US Launch of Mochicream Ice

Fro-yo girl here. Mochicream is a Japanese dessert that’s basically mochi with different fillings often involving whipped cream and jam. Mochicream Mochi Cream Ice is a newer mochi product; the mochi has an ice cream filling.

Mochicream could only be purchased from J.sweets retail stores when it first reached the US. Since there are only four of these (in San Jose, Torrance, Costa Mesa and Irvine), this meant that the availability of Mochicream in the US was extremely limited. The mochi are made in Japan.

Recently I was shopping at Mitsuwa San Gabriel and I spotted Mochicream in the freezer. The Mochicream treats are now individually wrapped and 10 flavors are available (e.g., Chocobanana, Chocomint, Tiramisu, Matcha au Lait, etc. One Mochicream is $2.49. They had one yogurt flavor, blueberry yoghurt.

* Blueberry Yoghurt Mochicream: This was not the same as the blueberry yoghurt Mochicream I had a few years back (that one had whipped cream in the center, this one had blueberry jam). The thin glutinous rice shell is soft, sweet and chewy. The “ice” filling was creamy and the blueberry jam had an intense blueberry flavor. I didn’t taste the yogurt flavor but the mochi was very tasty. One mochi is 2.19 ozs and 170 calories.

Ingredients: Blueberry jam, sugar, cream, milk product powdered, glutinous rice, sweetened condensed milk, skim milk powder, polydextrose dextrin, powdered oil, gelatin, glucose, millet jelly, starch, salt, etc.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.
* MITSUWA: 515 W Las Tunas Dr., San Gabriel, CA 91776

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.

Nostimo Greek Yogurt Bars Review

Fro-yo girl here. I think Nostimo Greek yogurt bars have been available for awhile but I only found them recently since Stater Bros is the only supermarket chain in the West that carries them. I don’t live close to a Stater Bros either. I found Nostimo Greek yogurt bars for $3.49 a box ($2.99 on sale). A box comes with 4 bars. It comes in two flavors, blueberry and strawberry.

* Blueberry Greek frozen yogurt bar: It looks like a Yasso bar. The texture was creamy and smooth. The dominant flavor was milk/cream; the blueberry flavor was present but not strong. It was sweet and not tangy at all. The aftertaste wasn’t clean but it was a bit chalky. The bars aren’t bad but I’d prefer a tangier bar with a stronger blueberry and yogurt flavor.

One yogurt bar is 75g, 100 calories, fat free with 13g of sugar.

Ingredients: Skim milk, Greek yogurt (skim milk, yogurt cultures), sugar, corn syrup, whole milk, blueberry puree (blueberries, sugar, water, pectin, natural flavor, citric acid), milk protein concentrate, maltodextrin, blueberry concentrate, soy lecithin, guar gum, xathan gum, carrageenan

You can use the store locator tool on Nostimo’s website to find their products: http://www.nostimogreekyogurt.com/

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

3.5 out of 5 stars

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.

365 by Whole Foods Review

Fro-yo girl here. The first smaller, more affordable 365 by Whole Foods (the new concept store from Whole Foods) opened in the Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles at the end of May. 365 replaces Ralph’s. There’s less variety at 365 compared to Whole Foods and the interior looks like a warehouse with huge floor freezers and some high tech touches such as kiosks to order made to order tacos, bowls, pizzas and brewed tea. The food court that one typically finds at Whole Foods is gone but there is an Allegro coffee kiosk, an in-store, casual, counter-serve vegan restaurant called by Chloe and a dining area. There are no butchers or bakers on site and the flowers are limited to a small selection of bouquets (with no floral department staff). It felt like there was a lot more security personnel.

Prices are lower than Whole Foods. 365 still has ample organic produce, the hot bar/salad bar where items are priced by container size rather than weight (it reminds me of how some self-serve froyo shops have adopted weightless pricing, charging by cup size rather than weight) and grab and go baked goods and prepared foods.

