Froyo Shops vs. Acai Shops: The One Thing That’s Better About Acai Shops

 

Go Greek Yogurt

Fro-yo girl here. It’s no secret that I love froyo, but I’ve been hearing about acai since I first started this blog in 2008. The first time I mentioned acai on this blog was in 2008, because Cefiore had a delicious froyo flavor called acai berry.

I avoided acai bowls for many years because most acai bases are made with bananas (I loathe bananas). However, most acai places also have other bases, some of which do not contain bananas (e.g., pitaya, matcha, coconut). I usually get the pitaya base, which is icy and not as flavorful as a good froyo.

There is one thing I like about acai shops: the toppings. The fruit is fresher. For example, the cut fruit at froyo shops sits in the toppings bar for I don’t know how long. When I want strawberries in my pitaya bowl, the strawberries are sliced after I place my order. Also, acai shops have rich nut butter sauces that most froyo shops do not offer. And acai shops have healthy toppings that I actually like, such as hemp seeds, chia seeds, flax seeds, goji berries, cacao nibs, etc.

If you like your froyo, want a wider variety of healthy toppings, and are in Los Angeles, check out Go Greek Yogurt and Yoga-urt (both have multiple locations). They both offer healthier toppings and excellent frozen yogurt. Yoga-urt’s frozen yogurt is also vegan, organic, kosher, and soy-free. I love the pistachios and housemade chocolate shell! Pressed Juicery also offers healthier toppings for its plant-based Freeze (Freeze isn’t froyo though) and acai bowls. The almond butter is the best topping.

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.

Pressed Juicery New Freeze: Dragon Fruit

Fro-yo girl here. It’s been awhile since Pressed came out with a new Freeze flavor – Blood Orange was the last new flavor and that was released in January 2020. They also introduced acai bowls in July 2020; the acai which comes out of the soft serve machine, so it’s a lot like Freeze.

Dragon Fruit Freeze is available as a Freeze (with toppings) or as a smoothie bowl (same product – it either comes in a cup or a bowl). The soft serve has a beautiful blush pink color. It’s much creamier and smoother than the Freeze flavors that are made with almond milk. Dragon Fruit Freeze is made with oat milk, dragon fruit puree, coconut cream, mango puree, strawberry puree, agave, monk fruit, lemon juice, pea protein, and sea salt. Dragon fruit doesn’t have a strong flavor, so I mostly tasted the mango and coconut. There was another taste and I was tempted to say that dragon fruit tastes like strawberry, only I see that they added strawberry to Dragon Fruit Freeze (I didn't know that there was strawberry when I tasted Dragon Fruit Freeze). Anyway, it was sweeter than I expected and did not have any tang. I think people will like the creaminess of Dragon Fruit Freeze.

Ingredients: Oat Milk (Water Oat Flour, Natural Flavor), Red Dragon Fruit Puree, Coconut Cream, Mango Puree, Strawberry Puree, Agave, Monk Fruit (Erythritol, Monk Fruit Extract), Lemon Juice, Pea Protein, Sea Salt.

Dragon Fruit Freeze is available while supplies last for a limited time.

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.

Pressed Juicery New Blood Orange Freeze and Juice

Fro-yo girl here. Blood oranges are currently in season, so they’re a good choice for the first new Pressed Juicery Freeze flavor of the year. Blood Orange Freeze is made with coconut milk, blood orange puree, monk fruit, oat milk, cherry puree and vanilla extract. It’s nut and dairy-free. One size 1 serving is 150 calories – a little higher than the other flavors.

* Blood Orange Freeze: It’s a pretty pale pink (see the swirl on the right of the cup) and not brownish like the other almond milk based, date sweetened flavors. The texture was notably softer, creamier and not as dense as the almond milk-based flavors. The first thing I tasted was the coconut milk. The orange flavor was more of a tangy undertone. The coconut flavor was also mild. The oat milk and monk fruit added an interesting, different taste. I was expecting a stronger orange flavor.

