Nice Choice Yogurt Biscuits Review

Fro-yo girl here. On my quest to try all things yogurt, I found a new type of yogurt biscuit from Hurng Fur Foods Factory in Taiwan. A bag of Nice Choice Biscuits – Yogurt Flavor was $3.49 at 99 Ranch Market in Arcadia, CA. One bag includes 8 smaller sachets. One sachet is one serving. One serving is 120 calories, 5g fat, 4g sugars, 2g protein, 17g carbohydrates.

Yogurt Biscuits: The biscuits were cute animal faces. There were seven designs: dog, penguin, lion, monkey, pig, panda, and tiger. They had a buttery flavor, a hint of sweetness, a hint of salt, and a crispy texture. The biscuits reminded me of Ritz crackers, only with a yogurt powder taste. I don’t think the yogurt really enhanced or detracted from the biscuit. Well, maybe it detracted since the yogurt flavor wasn't natural.

Ingredients: Wheat flour, sugar, vegetable oil (coconut oil, palm oil), glucose, whey powder, lactic acid bacteria, leavening agents (ammonium bicarbonate E503, sodium bicarbonate E500), salt, artificial flavor, sodium metabisulfite E223

3.5 out of 5 stars.

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.

Trader Joe’s Oat and Greek Yogurt Sandwich Cookies Review

Fro-yo girl here. I try not to look at the Trader Joe’s cookie section – too many temptations, but I spotted something new on a recent visit, Oat & Greek Yogurt Sandwich Cookies filled with Yogurt Crème. The box describes the cookies as “almost like breakfast in a cookie, Trader Joe’s Oat and Greek Yogurt sandwich cookies are made in Greece with a slightly tart filling sandwiched between two crisp oat cookies made with Greek yogurt.”

Greek cookies made with Greek yogurt? Sounds delicious. The cookie sandwich was two inches in diameter and ¾ inch in thickness. The oat cookies were thick, crisp, and hearty, like McVitie’s Hobnobs. I could taste a hint of salt and yogurt. The filing was soft, creamy, and slightly tangy. I didn’t think the filling added much. The cookies were good without the filling.

One box is 7.92 oz and contains 9 sandwich cookies. One cookie is 140 calories, 9g total fat, 13g total carbohydrate, 7g sugrs, and 2g protein. TJ’s is selling the cookies for $2.99 a box.

4 out of 5 stars.

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.

SWRLIES, A New Froyo Pop-up in Los Angeles

Fro-yo girl here. SWRLIES just started their froyo pop-up this month in Los Angeles. They’ve popped up in Eagle Rock and Highland Park so far. They set up a trailer with a freezer filled with frozen fruit and frozen yogurt bars, a hand-churned machine that blends them together, and some toppings and sauces.

They call their frozen yogurt Jalisco style. It’s all-natural frozen yogurt (they made their own yogurt base and formed it into blocks; I was told the yogurt was not sweetened) blended to order with your choice of fruit. Choose your size (Small, $4.25 or Large, $5.00), your fruit (you can pick more than one kind), and your toppings and sauces. They use organic frozen fruit. If you’d like a sweeter treat, they can add sugar or Splenda before blending or you can choose a sweet sauce. The price includes toppings and sauces.

* Frozen yogurt blended with strawberry, raspberry, and blueberry topped with mixed nuts and granola ($4.25): The frozen fruit made the yogurt icy but it also gave it a thicker texture (seeds, skins) and flavor. Since it was freshly churned, the texture was softer. It’s a simple treat that tastes natural and healthy. However, I’ve made better froyo at home. If they used a higher fat yogurt, maybe the texture would be creamier? It’s less creamy than Yogen Fruz, Loving Cup and the other mix-in froyo places that I’ve tried.

I was curious about Jalisco style frozen yogurt. I looked at places serving frozen yogurt in Guadalajara, the largest city in Jalisco, Mexico. There were shops that serve soft serve frozen yogurt dispensed from soft serve machines (some were self-serve, some weren’t) and the mix-in style frozen yogurt. Interestingly, there were multiple Yogen Fruz locations in the area.

You can find Swrlies by following them on Instagram, @swrlies.

