The Vegan Ice Creams You Need To Try
Ben & Jerry’s Dairy Free
Let’s ease you in gently. There’s no way that Ben & Jerry’s would forget about their vegan fanbase, and the famous ice cream brand have created four non-dairy versions of their classic flavours – including, of course, Chunky Monkey and Chocolate Fudge Brownie. They take their vegan duties very seriously too – each one has the vegan stamp of approval from the Vegetarian Union to indicate it doesn’t include animal products of any kind, including eggs, dairy or honey, instead made with almond milk, which they say provides the best “blank canvas” for the delicious brownies, caramel, nuts and chocolate that they source.
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Halo Top
We’ve often got a healthy stock of Halo Top in the office for warmer days. While not strictly vegan, Halo Top is vegetarian, and is a lot more guilt-free than other ice creams. For example, their Vanilla Bean has just 70 calories in, compared to 251 calories in the same amount of Haagen Dazs, and just 2.9g of fat, compared to 17g. How do they do it? In short, they use organic stevia instead of sugar. Stevia is a plant native to Paraguay that’s been used to sweeten foods and beverages for more than 200 years. They also use Erythritol, which is another all-natural sweetener found in fruits like pears and grapes and doesn’t affect blood glucose or cause bloating. At just 280 calories per pint, it’s so guilt-free that it doesn’t need to be your birthday to eat it.
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Magnum Vegan
Same velvety ice cream, just minus the guilt. This plant-based ice cream is made with pea protein and has a creamy, balanced flavour. It’s then smothered in vegan chocolate that’s responsibly sourced from cocoa beans from Rainforest Alliance Certified Farms – and our favourite, the Magnum Vegan Almond, contains crunchy nut pieces for an even richer experience. This ice cream is also certified vegan by the European Vegetarian Union, so you can be certain you’re eating something 100% vegan. And don’t worry – you still get that classic Magnum ‘crack’ when you bite into it, so you can pretend you’re in the TV advert.
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Coconut Collaborative
We love a bit of Coconut Collaborative here in the SL HQ. If you’re easing yourself into the vegan lifestyle, these’ll be sure to make the transition easier. The brand has plenty of great snacks and deserts to choose from, but at the moment, we only have eyes for their ice cream range. Their Snowconut Sticks comes in a wide variety of vibrant flavours (as well as vanilla, for those who just like an old classic) and are made with coconut cream. While not all of their Snowconut Sticks are vegan or dairy-free, their mango dipped sticks are – and they’re delicious. Not only that, when you buy their products you contribute towards their Pur Project, which helps plant coconut trees which benefit the thousands of Southeast Asian farmers they work with. Helping farmers by eating ice cream? We’re in!
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Booja-Booja
Not exactly something you want to shout across the aisles of a supermarket, but Booja-Booja ice cream is one of the most exclusive around. This vegan ice cream is dairy-free, gluten-free, soy-free and kosher – and available in so many great flavours, including the decadent Hazlenut Chocolate Truffle and nostalgic Raspberry Ripple. These pints are made with cashew nuts and sweetened with agave or coconut syrup. And if you try just one flavour? Make it Caramel Pecan Praline – try not to get addicted, we dare you.
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Coconuts Natural
When it comes to ice cream, it doesn’t get better than the old classics. Rum and raisin, mint choc chip, all served in a crunchy cone. If that sounds like your idea of heaven, we suggest you make your way over to Coconuts Naturally’s (soon to be Coconuts Organic) Instagram, where you’ll have hours of #foodporn to scroll. They serve up only the best vegan, dairy-free ice cream that’s free from nuts and soya. Sweetened with coconut sugar and containing only the good fats from organic coconuts, these seemingly indulgent ice creams are actually far better for you than normal tubs, so you can treat yourself to a generous scoop.
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Northern Bloc
Who said vegan has to be boring? If it’s interesting and intriguing flavours you’re after, look no further than Northern Bloc. These guys make ice cream for all kinds of taste buds. There’s Peanut Chip, Chocolate & Orange Blossom, Hazelnut & Rose, and Strawberry & Yuzu (plus, a rather refreshing Pink Grapefruit & Bergamot sorbet). You name it, they’ve got it – even their vanilla is fancy. Plus, they’re working hard on coming up with a plastic-free solution to their packaging. Whilst they figure that out, they’ve got plenty of tips for reusing and repurposing their stylish pots.
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Swedish Glace
You can’t go wrong with a Neapolitan, can you? The holy trinity of ice cream, made up of vanilla, chocolate and, in this case, raspberry. No, Swedish Glace don’t actually sell a tub of Neapolitan, but their three main flavours are simple and taste great together (plus, their vegan strawberry ice cream lollies are to die for). The ice creams are free from any animal product, dairy-free and free from gluten. Plus, their ice cream comes with a lovely, humbling message: “Some people might call us dairy free, gluten free or lactose free, but we prefer to think in terms of what we are not free from: kindness,” they say on their site. “In a world that is becoming less and less compassionate, that’s not a fluffy thing, that’s an essential thing. At Swedish Glace, we believe in essential kindness in a world less tolerant.” Ice cream with a side of kindness? Pass the spoon!
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