See how supermarket offerings from Aldi, Walmart, Trader Joe’s, and more stood up to Breyers and Häagen-Dazs
We found great-tasting store-brand chocolate ice cream for less than some brand-name options.
By Trisha Calvo
Like most everything in the grocery store, the price of ice cream has risen in recent years. But our tests found that you can get a tub of rich, fudgy chocolate for less by choosing store brands.
Our experts blind-tasted two well-known classic brands—Breyers and Häagen-Dazs—and nine less expensive supermarket versions.
The ice cream comes in two categories: premium and regular. These are marketing terms and don’t have standard definitions. But premium ice creams, like Häagen-Dazs, usually contain less air and have a richer, denser texture (along with more calories, added sugars, and saturated fat) than regular ice creams, like Breyers. Because they’re higher in fat, premium ice creams typically need fewer gums and emulsifiers (such as guar gum, carrageenan, and mono- and diglycerides) to maintain structure, prevent iciness, and slow melting than regular ice creams.
The big-name brands got top marks for taste. Some of the supermarket offerings were just okay, but we found two near-dupes for each brand name that, depending on your preferences, you might like even better. The cherry on top: Some of our favorite store-brand buys will save you up to 65 percent per ⅔-cup serving.
Editor’s Note: A version of this article also appeared in the July/August 2026 issue of Consumer Reports magazine.
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