* Blood Orange juice: It’s made with orange, blood orange and kumquat. In contrast to the freeze, the orange flavor was intense. The blood orange made it a little tangier. Bonus points for adding kumquat. Kumquats are delicious but I don’t see them too often.

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.

2nd National Ice Cream Day at Yogurtland & Other National Ice Cream Day Events

Fro-yo girl here. Soft serve ice cream is a hit at Yogurtland! And they’re celebrating National Ice Cream Day for the second time on Sunday, July 21 with a special offer: BOGO free from 1 PM – 6 PM. The feature flavor is Cookies & Crème light ice cream, made with OREO wafers. I’ve already had it a couple of times. Be sure to try it before they run out. It has more cookie flavor than their yogurt version, Classic Cookies & Cream.

Ice Cream Alley will be back at Smorgsaburg LA this Sunday, with pop-up ice cream vendors. Check it out from 10 AM – 4 PM at The Row, 777 Alameda St., Los Angeles, CA. Free parking and free admission.

Other National Ice Cream Day Offers:

• 16 Handles: Loyalty members get the first 3 oz free on July 21, 2019, from open - 5 PM
• Kiwi Spoon (Rocky Hill, CT): Get your first 3 oz free on July 21, minimum $5 purchase
• Nekter: BOGO free on Skoop, the vegan frozen sensation, get the offer on the Nekter app – it’s good all day on July 21. Try one of their four new flavors.
• Pressed Juicery: $2 Freezes (size 1 with up to three toppings) on July 21
• Wanderlust Creamery: Two scoops for the price of one on July 21, all day
• Woody’s Yogurt Place (Mill Valley, CA): Celebrate with 10% off your purchase on Saturday, July 20
• Yoga-urt (Glendale & Echo Park (Los Angeles), CA): Celebrate Yoga-urt’s fourth anniversary this weekend with a new flavor, $1 off on Saturday, July 20, from 2 PM – 5 PM at the Glendale store, and $1 off at the Echo Park store on Sunday, July 21, from 2 PM – 5 PM. One dollar of every transaction this weekend will go to Together Rising, a nonprofit that provides emergency relief and long-term help to detained children.

National Ice Cream Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of July.

National Today ran an interesting survey about ice cream, including favorite flavors, favorite brands, and ice cream eating behaviors.

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.

Pressed Juicery’s New Freeze Flavor, Pineapple

Fro-yo girl here. With all the excitement over Pressed Juicery’s new toppings and sundaes, I overlooked something important; there’s a new Freeze flavor, Pineapple. Pineapple Freeze is made with water, maple syrup, pineapple, mango, dates, and almonds. I tried it and it was sweeter than I expected. Pineapple is usually pretty tangy. It was good, but I think it would be better if it had some tang. Recommended toppings: Peach gummy bears, coconut, strawberries.

Pressed Juicery has a special membership perk this month: one FREE size 1 Freeze with three toppings with any purchase, so it’s the perfect time to get a Freeze and try the new toppings and sundaes.

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.

Pressed Juicery’s New Toppings and Sundaes

Fro-yo girl here. A couple of new things have been launched at Pressed Juicery as of Friday, June 28. First, there are new toppings and a new way to display toppings. New toppings include peach gummy bears, chocolate chip cookie crumble, marshmallows, sprinkles, praline pecan pieces, and raspberry puree. I don’t think they eliminated any toppings (whew).

I noticed the toppings display changed recently. They used to have a list of toppings on display on the glass divider near the Freeze station. Now you can see the toppings in clear glass bottles. Each one also lists whether the topping is vegan, gluten-free, kosher, and non-GMO.