I went to check out the yogurt and frozen yogurt selection. First, the selection is smaller than the typical Whole Foods in the area. For frozen yogurt the only product they had was the 365 Greek yogurt popsicles. They didn’t have Julie’s Organic frozen yogurt, Yasso bars, Lifeway frozen kefir, etc. They did have a lot of ice cream and gelato though. Also, a smaller selection doesn’t mean a different selection. The yogurt selection was pretty good (Fage, Siggi’s, Whole Foods) but they didn’t carry Smari, Tarte, Blue Hill or Stonyfield’s Oh My Yog like the typical Whole Foods.

They’ve attracted a younger clientele but I didn’t see many of them using the high tech features. I did enjoy the food at by Chloe. Her face looked familiar…I’ve seen her on Cupcake Wars. I need to try her Cupcake Wars winning vegan cupcakes.

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

* 365 BY WHOLE FOODS: 2520 Glendale Blvd, Los Angeles (Silver Lake), CA 90039

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.

Nancy’s Fancy Gelato: Frutti di Bosco with Greek Yogurt and Mixed Berries Review

Fro-yo girl here. Nancy’s Fancy, a line of artisanal gelato from Chef Nancy Silverton (Mozza, Campanile, La Brea Bakery), famed pastry chef, cookbook author and recipient of 1990 Pastry Chef of the Year from the James Beard Foundation, was introduced last year at the Winter Fancy Food Show. A pint retails for $10.99.

Nancy’s Fancy is all natural and made with hormone free milk with no corn syrup. The flavors certainly sound fancy and indulgent. Yes, there is one frozen yogurt flavor. I found it at Gelson’s for $9.99.

Flavors offered:

* Chocolate fondente with dark rum and Valrhona chocolate chips.

* Roasted banana with bourbon and pecan praline

* Salted Peanut Butter with Crunchy Peanuts

* Coconut Stracciatella with Bittersweet Chocolate Strands

* Spiced Stumptown Coffee with Cracked Cocoa Nibs

* Butterscotch Budino with a Caramel Rosemary Swirl

* Frutti di Bosco with Greek Yogurt and Mixed Berries: Once I lifted the lid off I noticed some ice crystals. The product wasn’t icy though. The color was a pretty deep berry. The texture was dense, creamy and thick – more like ice cream than frozen yogurt. The flavor tasted natural, fruity and tangy but they didn’t strain the fruit puree and there were a zillion hard berry seeds. Surprising – I’ve never encountered so many berry seeds in ice cream or froyo before. On the plus side they use real fruit and lots of it and the quality of the ingredients is evident in the taste. This product would much better if they strained the seeds out.

The yogurt flavor is there but it’s not as intense as the best froyo brand you can buy at the supermarket, Jeni’s. Those biodynamic grassfed cows in Ohio are doing something right. Is Nancy's much better than most supermarket froyo? Yes, the ingredients are better and it tastes less processed.

Ingredients (Frutti di Bosco): Greek yogurt (grade A pasteurized skimmed milk and cream, live active yogurt cultures), gelato syrup (sugar, water, glucose), mixed berries (blueberries, strawberries, blackberries).

A half cup serving is 150 calories with 3g of fat ad 23g of sugar.

You can find Nancy’s Fancy Gelato at Bristol Farms, Whole Foods, Gelson’s, etc. See the website for the complete list of locations: http://www.nancysfancy.com/

4 out of 5 stars.

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

* GELSON’S MARKET: 635 Foothill Blvd., La Canada Flintridge, CA 91011

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.

Lotte Foods Greek Yogurt Bars Review

Fro-yo girl here. It’s been awhile since I’ve spotted a new Korean frozen yogurt bar but I finally found a new variety, Lotte Foods Greek Yogurt bars. I found one flavor, blueberry, at Zion Market in LA’s Koreatown. The package was $6.99.

One package contains six individually wrapped frozen yogurt bars. One bar is 80 ml with 75 calories and 11g of fat. The bars are manufactured in Korea.

The bar smells nice, like yogurt and it has a small, thin blueberry swirl. The thin white coating is creamy and tastes a bit like sweet white chocolate. The interior is soft and creamy and not too dense – a better than expected texture for a frozen yogurt bar. The interior has a mild, milky flavor and the blueberry swirl adds hints of berry and lemon. The coating has the strongest flavor. The tang is very mild. Overall it’s an interesting creamy sweet treat. I wish it had a stronger yogurt flavor.

