Salt & Straw Faux-Yo Review

Fro-yo girl here. Salt & Straw started the new year with an all vegan line-up of limited time (January) flavors. I think it’s the first time they’ve offered a “frozen yogurt” flavor, though they call it “faux-yo” and it’s plant-based. Their faux-yo is made with coconut cream and it’s scoopable.

Their Candied Mango Faux-Yo is described as: “We’ve done it! We’ve figured out how to make frozen yogurt using coconut cream. We hit it with a little lime and let it thicken. And then we add some sugar, mango puree, salt, vanilla, and yes, that is a little green cardamom you’re tasting. Then we fold in more pieces of candied mango for texture and fun, for a flavor that tastes like a fresh-fruit sorbet.”

Candied Mango Faux-Yo is available in the Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego scoop shops. Portland is serving Candied Apricot Faux-Yo. The Candied Apricot Faux-Yo sounds similar to the Candied Mango Faux-Yo based on the description: “We’ve done it! We’ve figured out how to make frozen yogurt using coconut cream. We hit it with a little lime and let it thicken. And then we add some sugar, apricot puree, salt, vanilla, and yes, that is a little green cardamom you’re tasting. Then we fold in more pieces of candied apricot for texture and fun, for a flavor that tastes like a fresh-fruit sorbet.”

I wasn’t sure what to expect. Candied mango sounded like it could be very sweet. Well, Salt & Straw’s faux-yo did not disappoint. The texture was super thick, dense, and creamy. It was hard to believe that it was vegan. The sweet mango flavor was the dominant, intense flavor, but I was also surprised that the faux-yo was tangy. The coconut cream flavor was noticeable but not strong. The backnotes of coconut cream, lime, and green cardamom just added to the complexity and deliciousness. There were very few candied mango pieces but the ones that I encountered were small and not overly sweet. The tang is different from yogurt tang but different can still be wonderful. The texture was much creamier and richer than a typical sorbet.

Try any faux-yo flavor you can, before it’s too late. Get a pint or two. I hope there are more faux-yo flavors in the future.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

New Yogurtland Spoons

Fro-yo girl here. I first spotted Yogurtland’s new spoons about two weeks ago. I’ve been seeing them in pictures of other locations in San Diego, Boyle Heights, Claremont, Azusa, Pico Rivera, etc. I found the new spoons at the newest Yogurtland location in Irvine, CA at the Woodbridge Shopping Center.

These are the everyday spoons, not the limited edition spoons that they offer for limited time promotions. The new spoons feature the outline of their “Y” from their logo. The rest of the spoon is similar to the design that’s being replaced, though the new pink spoon is a different shade of pink, one that’s more bluish. The green spoon looks a little darker. The backside of the spoon no longer has fun facts about Yogurtland. The logo outline gives the spoon a more distinctive, recognizable look.

The new spoons are biodegradeable.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Yogurtland International Frozen Yogurt Day 2018 Preview

Fro-yo girl here. It’s almost time for my favorite day of the year, International/National Frozen Yogurt Day. This year will mark the seventh annual International Frozen Yogurt Day (formerly known as National Frozen Yogurt Day) at Yogurtland and yes, they’ll have free froyo, free soft serve ice cream, and free toppings from 4 PM – 7 PM on Tuesday, February 6. They’ll also have two new flavors, Hershey’s®, Chocolate Malt Ball Ice Cream made with Whoppers® and Chocolate Wafer Bar Frozen Yogurt made with KitKat®.

My friend and I visited Yogurtland’s headquarters in Irvine today to try the new flavors and learn more about their IFYD celebration. We both like Whoppers and Kit Kat. Who doesn’t like Kit Kat?

* Chocolate Malt Ball Ice Cream made with Whoppers: a lighter chocolate flavor but a richer, heavier soft serve, creamy, smooth in flavor. I think Yogurtland Chocolate Milkshake fans will like Chocolate Malt Ball ice cream. Recommended toppings: chocolate shell, almonds, Butterfinger

* Chocolate Wafer Bar Frozen Yogurt made with Kit Kat: darker in color, not as rich (it’s lowfat) as the malt ball ice cream, good chocolate flavor but the wafer bar flavor was difficult to detect. Recommended toppings: Nilla wafers, chocolate wafer roll cookies, chocolate chips

The special IFYD toppings are mini Kit Kats and Whoppers. There’s also a new IFYD cup design and the Hershey’s chocolate bar spoons.

Thank you, Yogurtland! Looking forward to IFYD 2018!