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

* SWRLIES FROYO: 4956 York Blvd, Los Angeles (Highland Park), CA 90042

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 Sycamore Hills Grand Opening in Upland, CA on May 25, 2019

Fro-yo girl here. I’m back from the Menchie’s Sycamore Hills (2085 West Baseline Rd., Suite 200, Upland, CA 91784) grand opening celebration today. They’re giving away free froyo all day today. Guests received a small cup which they could fill up with as much froyo and toppings as desired. They also received a BOGO coupon good at the Sycamore Hills location until the end of the year. I saw the balloon artist, but I didn’t see Menchie.

This location has 12 self-serve flavors a day and the usual Menchie’s toppings and syrups for 55 cents an oz. They also had a freezer with froyo cakes and prepacks and a fridge with bottled drinks.

Menchie’s Sycamore Hills first day of business was Tuesday, May 21. It’s in a new shopping center close to the 210 with Whole Foods 365 as the anchor and on the Claremont/Upland border (North Upland).

The grand opening celebration is today only.

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

* MENCHIE’S SYCAMORE HILLS: 2085 West Baseline Rd., Suite 200, Upland, CA 91784

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.

Mini Dessert Bars Trend: Yasso Snack Size Bars Hit the Shelves at Target

Fro-yo girl here. Yasso announced their new line of smaller Greek yogurt bars, called Snack Buddies, back in March 2019. I couldn’t find any till now; Snack Buddies are available nationwide at Target as of this month. Each bar is 45-calories. Snack Buddies are available in the following flavors: Mint Cookie Chums, Strawbuddy Lemonade, Fudge Space Chip, and Party Animal. One box has eight bars. Target was selling the boxes for $5.49 each. The artwork on the boxes is adorable.

Of course, my Target had three out of four flavors and the missing flavor, Mint Cookie Chums, is the one that I know I’d like the best. I’m sure Mint Cookie Chums will show up soon.

While I was at Target, I noticed Halo Top Pops, smaller light ice cream pops that look like Yasso and are 50 calories per pop. They’re made out of ice cream, so I probably won’t try them. Revele Gelato’s whipped Greek frozen yogurt bars are small and 60 calories per pop.

Is it a coincidence that pops are getting smaller?

Millennials and Gen Zs are said to love dessert and snacking. A 2018 study by The Center for Generational Kinetics found that 87% of Gen Z “thinks about dessert one or more times a day.” So, smaller portions in a convenient form make sense.

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.

Multiple Froyo Shop Openings & Events This Week in Southern California

Fro-yo girl here. Summer is almost here and that means that prime froyo time is around the corner. It’s the time of year that froyo shops like to open. There are (at least) two set to open this week in Southern California. 

Upland, CA

Menchie’s Sycamore Hills (2085 West Baseline Rd., Suite 200, Upland, CA 91784): Menchie’s Upland will open for its first day of business on Tuesday, May 21. The grand opening celebration is this Saturday, May 25, with free froyo all day, giveaways, face painting, and a balloon artist. I’ve never had froyo in Upland before, but I’ve driven through the city while on the 210 freeway.

Murrieta, CA

Blitzer’s! Premium Frozen Yogurt of Menifee, CA is expanding to Murrieta, CA. The new location at 25030 Hancock Ave., Suite 103, in Murrieta is their second. It’s scheduled to open on Wednesday, May 22 at 3 PM with a grand opening celebration Memorial Day weekend from May 24-27. The grand opening will include giveaways, froyo and fun.

Santa Barbara, CA

Meanwhile, Yogurtland is celebrating 10 years in downtown Santa Barbara (621 State St.) on Tuesday, May 21 from 11AM – 9 PM. The celebration includes the following:

• Free cup of froyo and a $10 gift card for the first 10 customers
• A gift with purchase ($5 minimum) all day
• The first 100 customers to complete the “10 Reasons Why I Love Yogurtland” post it challenge will get a coupon for a free cup of yogurt (no cash value). To receive the coupon, write 10 reasons why you love Yogurtland on a post it provided and hand it to the cashier.
• With every cup of yogurt purchased, get an entry for a raffle drawing for Yogurtland gift cards.

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.

Signs and Machines Removed from Tutti Frutti La Crescenta

Fro-yo girl here. Back in December 2018, Tutti Frutti La Crescenta posted a message on Facebook that they were temporarily closed and to check back for updates. There haven’t been any updates on their Facebook page since then. I was hoping that it would reopen but it seems unlikely now that they’ve taken the signs down, emptied the interior, and removed all equipment. 