As for the Freeze Sundaes, they are:

• Summer Delight: Strawberry Freeze with vegan peach gummy bears + blueberries
• Chocolate Churro: Chocolate Freeze with granola butter + cacao drizzle
• S'mores: Chocolate Freeze with vegan marshmallows, chocolate chips + granola butter
• Blueberry Muffin: Vanilla Freeze with honey, blueberries + granola butter
• Tropical Dream: Pineapple mango Freeze with raspberry puree, sprinkles + shredded coconut
• Strawberry Pie: Strawberry Freeze with vegan marshmallows, praline pecans + granola butter
• Chocolate Chip Cookie: Vanilla Freeze with chocolate chip cookie crumble, chocolate drizzle + chocolate chips
• AB&J: Vanilla Freeze with almond butter, raspberry puree + strawberries

I selected the AB&J which was refreshing and delicious. The raspberry puree was obviously natural and not overly sweetened. The price hasn’t changed and they're running a promo right now, two items for $10.

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.

Pressed Juicery Testing New Freeze Flavor, Coffee

Fro-yo girl here. Today is World Plant Milk Day. It seemed like a good day for a Pressed Freeze. I was delighted to spot a new test flavor at the Glendale/Americana Pressed Juicery, Coffee.

I’ve never had Pressed Juicery’s Vanilla Coffee drink. It’s made with almond milk, dates, Kona coffee, and vanilla bean. The Coffee Freeze probably has the same short list of natural ingredients. Like other flavors of Freeze, it’s plant-based, vegan, and has no added sugar. 

I no longer see Vanilla Coffee listed on the Pressed Juicery website, so perhaps it's been discontinued or is seasonal.

* Coffee Freeze: The coffee flavor is mellow and smooth. It’s probably not made with dark roast coffee beans? What I like best about Freeze is that it’s not that sweet, it’s very refreshing, and the aftertaste is very clean. It’s one of the better Freeze flavors for sure.

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.

Pressed Juicery New Freeze Flavors, New Toppings, New Membership Program

Fro-yo girl here. When Pressed Juicery introduces a new Freeze flavor, they usually introduce one new flavor at a time. It’s been awhile since there was a new Freeze flavor; the last new flavor was Matcha Almond Freeze back in May 2017. I was excited to get an email from Pressed Juicery announcing two new flavors of Freeze, Creamy Coconut and Mango Turmeric. Both are nut free, plant-based (vegan), with no sugar added. I like how Freeze is made with just a few natural ingredients.

I went to Pressed Juicery at the Americana at Brand in Glendale, CA to try the new flavors. However, they were having problems with the soft serve machine, and weren’t able to serve either new flavor. And they weren’t sure when the problem would be resolved. I went to another location and they were having problems with the machine too. However, they did let me try Creamy Coconut though the texture was icier than it should be.

* Creamy Coconut (water, pineapple, coconut, vanilla extract, sea salt): It tasted like sweetened ice. I couldn’t detect pineapple or coconut. But every location that I went to had problems getting the texture right, so I didn’t try it with the texture they wanted to achieve.

* Mango Turmeric (apple, orange, mango, coconut, pineapple, turmeric): Mango flavors can be really sweet because mango is so sweet. I liked how this flavor wasn’t just mango. It was less sweet and I could taste the pineapple and quite a bit of turmeric. It was icier than their almond milk flavors but had a pleasant, clean flavor. They added a new topping for the mango, Tajin.

While I was there I noticed a sign for the new membership program. It’s free to join. You authorize Pressed Juicery to load a set dollar amount ($10 minimum) to your account every month. This allows you to enjoy the member discount, juices and Freeze for $5. The old loyalty program is separate and will continue but you won’t earn points on your membership purchases. You also can’t combine offers. The amounts do roll over and you can cancel at any time. It’s a good deal! Maybe froyo shops should consider offering something similar. It guarantees income, which will help shops deal with seasonal downturns. It might increase consumption too, since members are pre-paying for treats.

Sign up on the Pressed Juicery website or at one of their stores. https://www.pressedjuicery.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.

Press Brothers Juicery Introduces Coconut Milk Soft Serve

Fro-yo girl here. Plant based vegan soft serve seems like the perfect treat on a hot day. It’s light and refreshing. I was walking through Grand Central Market in downtown LA when I saw the big sign for Press Brothers Juicery’s Coconut Milk Soft Serve.