Ingredients: Water, yogurt coating (rapeseed oil, coconut oil, sugar, mixed milk powder, lactose), sugar, mixed milk powder (skim milk powder, sweet whey powder), thick fermented milk (milk, sugar, skim milk, lactic acid), blueberry syrup (blueberry, sugar, water, fructooligosaccharide, lemon concentrate), extra oligosaccharide (starch syrup, isomaltooligosaccharide, fructose), processed butter (milk, cream, butter, coconut oil), milk, artificial flavor (yogurt), citric acid, mixed formulation (guar gum, locust bean gum, carrageenan, tamarind gum), emulsifier, greek yogurt powder

As you can see, the list of ingredients is lengthy.

I wonder if it comes in other flavors? Apparently Lotte Foods has a new macaroon ice cream product. I’d like to try it.

4 out of 5 stars.

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

* ZION MARKET: 3500 W 6th St., Ste 100, Los Angeles, 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.

LOHAS Fresh Mart Has Froyo

Fro-yo girl here. LOHAS Fresh Mart is the new healthy, organic Asian market that opened recently in downtown Alhambra. 

There’s a deli in the front with juices, smoothies, salads and some prepared organic meals (Hainan chicken, curry, pork belly). Some of the meals were $5.98. They make their own juices and soy milk. For breakfast they have rice rolls, egg crepes and you tiao/Chinese donuts. 

I spotted a soft serve machine by the juice machine. There wasn’t any sign for the frozen yogurt but they do have it – just one flavor at a time. I didn’t see a sign or prices but I think it comes in one size, $4.99 for a cup (it's not self-serve). It’s a big cup (wish they had a smaller option). I was told that the frozen yogurt is organic. There are no toppings.

The frozen yogurt had a nice, thick, dense, smooth and creamy texture. It was a sweet yogurt but not super sweet. The strawberries didn’t taste fresh/natural though. It tasted more like strawberry ice cream than strawberry frozen yogurt. There was no tang. 

I asked whether they would carry other flavors but no one seemed to know.

3.5 out of 5 stars

* LOHAS FRESH MART, 300 W Main St., Alhambra, CA 91801

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.

Monsieur Singh Frozen Lassi Review

Fro-yo girl here. I recently found Monsieur Lassi frozen lassi pints at a Whole Foods in New York. Monsieur Singh was founded by Karan Gera in October 2011 and it started out as a lassi cart in New York. It’s currently sold around NY/CT. Monsieur Singh is a healthier, probiotic product with Indian flavors, herbs and spices, inspired by lassi, the Indian yogurt drink.

* Frozen Honey Lemon Lassi ($6.99 at Whole Foods): Frozen lassi is packed with flavor. The frozen lassi tastes much different than any froyo product that I’ve tried before. Mint leaves are found in abundant amounts giving it a cooling flavor. The mint is dominant but the flavors are complex – with lemon rind, sweet honey, and tangy yogurt. It very much reminds me of raita, minus the cucumber. It’s almost savory. The texture is firm and icy (but not watery). It’s not as smooth because of all the mint leaves.

Available flavors: Honey Lemon Lassi, Mango Lassi, Pineapple Banana Lassi

Monsieur Singh frozen lassi can be found at the following locations: http://monsieursingh.com/find-lassi/

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.

Mapleton’s Organic Frozen Yogurt Review

Fro-yo girl here. I spotted Mapleton Organic Frozen Yogurt at Whole Foods Markham. Mapleton’s Organic Dairy is a Canadian family farm with certified organic products. The farm, which is open to visitors, is in Wellington County, Ontario. Their products include ice cream, frozen yogurt and fresh yogurt. The frozen yogurt is sold in 470g tubs. At Whole Foods, the tubs are $7.99 each.

Mapleton’s Organic Frozen Yogurt is lowfat, GMO free, nut free, gluten free, certified fair trade, certified organic and has live and active cultures.