The space is listed as available now on Loopnet.com. Interestingly, I spotted one of the old Wellspring soft serve machines inside Reborn Coffee. The La Crescenta Reborn Coffee is in the same strip mall as Tutti Frutti and has the same owner. Reborn Coffee used to offer some type of soft serve but I was told that the machine broke and it hasn't been fixed.

The La Crescenta location used to be my favorite Tutti Frutti location. I had a good chance of finding soy frozen yogurt there. It was clean, carried interesting flavors, and had cute froyo spoons. The shop opened in 2013. RIP, Tutti Frutti La Crescenta.

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

* TUTTI FRUTTI FROZEN YOGURT: 3731 Foothill Blvd, Unit E, La Crescenta-Montrose 91214

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.

The Best Frozen Yogurt in Los Angeles Is Not Where You Think It Is

Fro-yo girl here. When someone asks, where’s the best frozen yogurt, do you automatically think of a frozen yogurt shop? I know that I did, for many years. But that’s partly because froyo shops were the only place to get frozen yogurt and coffeehouses, bakeries, convenience stores, and other places that added frozen yogurt seemed to do so as an afterthought. Frozen yogurt wasn’t their main business, so they didn’t seem to invest much time or effort in creating a high-quality product. Even many frozen yogurt shops served mass-produced, overly sweet frozen yogurt because it was easy and cheap.

The popularity and mainstreaming of frozen yogurt had the benefit of attracting a diverse group of entrepreneurs, some of which wanted to put their own spin on frozen yogurt. Specifically, there was a trend towards chef-driven fast-casual restaurant concepts in the late that emphasized convenience, affordability, and quality. And some of these chef-driven fast-casual concepts started offering frozen yogurt, but not mass-produced frozen yogurt. The recipes were developed by chefs and the yogurt was made in small batches. The end result is fresher, healthier (typically they use less sugar), higher in quality and all around tastier.

You may be wondering where to get your hands on this type of frozen yogurt. In the Los Angeles area, I recommend:

Spread Mediterranean Kitchen (334 S Main St., Los Angeles): Spread opened in downtown LA in 2016, offering one flavor (plain), of housemade Greek frozen yogurt. Their froyo has actually gotten better over time and I’ve always loved their creative toppings like beet salt & citrus powder and sour cherry. I also enjoy the food, especially the falafel over hummus, cheesy & spicy style.

Pita GR (9905 Paramount Blvd., Downey): Pita GR (the GR stands for Greek) is a fine-fast casual Greek street food eatery that opened in late September 2018. The chef is Greek. They make their own frozen Greek yogurt with their own recipe. There's only one flavor, plain. It can be topped with sour cherry syrup, lemon preserve, housemade baklava, or wildflower honey. Everything about this frozen yogurt is incredible – the texture, the flavor, the toppings.

Yoga-urt (1407½ W Kenneth Rd., Glendale): Yoga-urt was the first plant-based, gluten-free, kosher, soy-free, organic “froyo” shop in Los Angeles. They make their own froyo (it’s probiotic) from scratch. The main base is almond and cashew milk. Their flavors are unique and often intriguing, e.g., Purple Power has beets, Ganesha’s Sweet Greens has spinach. Their yogurt is so fresh and delicious that you don't miss the dairy at all.

LA isn’t the only city with froyo created using chef recipes. Souvla in San Francisco, CA definitely falls in this category. There are other places throughout the country, including fine dining establishments in New York, Boston, Chicago, Portland, etc. I haven't tried froyo at the fine dining establishments. If you're wondering where those are, there's a Pinterest board dedicated to froyo at fine dining establishments. Call ahead, because their menus do change.

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.

Aldi’s Friendly Farms Skyr Yogurt Review

Fro-yo girl here. I was at Aldi the other day when I spotted their new limited time offering, Friendly Farms Icelandic Style Skyr Yogurt. One cup is 5.3 oz and 99 cents. There were three flavors: Vanilla, Strawberry, and Blueberry. The fruit flavors are blended.

Vanilla: The amount of sugar, 8g, is comparable to Siggi’s but Friendly Farms vanilla skyr tastes sweeter to me though the aftertaste is sour, tangy and a little chalky. I could see some vanilla bean specks. The texture was thick and smooth. The aftertaste lingers. I prefer Siggi’s.