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Ildong She’s Pro (Calpis) Review

Fro-yo girl here. I spotted Ildong She’s Pro drinks at California Market in Koreatown. It’s a yogurt flavored drink imported from Korea and made by ILDONG Pharmaceutical Co. The bottle says Probiotics in a large font. A bottle is 450ml, 210 calories, 0g fat and 43g sugars. The regular price was $2.49.

Calpis is a Japanese milk based beverage. It’s made with milk that is skimmed. Yeast and lactic acid are added and the mixture is allowed to ferment. Sugar is added and the mixture ferments further until it becomes Calpis.

The drink is sweet, lightly tangy, light and refreshing. The grapefruit helps by adding a subtle fruity flavor. The liquid is clear and milky. It was better than I expected though I wouldn’t drink it regularly because of the amount of sugar. The Japanese Calpis has a milder flavor that I find more pleasant.

Ingredients: Lactobacillus rhamnosus culture fluid, concentrated grapefruit, fructooligosaccharide, sugar, high fructose corn syrup, powdered skim milk, soybean polysaccharide, citric acid anhydrous, sodium citrate, indigestible maltodextrin, yogurt flavor, grapefruit flavor, water

3 out of 5 stars.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

* CALIFORNIA MARKET: 450 S Western Ave., Los Angeles (Koreatown), CA 90020

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Kreation Organic Persian Yogurt

Fro-yo girl here. Kreation Organic just opened in Pasadena, CA. I thought it was just a juice shop, but it has much more than juice. The refrigerated section has cold pressed juices, almond milk, housemade yogurt, salads, meals, snacks, desserts, etc. You can also order custom juices and acai/healthy bowls with different bases, organic coffee drinks, teas, etc. They also had snacks like dried fruit, kale chips, protein/energy balls, gluten free cookies, etc.

And yes, they make their own line of yogurt, called Yogi. It’s raw, gluten free, organic, and probiotic. They come in heavy glass jars. A jar of Yogi is $7.95.

* Vanilla yogi: The vanilla flavor is mild. It tastes like cinnamon spiced almond milk. The chia seeds don’t have much flavor, but they add texture and thicken the yogurt. The yogurt itself is quite thin, so it’s like a yogurt soup. I’m not used to such runny yogurt but the flavor was definitely good and the chia seeds make it filling. It’s like a chia seed pudding that’s slightly sweet and tangy. Ingredients: almonds, chia seeds, raw honey, vanilla extract, Ceylon cinnamon, probiotics.

* Strawberry yogi: The strawberries are pureed and blended throughout the yogurt. It tasted like strawberries and honey. The flavor was sweet and slightly tangy. The texture was thin and soupy again, but thickened by the chia seeds. Ingredients: almonds, strawberries, chia seeds, raw honey probiotics.

Kreation describes their yogurt as: “The original infusion of probiotics and protein is the perfect snack! Our housemade Persian Yogurt contains the active probiotic cultures that regulate digestion, reduce the effects of lactose intolerance, and help prevent colon cancer. Packed with protein from the yogurt and chia seeds, a pot of our Persian yogurt can substitute a meal without leaving you hungry. Great for breakfast!”

Yogi flavors:

• Vanilla
• Strawberry
• Mango
• Matcha pineapple
• Cacao almond

Yogi yogurt is tasty but different than the other yogurts that I’m used to eating. I would definitely recommend topping Yogi with fresh fruit. Kreation offers free local delivery and currently has 15 locations in Southern California.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

* KREATION ORGANIC: 167 S Lake Ave., Pasadena, CA 91101

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

So Delicious Cashewmilk Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert Review

Fro-yo girl here. Grocery Outlet Bargain Market in San Gabriel, CA had assorted So Delicious non-dairy frozen dessert pints for $2.49 each. The listed retail price is $5.99 and Sprouts sells it for $6.49, so that's quite a good deal. The location that I went to only had one flavor of So Delicious Cashewmilk Frozen Dessert, Cappuccino. I went to a different location of Grocery Outlet Bargain Market and they also only had the Cappuccino flavor The Cashewmilk line has ten flavors, including Dark Chocolate Truffle, Salted Caramel Cluster, Snickerdoodle, Very Vanilla, etc. The ingredients are Non-GMO Project Verified, Certified Gluten-Free and Certified Vegan.