Press Brothers is Los Angeles owned and operated. They specialize in cold pressed juice which you can find at Grand Central Market and other locations throughout LA. The Grand Central Market shop also has frozen slushies, popsicles and now, Coconut Milk Soft Serve.

PBJ’s soft serve is vegan, organic, gluten free, soy free and probiotic. They add a six strain blend. It’s $4 for a four oz cup. They only had the one Madagascar Vanilla flavor though apparently they do have a chocolate flavor too. Toppings choices are limited to sprinkles, coconut flakes and cacao nibs.

* Madagascar Vanilla Coconut Milk Soft Serve: The cup looked small but 4 oz is a good amount of froyo. I’m not sure how much sugar was added but it was pretty sweet. The texture was smooth but icy. The flavor was not unpleasant but I’d definitely call it subtle. The vanilla flavor was subtle and the whole treat didn’t have a lot of flavor. It was light and refreshing though, without tasting overly processed. And I liked the crunchy, flavorful cacao nibs. I prefer the flavor of Pressed Freeze but PBJ’s soft serve has a smoother texture but the best vegan soft serve by far is from Yoga-urt (1407 W Kenneth Rd, Glendale, CA 91201).

Look for a new location opening in Hollywood (Franklin Plaza).

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

* PRESS BROTHERS JUICERY: 317 S Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90013

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.

Nekter Free Skoop Night

Fro-yo girl here. Nekter has just launched a new product called Skoop, available in two flavors, Chocolate Bliss and Viva Vanilla. It’s scoopable and can be topped with healthy toppings. Skoop is poured into a vertical batch freezer and scooped out.

“Skoop by Nekter is a handcrafted frozen treat, made fresh in small batches using creamy cashew milk and clean, plant-based ingredients. It's dairy-free, gluten-free and soy-free, yet full of delicious flavor.” It's all natural. A 5-ounce serving of Skoop has about 180 calories.

One Skoop is $4.25 and you can add 3 toppings for $1. The toppings include chocolate drizzle, vegan chocolate chips, cacao nibs, strawberries, blueberries, coconut flakes, hempseed granola and gluten-free granola.

To introduce Skoop, Nekter hosted Free Skoop Night on June 9, 2017.

I tried Viva Vanilla which is made with Tahitian vanilla, cashew milk, honey, coconut sugar, agave nectar and a pinch of salt. Skoop was creamy but it was also very soft. Perhaps this was because of the long line of people and the need to make a fresh batch of vanilla. Maybe it wasn’t given enough time to freeze. I didn’t enjoy the melted texture. The vanilla flavor was strong but I didn’t taste much else, other than sweeteners. While Pressed Juicery Freeze tends to be too icy, it is firm and that’s better than runny. Freeze also has more flavor, is refreshing and has better toppings. I also prefer Pressed’s juices to Nekter’s.

While all Nekter units will serve Skoop, only about half of them currently have Skoop.

3 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.

Pressed Juicery Introduces Matcha Almond Freeze

Fro-yo girl here. Pressed Juicery introduced several new matcha products last week, including Matcha Tea, Matcha Almond, Matcha Lemonade and Matcha Almond Freeze. Matcha Tea and Matcha Lemonade are made with probiotics. All of Pressed Juicery’s matcha products are made with Panatea’s ceremonial grade matcha from Japanese tea leaves.

I love matcha everything, so I wanted to try Matcha Almond Freeze as soon as I heard about it. However, the Pressed Juicery that I went to ran out of both the Matcha Almond Freeze and Matcha Almond Milk. I had to go back after they received a shipment.

* Matcha Almond Freeze: I could taste the matcha though it wasn’t a strong matcha flavor (it’s more muted and subtle). The texture wasn’t as gritty as the last time I ordered Freeze but it was icy as usual. The flavor isn’t too sweet and it has a very clean, natural flavor – but it also doesn’t have that much flavor and the texture is decidedly icy. It melted quickly. The flavor of the toppings (almonds, almond butter drizzle, dark chocolate chips) overwhelmed the flavor of the Freeze. Matcha Almond Freeze is made with matcha, kale, spinach, romaine, cucumber, almonds, dates, and vanilla bean.

