The Best New Whole Foods Ice Cream Flavors

We tried Whole Foods’ newest ice cream flavors and ranked them from “not really worth the calories” to “definitely not sharing this pint.” Here’s how they stack up.

Supermarket chains across the country have been expanding their ice cream portfolios over the last few years, but when it comes to overall selection, Whole Foods’ pint game is tough to beat. The upscale retailer is armed with some of the hottest craft brands such as Van Leeuwen, Coolhaus, and Humphry Slocombe, not to mention Ben & Jerry’s, Talenti, and other industry stalwarts.

With so many top tier choices it’s easy to overlook Whole Foods’ own 365 Everyday Value label. But at nearly half the price of its competitors and with a varied selection that includes almond milk and organic offerings, they should definitely be part of the conversation.

Related Reading: The Best Dairy-Free Ice Cream Brands to Buy | The Best Healthy Ice Cream Options at the Supermarket

For their standard line, 365 recently introduced several interesting options. Never averse to trying new ice cream, I was curious to find out if these off-the-beaten-path flavors would taste as good as they sound. Below you’ll find my rankings from least to most impressive flavors. Though it doesn’t quite rise to the level of its pricier peers, 365 ice cream offers quality and value and is certainly worthy of your precious freezer real estate.

7. 365 Berry Chantilly Cake Ice Cream, $3.99 at Whole Foods

Whole Foods

Berry Chantilly Cake is a signature offering from the Whole Foods bakery so it’s disappointing that its ice cream offshoot lacks on a few fronts. The base is supposed to be “almond flavored” but I would have thought it was simply basic vanilla if that wasn’t noted on the carton. The mixed berry swirl serves its purpose but as for the cake, you won’t find any in this pint (though it does show up 365’s almond milk version). Let us eat cake!

Related Reading: The World’s Most Outrageous Ice Cream Cones

6. 365 Cinnamon Graham Cracker Ice Cream, $3.99 at Whole Foods

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It certainly won’t be a challenge to polish off a pint of this ode to the classic after-school treat. Boys and girls who love cinnamon will enjoy the ice cream’s prominent sweet and spicy notes and the dusting of graham cracker “crumbs” are a nice touch, and yet, I was still wanting more. The addition of apples or perhaps chocolate and marshmallows for a s’mores riff would’ve taken things to the next level.

5. 365 Coffee & Donut Ice Cream, $3.99 at Whole Foods

Whole Foods

If you wanted an excuse to eat ice cream for breakfast, this is it. The coffee base offers a jolt of flavor with a sweetness that will delight fans of the Frappuccino. Homer Simpson, however, will be disappointed to learn that the namesake donut appears to be of the mini variety, as finding a piece requires some digging. D’oh!

Related Reading: Ice Cream Donuts Are the New Ice Cream Sandwich

4. 365 Peanut Butter Cup & Caramel Ice Cream, $3.99 at Whole Foods

Amazon

Every ice cream brand seems to have at least one midnight munchie flavor. Peanut Butter Cup & Caramel dutifully serves as 365’s Seth Rogen/Snoop-friendly combo with the promised add-ins perfectly integrated into a delightful sweet cream base. After one bite, you should probably consider saving up for a Peloton.

3. 365 Bananas Foster Ice Cream, $3.99 at Whole Foods

Whole Foods

365’s ice cream adaption of the classic New Orleans dessert certainly lives up to its inspiration.  The thick, caramel swirl delivers all the right notes of sticky, salty, and sweet, and is prominent in every bite (You won’t, however, detect any trace of booziness despite being billed as “whiskey-spiked”.) The base delivers flavorwise, redolent of ripe bananas. Unfortunately, texture came up a bit short, lacking the creaminess of some of the other 365 options.

Related Reading: Best Snacks at Whole Foods

2. 365 Toasted Coconut & Black Sesame Ice Cream, $3.99 at Whole Foods

Whole Foods

Though popular in Japan, black sesame ice cream is a rarity on American shelves so it’s refreshing that 365 decided to roll the dice on it. Thankfully, everything impresses from the eye-popping dolphin skin color to the ice cream’s stunning complexity of nutty, earthy notes that are both sweet and savory, almost like a frozen dessert hummus (tahini happens to be one of the ingredients). Sesame seeds and coconut flakes are present with every bite so be sure to have floss at the ready for this one.