* Cappuccino Cashewmilk Frozen Dessert: The Cappuccino flavor is made with fair trade coffee beans. The texture was thick, smooth, dense, and very creamy, just like dairy based ice cream. The flavor was like a lighter, sweeter coffee (appropriate for the cappuccino name) with a hint of cinnamon and salt. It had an interesting nutty, buttery taste. Overall, the cashew milk frozen dessert did not taste like a lowfat, diet ice cream. It still tasted indulgent and nutty. I'm not sure how I feel about the buttery flavor though.

One half-cup serving has 150 calories, 7g total fat, 21g total carbohydrate, 17g sugar and 3g protein. It’s about half the calories and fat as a premium ice cream and lower in sugar too.

Ingredients: Cashew milk (water, cashews, non-GMO canola oil), organic dried cane syrup, gum acacia, natural flavor, sea salt, organic fair trade coffee, cinnamon.

So Delicious also makes frozen non-dairy desserts with coconut milk, almond milk, and soy milk.

4 out of 5 stars.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

* GROCERY OUTLET BARGAIN MARKET: 7260 Rosemead Blvd., San Gabriel, CA 91775

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Kayak Greek Frozen Yogurt Review

Fro-yo girl here. Bi-Rite is such an amazing market filled with hard to find products. During a recent visit, I spotted Kayak Greek Frozen Yogurt. They had two flavors: Madagascar Vanilla and Pure (no added sugar). I’d seen pictures of Kayak, which is made in Greece with real Greek yogurt, before, but I had never encountered the product in person. Bi-Rite was selling Kayak frozen yogurt for $6.99 each. The container is 500 ml (16.9 fl oz).

I was intrigued by the no sugar added Pure (plain flavor) and expected it to have a strong yogurt flavor.

* Pure Greek frozen yogurt: The frozen yogurt was creamy and thick, easily scoopable. It didn’t have a sour yogurt flavor or yogurt tang. It tasted like plain milk ice cream, sweet, with a cream aftertaste. It wasn’t unpleasant but it was very mild, to the point of being bland. It was sweeter than I expected.

One serving (1/2 a cup) of Pure frozen yogurt has 6g total fat, 5g sugars, and 4g protein.

Ingredients: Milk, Greek strained yogurt (skim milk, condensed skim milk, cream, milk proteins, bacterial culture), isomalt, cream, skim milk, sorbitol syrup, less than 0.5% of mono and diglycerides of fatty acids, guar gum, cellulose gum, carrageenan, steviol glycosides. The ingredients are non GMO.

Isomalt is a sugar substitute. Steviol glycosides are another term for stevia. Sorbitol syrup is also a sweetener. It’s too bad that they added so many sugar substitutes to their frozen yogurt.

3 out of 5 stars.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

* BI-RITE MARKET: 550 Divisadero St, San Francisco, CA 94117

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Los Angeles Healthy “Froyo” Recommendations

Fro-yo girl here. I’ve put together this list of the best places to satisfy your craving for healthier froyo (and soft serve) for those of you who are looking to eat healthier this year. I wrote about the health benefits of froyo back in 2008. It’s lower in fat and calories than ice cream and probiotics help with digestion.

But if you’re following a specific type of diet or are looking for froyo that’s even healthier than average, here are some recommendations.

Low sugar/No sugar added

There are many sweeteners out there, some of which are natural and others are not. I personally do not like the bitter taste of Stevia. I’ve tried a variety of sweeteners and my favorites based on taste are agave nectar and dates.

My favorite no sugar added frozen yogurt can be found at Yoga-urt (1407 W Kenneth Rd., Glendale, CA). Currently they offer two NSA date sweetened flavors, Ganesha’s Sweet Greens and Purple Power. Both flavors are fresh, complex, and hand-crafted with love. They are not always offered, so check their Instagram account, @yoga_urt, or call ahead. They’re currently swirling both Ganesha's Sweet Greens and Purple Power!

If Yoga-urt doesn’t have any NSA flavors on tap, ask if they’re available by the pint. If they don’t have any, then I recommend heading to Pressed Juicery for a Freeze. The Freeze is much icier and not as flavorful or interesting as Yoga-urt, but it is made with just a few ingredients and has a clean, simple flavor. Not every Pressed Juicery location offers Freeze, though I think most of the newer ones do. I usually go to the one at the Americana at Brand in Glendale.