* Matcha Tea (matcha, probiotic, maple syrup, lemon): this was okay but didn’t have enough matcha flavor for me

* Matcha Lemonade (lemon, matcha, probiotic, maple syrup, mint): the mint flavor dominated which wasn’t what I expected, there wasn’t even much lemon flavor

* Matcha Almond (matcha, almonds, dates, vanilla bean, cinnamon): this was the best matcha drink but the matcha flavor still seemed muted

I was surprised that Matcha Almond Freeze replaced the Greens Freeze because that means that all the Freeze flavors have nuts. But apparently Greens Freeze will return with an improved texture.

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.

New Strawberry Almond Freeze from Pressed Juicery

Fro-yo girl here. Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Pressed Juicery has a new flavor of juice, Strawberry Almond and also a new Freeze flavor (finally - it's their first new Freeze flavor since Freeze was introduced). Strawberry Almond juice is made with beet, almonds, vanilla bean, coconut water and strawberry. Strawberry Almond Freeze is made with the same ingredients plus dates for sweetness.

* Strawberry Almond Freeze: So, I tried the Strawberry Almond juice and they added coconut water, so it’s thinner than their regular Vanilla Almond Milk. The coconut water lightens up the juice. It’s sweet and the strawberry flavor isn’t that strong. The Strawberry Almond Freeze is similar. It tastes sweet, without any added sugar, but the strawberry flavor is weak. Also, the texture is thick, icy and gritty. It needs more almond milk. But it is a healthy, clean tasting treat.

3 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.

Palo Alto Froyo Update

Fro-yo girl here. I have a special place in my heart for Palo Alto, CA since I used to live there and they were also way ahead of the froyo curve with Fraiche and Culture Organic Frozen Yogurt. It’s been awhile since I posted an update on the froyo scene in Palo Alto. Much has happened. Red Mango closed and reopened with Auntie Anne’s at Stanford Shopping Center, Pinkberry opened at Stanford Shopping Center in 2010, Yogurtland opened in 2011, and L’Amour, Yoppi Yogurt and Culture (so sad, it still hurts) have closed. 

Today there are five frozen yogurt shops in Palo Alto: Fraiche (the local froyo spot that makes its own yogurt and has two locations in Palo Alto), Pinkberry, Red Mango, and Yogurtland. Fraiche and Pinkberry are counter-serve while Red Mango and Yogurtland are self-serve. 

I hadn’t visited the Fraiche location on the Stanford campus for maybe a year and there have been changes. They remodeled in May 2015 and they added a new savory menu that includes salads, vegan soup, avocado toast, lox tartine, and egg white wraps. These savory items are currently only available at the Stanford location. The items are healthy and “made from scratch with simple recipes that highlight wholesome ingredients.” The items looked really good (I had to get my SF Chronicle special w/ froyo and steel cut oatmeal though). I tried their dairy-free almond milk soft serve for the first time – the chocolate hazelnut flavor was apparent but the texture was rather icy and it was also pretty sweet. I like their soy froyo better but I like soy better than chocolate.

The Axe & the Palm Cafe on the Stanford campus stopped serving froyo (why bother when Fraiche is steps away?) but it now has boba drinks, popcorn chicken and macarons.

Prices have gone way up at Yogurtland. It’s 52 cents an ounce now. It seems like the ownership may have changed.

Pressed Juicery’s Palo Alto location is one of the few in the Bay Area that offers their Freeze dairy-free soft serve. It’s not froyo but it’s refreshing and clean tasting. 

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

* FRAICHE STANFORD: 459 Lagunita Dr, Stanford, CA 94305

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.