1. 365 Chocolate Valencia Orange Ice Cream, $3.99 at Whole Foods

Amazon

Dark in appearance with a flavor steeped in luxurious cocoa, this is chocolate ice cream at its finest. The swirl of orange offers just the right touch of sweet and sour that perfectly complements the bittersweet base (the combination is reminiscent of a Terry’s Chocolate Orange). Just like how “Reservoir Dogs” is without a doubt the greatest Quentin Tarantino movie of all time, there was zero question which pint deserved to occupy the top spot on this list.

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Spicy Zucchini Soup

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What Is the Difference Between Cobblers, Crisps, and Crumbles?

Finally, we answer the age-old questions that, admit it, you’ve been wondering yourself. What really is the difference between crisps, crumbles, and cobblers?

Over the last 10 years, I’ve developed a real sweet tooth. And you know what I really like? Crumbles. Or is it crisps? Wait, maybe it’s cobblers. Uh oh, I might be mixed up. Looks like I’m going to have to figure out what the realy difference is between cobblers, crisps, and crumbles. Let’s do this.15.

Cobblers

The cobbler is a dish that originated in America. Well, more accurately put, cobblers came from the British settlers in America during colonial days. Apparently, these British colonizers couldn’t rustle up the requisite ingredients to make their traditional puddings, so they had to improvise. Now, traditionally cobblers could be made of a savory or sweet filling. For my money, though, cobblers are a dessert made of fruit filling topped with biscuits, dumplings, or pie crust, and then baked. Where a pie has a bottom crust, the cobbler has its crust on top. Interested in making a cobbler? There’s nothing more traditional than a southern style peach variety. Try this old-fashioned peach cobbler recipe.

Read More: The Ultimate Summer Stone Fruit Guide

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Crisps

Chowhound’s Easy Apple Pear Crisp with Oatmeal Streusel

Crisps are definitely in the same family but have slight variations from cobblers. Not only are they several generations younger than their cousins (the first crisp recipes likely were published somewhere in the 1920s), crisps almost always are sweet, leaving the savory stuff to cobblers. Like the cobbler, crisps rely on a topping, rather than a bottom crust. However, unlike the cobbler, the crisp’s topping (as the name implies) has a bit of a crunch to it, and is also sweet in and of itself. After all, a crisp’s topping often relies heavily on brown sugar and cinnamon (along with butter and flour). The thing that really sets a crisp apart, though, is the use of oats to create its topping. There are many types of crisps you can make. The old stand-by is apple crisp. Personally, I think blueberry is pretty boss and can give apple a run for its money. For a blueberry option, try this blueberry crisp recipe.

Read More: Fruit Pizzas Are a Perfect Summer Dessert

Crumble

Chowhound’s Slow Cooker Peach Crumble

If the cobbler was a cousin to the crisp, then the crumble is its sibling—and a younger one at that. Some accounts suggest the crumble has its origins in Great Britain, and enjoyed immense popularity during World War II. According to these accounts, the crumble was a wartime alternative to certain dishes, like pies, to adhere to rationing practices. Occasionally, the term “crumble” and “crisp” are used interchangeably. However, the crumble term does include savory dishes (though not a whole lot in the United States), and tends not to use as many ingredients in its topping as the crisp. For savory dishes, the toppings tend to be made from butter, flour, and cheese. As for sweet dishes, it’s butter, flour, and sugar. This is known as a streusel topping—similar to what you’d see on German baked goods like muffins and cakes. Of course, if apple and blueberry are solid options for crisps, they’ll work great for crumbles too. If you’re looking for something different, though, try this strawberry rhubarb crumble recipe.

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Now that I know the difference between these sumtuous yet similar desserts, I was right all along. I really do like crumbles best. That sweet, buttery topping, sans oats, is right up my alley. Not that I’d turn down a cobbler or a crisp, though! Throw a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top of any of them, and you’re looking at a dessert that’s tough to beat.

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Classic Ice Cream Sandwiches

Be the hero of your backyard barbecue when you bring out a tray of homemade ice cream sandwiches. Creamy vanilla ice cream layered between thin, soft chocolate brownie “cookies” is nostalgic dessert perfection.

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A Cold & Spicy Chicken Salad for Sweltering Summer Days

Welcome to Chow with Me, where Chowhound’s executive editor Hana Asbrink shares all of the irresistible things she’s cooking, eating, reading, buying, and more. Today: The best mayo-free bang bang chicken salad to ward off waning summer appetites.