Low carb

I don’t eat low carb frozen yogurt but Menchie’s often will carry at least one low carb flavor. Also, Humphrey Yogart (4520 Van Nuys Blvd., Sherman Oaks), The Bigg Chill (10850 W Olympic Blvd., West Los Angeles) and The Yogurt Shoppe (11726 Barrington Ct., Brentwood & 873 N Swarthmore Ave., Pacific Palisades) are good about carrying low carb flavors. Humphrey Yogart also has multiple vegan bases for their mix-in style yogurt.

Dairy free

It’s easy to find dairy-free options. Most frozen yogurt shops offer at least one dairy-free option nowadays. If I had to choose my favorite, it would have to be something from Yoga-urt. Their hand-crafted, plant-based, organic, soy free, kosher frozen yogurt/soft serve is the best. My favorite flavor is Vanilla Harmony but there isn’t a flavor there that I don’t like. Try them all!

Nut free

For nut avoiders, I recommend going with a vegan base (soy) from Humphrey Yogart or 21 Choices (Pasadena & Claremont). Check http://www.21choices.com/ for the day’s flavors. I think they always have a dairy-free option but sometimes it has nuts. They sometimes have no sugar added flavors too. If you prefer soft serve that isn't mix-in style, Frozen Fruit Co. (729 Montana Ave., Ste 2, Santa Monica) makes their soft serve 100% from fruit.

Most frozen yogurt is gluten-free and much of it is kosher. If you have doubts, ask to see the nutritional information.

Don't forget healthy toppings: fresh fruit and nuts!

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Dr. Robbin Bistro’s 5 “No” Yogurt Gelato

Fro-yo girl here. One day I was walking down Colorado Blvd. and I happened to look inside the new Dr. Robbin Bistro. I couldn’t believe what I saw: a giant frozen yogurt cup on the wall of the dining room. I went inside for a closer look and learned that they make their own yogurt. Their housemade yogurt is added to smoothies and to a few of their gelato flavors. The 5 “No” gelato is made fresh every three days. It’s called 5 “No” because it has no added sugar, nonfat milk, no artificial colors, no stabilizers, and no preservatives. During my visit, they had three yogurt gelato flavors: Mango, Strawberry, and Blueberry.

The Blueberry Yogurt Gelato was the tartest. It was almost sour and certainly tasted low in sugar. But because they used Stevia, the gelato tasted bitter and the sweetness was more of an aftertaste. Stevia might be natural but it tastes like saccharin to me. I don’t like it at all. I could taste the blueberries, strawberries and the mangoes but the Stevia definitely added a bitter note. The gelato was creamy but extremely hard. I think this is because they make it with nonfat milk. It definitely tasted like diet gelato.

Gelato prices: Single ($2.75)/ Regular ($4.99)/ Family ($6.99)

I first spotted Dr. Robbin while driving around Koreatown in Los Angeles, but I didn’t realize it was a restaurant. Who names a restaurant after a doctor? I thought it was a weight loss clinic. It’s actually a healthy restaurant that does not add sugar, butter, MSG, or artificial flavoring. The food is low calorie, low carb, and nothing is fried. The menu includes sandwiches, salads, pizzas, pastas, Asian fusion dishes, beverages, and gelato.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

* DR. ROBBIN BISTRO: 624 E Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91101

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Pinkberry Introduces Pinkbee’s Chocolate Made With Ghirardelli

Fro-yo girl here. Last January, Pinkberry kicked off the new year with a new ice cream flavor, Pinkbee’s Strawberry. This year, they’re keeping the tradition by introducing a new ice cream flavor, Pinkbee’s Chocolate made with Ghirardelli. The signs say “New year, new chocolate.”

I tried Pinkbee’s Chocolate and while I generally don’t like chocolate ice cream, I thought the flavor was quite good. The texture was silky smooth and light. The flavor was not heavy and didn’t taste like an overdose of cocoa powder. It tasted more like chocolate and it wasn’t too sweet.

Pinkbee’s Chocolate is available for a limited time only.

The official press release follows:

Pinkberry Rings in the New Year with New Pinkbee's Chocolate

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Jan. 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Pinkberry® (www.Pinkberry.com) is ringing in the start of 2018 by introducing Pinkbee's® Chocolate Reduced-Fat, Milk Ice Cream made with Ghirardelli®, available beginning Jan. 5, for a limited time only.

This new decadent flavor pairs perfectly with fresh, hand-cut strawberries to create the Strawberry Covered Chocolate combination. It's the ideal complement to the rich flavor of Ghirardelli.

"With the start of a new year, there's no better way to celebrate than indulging in our new Pinkbee's Chocolate," said Melissa Hubbell, director of marketing for Pinkberry. "It's the perfect dessert to share with someone special as we enter the season of love and show our affection to others."

