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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Wisconsin chapter.

Some are better than real thing

Growing up in the dairy state, eating ice cream in the summer was one of my favorite things to do as a kid. As I’ve gotten older, my love for ice cream hasn’t gone away, but my body’s ability to handle lactose has. Devastated by the inability to eat ice cream, I set out on a journey to find dairy-free ice creams that make me feel like a kid in the summer again. Here are my top five favorite dairy-free ice creams (in no particular order). 

Earth Grown Mint Chocolate Chip

Mint Chocolate Chip is one of my favorite flavors of ice cream ever. When I first switched to being dairy-free, I was desperate to find a mint chocolate chip flavor that I could eat. Lo and behold, Aldi grocery store carried mint chocolate chip ice cream as a summer special. The one downfall is that I haven’t been able to find this ice cream in-store since the summer. The flavor is rich and creamy and makes me feel like I’m eating real ice cream again.

Rating: 4/5

Ben and Jerry’s Chocolate Fudge Brownie

I have a sweet tooth, there’s no secret about it. And chocolate is one of my favorite ways to satisfy that craving. Mixing chocolate and ice cream, now that is perfection. Ben and Jerry’s is by far my favorite brand that makes dairy-free ice cream. Their Chocolate Fudge Brownie flavor is rich (but not too rich that it’s overpowering), full of chewy brownie bits, and is one of the most amazing things you’ll ever taste. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. 

Rating: 5/5

Ben and Jerry’s Strawberry Cheesecake

Ben and Jerry’s does it again with their Strawberry Cheesecake flavor. Cheesecake on its own is yet another one of my favorite desserts. It has been hard to find a dairy-free cheesecake on its own (which is its own kind of sadness), but Ben and Jerry’s ice cream has been able to satisfy my cravings. Delicious chunks of cheesecake, strawberry jam and a graham cracker swirl are combined into a delicious combination that I could eat every single day. 

Rating: 5/5 

Plain Chocolate (any brand)

Plain chocolate was my favorite flavor of ice cream growing up. I was bound and determined to find a dairy-free chocolate ice cream that would satisfy my cravings. I’ve tried many different brands of chocolate ice cream and they’re all good which makes it hard to choose just one brand. Dairy-free chocolate ice cream is an essential part of life. 

Rating: 4/5

Ben and Jerry’s Karamel Sutra Swirl

I think we already know the theme of my taste, anything chocolate. The combination of chocolate and caramel in this ice cream is one of the most delicious combinations I have tasted. I know I say that about every ice cream on this list, but they’re all so good. An added bonus for this flavor is that it is also gluten-free! 

Rating: 4/5 

My quest for finding new dairy-free ice creams will be never-ending. Of the many different flavors I’ve tried, these are my favorites. Having an allergy doesn’t mean that you have to give up your favorite foods! There’s always going to be alternatives out there for you to try and dairy-free ice cream has a lot of great options! 

Anna Watters

Wisconsin '23

Hi everyone, my name is Anna. I'm a transfer student here at UW. This is my second year here, but my fourth year overall. I'm majoring in MHR, English, and Environmental Studies. In my free time I love reading, spending time outside, and binge watching Netflix.