Strawberry: The strawberry flavor is mild and the texture was lighter and smoother than the vanilla skyr. I could see some strawberry seeds. The skyr brings out the sourness of the strawberries. I liked it better than the vanilla skyr because it was tangier.

Blueberry: The blueberry skyr had a stronger fruit flavor than the strawberry and even some tiny blueberries. It was still tangy but not as sour. The blueberry skyr was my favorite.

Friendly Farms skyr is made with milk from cows that haven’t been treated with rBST. The skyr is nonfat. One serving of Blueberry skyr has 120 calories, 0g fat, 15g carbohydrates, 15g proteins, and 10g sugars.

Ingredients (Blueberry): Cultured pasteurized nonfat grade A milk, sugar, blueberries, blueberry puree, corn starch, natural flavors, pectin, live active cultures.

3.5 out of 5 stars

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 Detective Pikachu Cup & Reformulated Pomegranate Razz Sorbet

Fro-yo girl here. I returned to Menchie’s to get the new limited edition Pokemon Detective Pikachu cup. The movie comes out on May 10. Cute cup. There’s only one design and it features Pikachu wearing a detective cap, similar to Sherlock Holmes’s hat. He seems to be in a city at night.

I also tried the reformulated Pomegranate Razz sorbet. Pom Razz sorbet contains no artificial colors or flavors and no high fructose corn syrup. I don’t remember what the old formula tastes like since it’s sorbet and I usually don’t get sorbet. The sorbet was very flavorful and I could taste the pomegranate and raspberry. The texture was impressively thick and not watery at all. The color was very vibrant. It was a little too sweet for me, but most sorbets and even frozen yogurt flavors are.

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 Flavor, Blueberry Lavender light ice cream

Fro-yo girl here. Yogurtland’s new flavor launches today, Blueberry Lavender light ice cream. The new flavor is made with real blueberries and lavender and is vitamin C fortified and gluten-free. It’s 45 calories per ounce. The flavor is available for a limited time, while supplies last.

I generally don’t like lavender flavored foods because they can seem too strong and floral. But, I was pleasantly surprised by how tasty Blueberry Lavender ice cream was. The flavor was mild and the blueberry flavor was much stronger the lavender flavor. The lavender added a light floral note that made the ice cream more interesting. The texture was smooth and creamy, and the sweetness and flavors were not overpowering. Recommended toppings: Blueberries, white chocolate chips, almonds, boysenberry shortbread cookies.

Blueberry Lavender brought back memories of Yogurtland’s Strawberry Rose frozen yogurt flavor, which was introduced last August, during the Flavor Masterpieces promotion. I liked Strawberry Rose quite a bit.

I didn’t spot any new toppings.

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 May Feature Flavors & New Cups: Chips Ahoy! Original Cookie, Pomegranate Razz Sorbet

Fro-yo girl here. Happy May! Menchie’s has one new and one reformulated flavor for May, Chips Ahoy! Original Cookie frozen yogurt (brand new) and Pomegranate Razz sorbet (reformulated). Both are available for a limited time.

It’s a challenge to find the latest flavors at the Menchie’s in my area. I like the Menchie’s Eagle Rock but they usually put the newest flavors several weeks late. Menchie’s South Pasadena usually has at least one of the new feature flavors at the beginning of each month. Right now, Menchie’s South Pasadena has Chips Ahoy! Original Cookie froyo but not Pomegranate Razz sorbet or the Detective Pikachu cups.

Chips Ahoy! Original Cookie frozen yogurt, made with Chips Ahoy! cookies, is lowfat and 130 calories per serving (4 fl oz). It’s been a long time since I’ve had Chips Ahoy! but it’s a taste that I haven’t forgotten. The Original Cookie froyo is mild and tastes more like cookie than chocolate – it has an extra sweet aftertaste with a baked cookie flavor reminiscent of Chips Ahoy! The texture was smooth. I didn't see any chocolate chips. Recommended toppings: chocolate chips, chocolate shell, Heath, mini M&Ms. I looked for Chips Ahoy! cookies at the toppings bar, but I didn't see any.

Pomegranate Razz sorbet has been reformulated and contains no artificial colors or flavors and no high fructose corn syrup. I’ll have to try it later.

There’s a new limited edition collectible cup design. The Detective Pikachu cup is for a new movie coming out on May 10. I’ll have to pick up my cups later as well. 

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.