At Pinkberry, guests can customize their favorite treat with a variety of toppings that include fresh, never frozen, fruit that is hand-cut in stores daily, along with premium granolas and nuts, specialty chocolates, and much more. Pinkberry is swirling with possibilities!

Pinkbee's Chocolate is available at participating U.S. Pinkberry stores now until March 1.

For more information or store locations visit www.Pinkberry.com, "Like" Pinkberry on Facebook, or follow us on Instagram @PinkberrySwirl.

About Pinkberry

Pinkberry® launched in Los Angeles, CA in 2005 as the original brand that reinvented frozen yogurt. Today, over a decade later, Pinkberry continues to create great tasting treats with fresh ingredients in an experience comprised of distinctive product, outstanding service and inspirational design. At Pinkberry you can taste the difference of an uncompromising commitment to quality and freshness. Most recently, Pinkberry was acquired by Scottsdale, Arizona-based Kahala Brands™, one of the fastest growing franchising companies in the world with a portfolio of 22 quick-service restaurant brands and approximately 2900 locations in 28 countries.

For more information about Pinkberry, visit www.Pinkberry.com.

For more information about Kahala Brands, visit www.KahalaBrands.com.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

2018 Froyo Wish List

Fro-yo girl here. It’s time for my annual froyo wish list. First, let's see if any of my 2017 wishes came true. Last year I wished for:

* Pinkberry Pops: They’re now available in UAE, KSA, Lebanon, Qatar and Turkey. I would love to try one without traveling to the Middle East!

Update: They started selling Pinkberry Pops at the Pinkberry in Toronto, Canada, Ghana, and Panama. So, the Pinkberry Pops are getting closer though they’re still far away. Why aren’t these available in the US? You can even get Hong Kong waffles at Pinkberry Toronto and Pinkberry Ghana, but not the US. I love Hong Kong waffles but they seem more popular in Europe than in the US.

* Llaollao: Llaollao seems to be everywhere (e.g., Russia, Slovenia, Cambodia, Uruguay, Chile, El Salvador) except North America.

Update: Llaollao continues to expand but they’re still not in the US.

* Menchie’s should add the flavor finder feature on the Menchie’s My Smileage mobile app. I’d like easy access to list of flavors carried by specific Menchie’s locations.

Update: I didn’t notice any changes to the Menchie’s app. It doesn’t serve much purpose, so I rarely use it. At least Pinkberry finally fixed their app. Their website doesn't have a flavor finder either. Why do they make it so difficult to find out the flavors that each store carries???

* More Daphne’s Greek locations should be converted to their new concept, Yalla: I’d like a closer Yalla so that I can get my Greek froyo w/ baklava fix on a regular basis.

Update: Yalla didn’t open new locations and the portions of their food and froyo have shrunk. My guess is that’s their way of dealing with rising costs. Other places have started offering baklava as a froyo topping. Kentro in Fullerton isn’t any closer and Spread didn’t have any baklava during my last visit.

Well, I didn't have much luck with my 2017 froyo wishes and I'm not too optimistic about 2018's wishes either.

Here’s my froyo wish list for 2018:

* More soy froyo (or tofu soft serve). While there seems to be an anti-soy sentiment in the air, I love the flavor of soy. I’m hoping to see tofu soft serve. Tofu soft serve is popular in Japan and other parts of Asia. I did find tofu soft serve at Uji Time in San Francisco but not in Southern California. I also tried the soy soft serve at Sumo Dog in LA but it was too sweet.

* Bring back the tart. I’d love to see a Yogurtland promotion for just tart froyo flavors. Froyo, why have you become so sweet? I miss the old days of froyo wave two when froyo flavors were mostly tart. I miss green tea tart. 

* More Halloween froyo spoons. I imagine Menchie’s is the best candidate to offer more Halloween froyo spoons. No one else has come out with custom Halloween froyo spoons. It was a slow year for collectible froyo spoons in general.

* Good bubble waffles: They're surprisingly hard to find and I love them. I'm sure that I'd love them with froyo. They've become so popular in other countries (Canada, UK, Germany, Russia). I live in an area with a high concentration of Chinese and I can't find good bubble waffles. So strange.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

New Flavors at Yogurtland: Oreo Cookies & Creme Ice Cream and Dairy-Free Pina Colada

Fro-yo girl here. Happy Froyo New Year! More new flavors are arriving in shops. Yogurtland has introduced two new flavors, Oreo Cookies & Crème Ice Cream and dairy-free Pina Colada made with coconut milk. Pina Colada is their first frozen yogurt made with non-dairy milk.

