient perspective?
regular ice cream
NAME BRAND
Breyers Ice Cream Natural Vanilla 1.5 quarts, $5.50
61¢ per Serving
61¢ per Serving
The flavors of milk and cream dominate, but you can certainly taste the vanilla. The texture is a bit icy. Breyers contains few additives.
Nutrition
- Calories: 170
- Sat. Fat. (g) 6
- Added Sugars (g): 14
- Protein (g): 3
Our top store-brand Pick
Wellsley Farms (BJ’s) Premium Ice Cream, Vanilla ½ gallon, $5
42¢ per Serving
42¢ per Serving
Despite the word “premium” on the label, this is a regular ice cream. It has an airy texture—even more so than the Breyers—and a good balance of dairy and vanilla flavors. It also has few additives.
Nutrition
- Calories: 170
- Sat. Fat. (g) 6
- Added Sugars (g): 14
- Protein (g): 3
Biggest Savings
Great Value (Walmart) Ice Cream Vanilla Bean 1.5 quarts, $2.70
30¢ per Serving
30¢ per Serving
This ice cream is creamy and smooth, with a firmer texture and stronger vanilla flavor than the Breyers. But it also contains more additives, like vegetable gums.
Nutrition
- Calories: 180
- Sat. Fat. (g) 6
- Added Sugars (g): 13
- Protein (g): 3
premium ice cream
NAME BRAND
Häagen-Dazs Ice Cream Vanilla ½ Gallon, $16
$1.33 per Serving
$1.33 per Serving
This premium pick has a fresh cream and vanilla flavor, with a smooth texture. And there are no additives.
Nutrition
- Calories: 320
- Sat. Fat. (g) 13
- Added Sugars (g): 18
- Protein (g): 6
Our top store-brand pick
Specially Selected (Aldi) Super Premium Ice Cream Vanilla 1 ½ Quarts, $6
67¢ per Serving
67¢ per Serving
A tad sweeter than the Häagen-Dazs, with a bit of a caramel flavor. The ingredients list is the same as the Häagen-Dazs, and it contains no additives.
Nutrition
- Calories: 340
- Sat. Fat. (g) 15
- Added Sugars (g): 23
- Protein (g): 6
Biggest Savings
Trader Joe’s Super Premium Ice Cream French Vanilla ½ Gallon, $6.50
54¢ per Serving
54¢ per Serving
This ice cream has a nice amount of vanilla bean flavor. It also has a slightly eggy vibe (while the brand-name Häagen-Dazs tastes more like fresh cream). It has several additives, like vegetable gums.
Nutrition
- Calories: 330
- Sat. Fat. (g) 12
- Added Sugars (g): 24
- Protein (g): 5
Editor’s Note: This article also appeared in the July 2024 issue of Consumer Reports magazine.
