Trying To Fill The Gap

Almost 2 months ago, I gave up lactose-containing dairy. Seemingly, "in my old age," I've become lactose intolerant, and I had  battled with severe intestinal gas issues for the better part of the last 6-8 months. Enough was enough, and I threw in the towel on milk based products.

This change in diet may not seem all too terrible; however, I am a girl who loves her cheese, yogurt, and, most importantly, ice cream. So, taking ice cream out of my dessert options was a decision made with some disparagement. (Notwithstanding, I am all the happier for it; removing lactose from my diet proved extremely beneficial to my overall health. If you're interested in hearing more about that, you can check out my other blog, Holly's HBA Corner).

Not wanting to be completely without a creamy frozen dessert option, I began my search for an ice cream substitute.

 
First, my husband brought me home Hagen Dazs Mango Sorbet. It was delicious, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. However, I love chocolate and the creaminess of ice cream, which, while the consistency of the sorbet was great, it was fruit based. My quest was far from over.

Next, I tried Trader Joe's Soy Creamy Cherry Chocolate Chip Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert. I was very skeptical upon my first tasting. I was unsure how well soy would serve as a substitute for milk in something that was supposed to pass for ice cream. I was very pleasantly surprised! It tasted just like ice cream!! It didn't taste like tofu or have an odd texture as some may fear. And, the chocolate chips were the perfect compliment to the delightful cherry flavor.

After I ran out of that, I did not get an opportunity to return to Trader Joe's to replenish my supply. So, during a visit to our local Shop Rite and per my request, my husband (such a good one he is) got me a quart of So Delicious' Mint Marble Fudge Soy Milk Ice Cream. (Be it known that it tipped the scales at $6.99 for a quart).

We frequently buy So Delicious' Coconut Milk as our milk substitute and really enjoy it, so I had high hopes for this dessert. However, I was very disappointed. It was mediocre at best. The mint flavor was not strong enough. The fudge swirls were nice and generous, but the overall taste of the ice cream left something to be desired. I could maybe get around this fact, but with the $6.99 price tag, I can't justify the expense with a product that had little taste. Now, this particular flavor is the only So Delicious Soy Milk Ice Cream I have tried, so I am not automatically writing them all off. I was just not a huge fan of this one, open to try others, and likely will!

So after experimenting with a few different brands, my favorite thus far has been the Trader Joe's Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert. I highly recommend it.  SELF Magazine recently published their Healthy Food Awards for 2012. They do not have a non-dairy ice cream category, but for sorbet, they name Hagen Dazs Raspberry Sorbet the winner. I'll definitely be checking that out. Nevertheless, my quest continues, and I'll keep you posted. If you have any suggestions, please pass them on! I'm always up for trying anything new!