Innovative Froyo Shop Spotlight: Yoga-urt in Glendale, CA

Fro-yo girl here. It’s been quite some time since the last innovative froyo shop spotlight. I’m thrilled to have found a new innovative froyo shop. Yoga-Urt, which just had its soft opening last weekend, July 18-19, combines froyo with yoga and it’s organic, vegan, kosher and soy free. It’s LA’s first all organic non-dairy froyo place.

What makes Yoga-urt innovative is that it’s dairy-free, organic, all natural, and handcrafted.  Their soft serve is made with dairy milk alternatives, mostly almond milk but they also have coconut and cashew bases. They actually make their own almond milk. Plus, all Yoga-urt soft serve has four strains of live probiotics. It’s all natural and good for you. They make their own gluten free vegan cones. Yes, it’s more expensive but the quality is higher.

They've developed nine dairy-free soft serve flavors that rotate. There are six flavors a day and it’s not self serve. The flavor names are influenced by the yoga theme. I saw one tart flavor on the menu (Tantric Tart) but it wasn’t being offered that day. The flavors are true to what they should taste like. Except for Tantric Tart, the flavors aren't tangy.

Toppings include fruit (fresh and dried), granola, coconut, mochi, nuts, chocolate chips and cacao nibs. Even the toppings are healthier. The gluten free waffle cones are made with rice milk and gluten free flour.

Froyo flavors of the day:
* Vanilla harmony: I’m a big fan – it reminds me of Pressed Juicery’s vanilla almond milk soft serve (Freeze) but much better. Vanilla harmony is creamier, less icy and less gritty but it still has that nutty flavor and very clean finish. It tastes less processed/more natural and less sweet. 
* Chocolate bliss
* Salted caramel zen
* Strawberry serenity - tastes so good, like fresh strawberries but creamier
* Ganesha’s sweet greens: Features a thick cashew base, lots going on with kale, spinach and other ingredients but I kept tasting fresh mint which I really liked
* Peanut butter prana: super dense, thick, creamy with lots of peanut butter

Froyo prices: Mini $3.75/ Small $5.25/ Medium $6.75/ Large $8.25, first topping $1, 50 cents for all additional toppings

In addition to froyo, Yoga-Urt has organic smoothies and organic drinks. Cups and spoons are compostable of course. Their products are good for you and they care about the Earth.

Yoga-urt was founded by Melissa Schulman, LA based project manager and certified yoga instructor. Her dream was to provide a healthy treat for her vegan yogi friends. Yoga-urt is in quaint, health conscious Kenneth Village, close to a yoga studio.

Grand Opening July 25-26

Yoga-urt is having its grand opening event this weekend. Mini cups will be $1 and everything else is half off. They’ll be open 10:30 AM – 8 PM on Saturday, July 25 and 11 AM – 6 PM on Sunday, July 26. Also with any purchase during the grand opening weekend, you’ll get one raffle ticket and a chance to win prizes from Kenneth Village businesses.

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

* YOGA-URT, 1407 ½ W Kenneth Rd., Glendale, CA 91201

http://www.yoga-urt.com/, @yoga_urt

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.

Glendale, CA Froyo Roundup

Fro-yo girl here. I recently completed my tour of the Glendale, CA’s froyo shops and found 5 shops that carry froyo, or 6 if you count Pressed Juicery, which offers dairy-free soft serve (technically not froyo). All but one of these shops is located at either the Glendale Galleria or the Americana Mall (the Americana is right next to the Galleria). It seems like life in Glendale centers around that shopping mall area. Go there any day of the week and it’s swarming with people.

The best froyo in Glendale can be found at Pinkberry Americana. This is a particularly nice, spacious Pinkberry location that often has test flavors and test products. They serve six froyo flavors a day and you can’t go wrong with their classic Original Tart with fresh fruit. Some of the limited edition flavors that I’ve liked recently include Lemon Lime and Raspberry White Chocolate. They also have the best froyo toppings.