Summer is very much here in New York. As of this writing, I am swatting away early evening mosquitoes that seem to liken my ankles to a dinner buffet, and am already regretting not putting a coaster under my condensation-prone glass of iced water. It’s hot, it’s muggy, and my appetite’s as sluggish as the barometric pressure outside.

What to eat during these dog days of summer, when my taste buds are in desperate need of a revival and the thought of spending more time than is necessary in front of a stovetop sends me straight to the cool embrace of my air conditioning vents? The answer comes in the form of this cool, crunchy, full-flavored chicken salad.

I discovered this incredible Sichuan Bang Bang Chicken on my new favorite YouTube channel, Marion’s Kitchen. MasterChef alumna Marion Grasby is the talent behind this channel, and the Bangkok-based Thai-Australian cook always manages to make *exactly* what I want to eat when it comes to Asian comfort food classics. (Bonus: Her cheeky mum, Noi. Give that lady her own channel, please.)

Marion’s spicy bang bang chicken salad is a nod to the authentic Sichuan dish. “The traditional bang bang chicken is said to originate from Sichuan province, and is poached before being pounded (hence the ‘bang bang’ apparently) and then shredded,” she explains. “Being a fan of Asian-style poached chicken, I decided to take inspiration from this original version rather than the more modern fried version.” No flour, breading, frying, or sweet mayonnaise glaze-coated chicken bites here.

Hers is also a fun lesson in cooking techniques: As mentioned, the boneless skinless chicken breasts are gently poached with aromatics like ginger and garlic to retain all moisture and infuse flavor, before being broken up with a rolling pin or even your palm to flatten the cooked chicken before it’s torn into smaller, craggy, sauce-hugging shreds. And if you don’t eat chicken, don’t fret. “You can also do a meat-free version of this salad by slicing firm tofu into strips and tossing them with the cucumber and the dressing,” advises Marion.

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Let’s talk about this bang bang sauce for a minute. Marion, when she’s not creating amazing recipes, develops her own line of readymade condiments (we’re huge fans of her Sweet Chili sauce around here), so she knows a thing or two about what makes a good sauce. Here, pantry-friendly ingredients including soy sauce, vinegar, chili oil, Sichuan peppercorns, and sesame seeds come together in an adjust-heat-to-your-liking concoction that brings otherwise mild poached chicken breasts to life—and resuscitates tired summer taste buds. I’ve also taken liberties with this dressing (which you can drizzle over dumplings for a bonus use), occasionally adding in my favorite sesame sauce to it for a slightly creamy, spicy concoction that is also quite addictive.

I had to ask Marion what else she enjoys eating during what I’m sure are Bangkok’s many hot days. “A spicy Thai papaya salad (som tum) is my go-to most days here in Bangkok. I’m lucky because there’s a street cart lady just near my studio that makes the most amazing som tum. I just love having something light and spicy, and most importantly, something cooked by someone else!” Ain’t that the truth.

Find the recipe for Marion’s Sichuan Bang Bang Chicken below, and watch Marion walk you through the entire process here.

Sichuan Bang Bang Chicken

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2 x 200g (7 oz) chicken breasts
• 4 slices ginger, bruised
• 3 garlic cloves, bruised
• 2 spring onions (scallions), finely sliced
• 1 large cucumber, finely sliced
• Dressing:
• 1/2 teaspoon whole Sichuan peppercorns
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon vinegar (either white vinegar or Chinese black vinegar)
• 1 tablespoon chili oil
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

1. Place 4 cups of water in saucepan. Add the ginger, garlic, and spring onions. Add the chicken breasts and place over high heat. Wait for the water to just start to gently simmer, then turn the heat down to medium and continue to simmer gently for 8 minutes. Then turn the heat off (leave the saucepan on the hot stovetop) and leave for 10 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a bowl of iced water. Reserve 1/2 cup of the poaching liquid.
2. When the chicken is cool, use a rolling pin to bang the chicken pieces to loosen them. Then tear into fine shreds.
3. For the dressing, heat the Sichuan peppercorns in a dry frying pan until fragrant. Use a mortar and pestle to grind to a fine powder. Transfer to a bowl. Add the toasted sesame seeds, soy sauce, vinegar, chili oil, salt, and the reserved poaching liquid.
4. Scatter the cucumber over a serving plate. Top with the shredded chicken. Spoon over the dressing. Add additional chili oil if you like it spicy.

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