* OREO Cookies & Crème ice cream: Yogurtland’s ice cream is a hit and they’ve introduced this new flavor that’s made with real Oreo cookie pieces. It’s described as follows: “Real Oreo cookies loaded into a creamy vanilla Ice Cream will transport you to the delicious experience of biting into a crunchy Oreo cookie with the classic creamy icing center.” It’s about twice the calories as the Classic Cookies & Cream froyo but it tastes the similar, but a little thicker and richer. You can see tiny bits of OREO cookies in it, but you can't see the cookies in the yogurt version. The yogurt version doesn't use OREO cookies. Recommended toppings: Oreos, chocolate chips, whipped cream.

* Dairy-free Pina Colada is made with real coconut milk and live and active cultures, so I consider it frozen yogurt. It’s described as, “Transport yourself to an island vacation in each spoonful of smooth, fruity and tropical goodness! This refreshing dairy-free flavor with healthy cultures added will make you feel extra indulgent, without the added guilt!” Pina Colada wasn’t icy but it wasn’t as creamy as dairy based froyo either. I thought the pineapple and coconut flavors were pretty balanced and true to their natural flavors. Recommended toppings: coconut, cherries, pineapples (of course).

These flavors are available at a limited time at participating Yogurtland locations.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Menchie’s January’s Featured Flavors: New Banana Pudding and Peanut Butter Brownie

Fro-yo girl here. While I was at the brand new Menchie’s Mission Hills, I encountered the *NEW* featured froyo flavors for January: Peanut Butter Brownie made with Skippy Peanut Butter and Banana Pudding made with Nilla wafers.

* Peanut Butter Brownie froyo is lowfat, kosher, and does not contain artificial colors or flavors. It’s also free of high fructose corn syrup and partially hydrogenated oils. This flavor was rich and chocolatey. It reminded me of chocolate cake batter with a hint of peanut butter. I love peanut butter froyo but I find that I don’t love peanut butter flavors combined with other flavors. I think it’s because I want more peanut butter flavor. Recommended toppings: Peanut butter sauce, peanuts, Cool Whip.

* Banana Pudding froyo is lowfat, kosher, and made with real banana puree. I hate bananas, so all I could taste was banana at first, but then I noticed the vanilla. The vanilla made it taste better. It was mild and creamy. Recommended toppings: more Nilla wafers, white chocolate chips, almonds.

These flavors are available at a limited time at participating Menchie’s locations.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Menchie’s Mission Hills Grand Opening on January 1

Fro-yo girl here. Menchie’s Mission Hills (10386 Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles, CA) is having its grand opening today. Mission Hills is a growing community just past Sun Valley on the 118 and north of Granada Hills. The new Menchie’s is part of a new shopping center called Olivo at Mission Hills. Other tenants include Target, Dunkin, Chipotle, Fallas, Wing Stop, Ross and Ono Hawaiian BBQ.

There weren’t many details about the grand opening that were revealed before the actual grand opening. The first 100 guests received a goody bag. This was a Menchie’s tote bag with a coupon for a free froyo, pen, information about the Matador Kids’ Club sponsored by Menchie’s Granada Hills, Menchie’s fun capsules toy, and a gift card to Kenn Cleaners. Anyone who stops by today can get 5 oz of free froyo.

The doors opened a little before 11 AM. I was surprised that Menchie wasn’t there (big NYE froyo party?) but Matty, CSUN’s mascot, was there to promote the Matador Kids’ Club. This shop is owned by the same people who own Menchie’s Granada Hills. I really like Menchie’s Granada Hills (great community involvement, clean, organized), so I have a good feeling about the Mission Hills Menchie’s.

Menchie’s Granada Hills is the main sponsor of the Matador Kids’ Club for kids 6-13 years old. Members receive free admission to CSUN athletic events, a membership card, Matador Kids Club Menchie’s t-shirt, enewsletter, etc.

There are 12 self-serve froyo flavors a day and lots of toppings (candies, cookies, nuts, coconut, sauces (including chocolate shell), fruit, popping boba, mochi, chocolate covered strawberries, cookie dough, brownies, Cool Whip, etc. It’s 50 cents an ounce. This location also has waffle bowls and froyo cakes. The sample cups are kept by the waffle making station.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.