Yoppi Frozen Yogurt at the Glendale Galleria has average froyo. It features 6 self-serve froyo flavors a day and a decent selection of toppings (fresh fruit, cheesecake, mochi, syrups, cereal, cookie dough, brownies, chocolate chips, cookies, nuts, sprinkles) for 45 cents an ounce. They also have gelato.

My Yummy Yogurt, which is near Eagle Rock, is below average but it does offer free wi-fi (though it’s not a place that one feels like hanging out at).

The froyo is self-serve with 8 flavors a day and a small toppings bar with cereal, candy, sprinkles, nuts, syrups, chocolate chips, brownies, mochi, chocolate covered things, coconut, and two types of fresh fruit for 39 cents an ounce. The fruit was stored in the back and it’s brought out when there are customers. The frozen yogurt is icy and bland.

Froyo is an afterthought at the two Haagen Dazs locations. The kiosk at the Americana only had one flavor, vanilla. The one inside the Glendale Galleria carries two flavors.

Pressed Juicery offers a tasty, vegan, healthier soft serve option that isn’t frozen yogurt. Called Freeze, it’s made with just a few ingredients and is 100% fruit, vegetables and nuts. Freeze flavors include Greens, Roots, Citrus, Fruits, Chocolate and Vanilla. You can top your Freeze with healthy, quality toppings: fresh fruit, spices, seeds, granola, nuts, almond butter, honey, rose syrup, peanut butter, Hawaiian pink salt, cacao nut freezing drizzle, and goji berries. Ask for samples (it’s not self serve).

Try the vanilla flavor (almonds, dates, sea salt, vanilla). It’s icy and not very smooth but very clean and fresh tasting.

Ice N’Cream at the Glendale Galleria used to carry froyo but they switched to soft serve ice cream. Godiva has Belgian soft serve ice cream in two flavors, chocolate and vanilla. I tried it - wasn't too impressed.

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

• HAAGEN DAZS: 889 Americana Way, Glendale, CA 91210
• HAAGEN DAZS: 1113 Glendale Galleria, Glendale, CA 91210
• MY YUMMY YOGURT: 1321 Colorado St., Ste A, Glendale, CA 91205
• PINKBERRY: 759 Americana Way, Glendale, CA 91210
• PRESSED JUICERY: 889 Americana Way, Glendale, CA 91210
• YOPPI YOGURT: 3211 Glendale Galleria, Glendale, CA 91205

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.

Pressed Juicery Freeze Review

Fro-yo girl here. Do you love cold pressed juice? Are you a fan of Pressed Juicery? 

Pressed Juicery launched “Freeze” in June 2014 in Palo Alto, CA. Freeze is a vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free soft serve frozen treat made with 100% fruits, vegetables, and nuts. The flavors are similar to their juice flavors.

Freeze flavors include Greens, Roots, Citrus, Fruits, Chocolate Almond Freeze and Vanilla Almond Freeze. Freeze contains no added sugar but is sweetened naturally with dates. It has no additives or binders. The Chocolate Almond Freeze is made with four ingredients: almond, dates, sea salt and cacao.

I tried the Vanilla Almond Freeze and the consistency was icy and not very smooth, but the flavor was very natural and clean. It's surprisingly sweet thanks to the dates. A small (4 oz.) is $4.95 and you can add healthy toppings like fresh fruit, spices, granola, nuts, almond butter, honey, rose syrup, peanut butter, Hawaiian pink salt, cacao nut freezing drizzle, and goji berries.

Freeze is available at select Pressed Juicery locations. I found it at the Americana. I'd say that it's worth trying.

Less than a block away from Pressed Juicery, Pinkberry at the Americana offered their new Frozen Juice. Frozen Juice was introduced early this year. It’s a dairy-free frozen treat (their first) with no added sugar and three servings of fruit. The price is the same as their frozen yogurt. Dairy-free Pinkberry is currently available only in two locations in the LA area.

Interested in dairy-free, vegan soft serve? Check out my new Pinterest board,  Non Dairy Vegan Froyo Alternatives.

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.