Available flavors: Lemon, Strawberry, Vanilla

I tried the Lemon frozen yogurt and it wasn’t good – it was too sweet, icy and tasted like bitter lemon extract. I should have read the list of ingredients first because lemon extract doesn’t taste as good as lemon juice.

Ingredients (Lemon): Organic skim milk yogurt (organic milk, 5 live cultures), organic milk, organic eggs, lemon extract, organic guar gum, organic locust bean gum.

2 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.

Frozen Yogurt at Fred Meyer

Fro-yo girl here. If you live in the Pacific Northwest, you’re likely familiar with Fred Meyer – the retailer that started in Portland, Oregon and pioneered the idea of one stop shopping. Fred Meyer stores are huge and they strive to save customers time and money with service, selection, quality and prices. A typical Fred Meyer store has groceries, clothes, home products, electronics, health and beauty care and more under one roof.

Last month the Fred Meyer in the Hawthorne neighborhood of Portland, OR unveiled its self-serve frozen yogurt station. The station is called Fred’s Frost-O-Matic and it features three Electro Freeze machines that offer six flavors at a time, plus a toppings bar. The froyo and toppings are sold by weight at the price of 43 cents per ounce.

The frozen yogurt is from Dannon YoCream. Toppings include candy, cookies, fresh fruit, chocolate chips, granola and sprinkles (fewer toppings than your typical self-serve froyo shop).

Fred Meyer and Ralph’s have the same parent company, Kroger. The Fred Meyer and Ralph’s with self-serve frozen yogurt have a similar look – with sushi bars and a Murray’s Cheese area – but the Ralph’s is nicer. Both use the same froyo machines and use the same frozen yogurt mix. Ralph’s dessert bar had more toppings and was clearly staffed. The Fred Meyer froyo station didn’t appear to be staffed and no one offered sample cups.

During my visit the flavors were Original Tart, Salted Caramel Corn, White Vanilla, Dutch Chocolate, Very Strawberry and Mango Tango sorbet.

The original tart was a bit soft but had a pleasant flavor and refreshing finish. I would have tried more flavors if I’d been offered or spotted sample cups.

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

* FRED MEYER: 3805 SE Hawthorne Blvd., Portland, OR 97214

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.

Expansion of Ralph’s Westwood Village Includes Self-Serve Froyo

Fro-yo girl here. Where can you find the largest Ralph’s supermarket in California?  The answer is Westwood Village, at the former location of Bullock’s, on the edge of the UCLA campus. This location is a monster – it looks like a merger of more than one market because one side looks different from the other.  That’s because it was expanded by 40,000 square feet in November 2014.

The Ralph’s of the future/Ralph’s 2.0 is open 24 hours and includes a several prepared food bars (including an organic salad bar), Cork & Tap wine and beer bar with flatscreen TVs, walk in wine vault, Murray’s Cheese counter, staffed sushi bar with counter dining and the Dessert Bar.

The Dessert Bar had its grand opening on Friday, June 26. The staffed area features gelato, cupcakes, a self-serve froyo bar and toppings. It’s the first Ralph’s with a self-serve  froyo bar. There are 10 flavors on tap (housed in five Electro Freeze machines) and a middle handle to swirl two side by side flavors together. The froyo is from Dannon. The flavor signs have nutritional information. The yogurt had a nice creamy, smooth texture (the same Dannon yogurt at Rite Aid, which uses Stoelting machines, was icy and gritty). They had sorbets and no sugar added options as well.

The toppings bar is smaller but they offer some healthy items like hemp seeds, pecans, almonds and fresh fruit, along with candy, cookies, marshmallows, chocolate chips and syrups (even Nutella). Froyo and toppings are 45 cents an ounce.

They’ve done a nice job with the Dessert Bar. Having it staffed helps a lot. The staff person was friendly and offered samples. Plus he kept the area clean.

This Ralph’s also has an excellent select of fresh yogurt and packaged frozen yogurt – it’s like they’re trying to carry everything. 

Get two hours free parking in the parking lot with validation.

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

* RALPH’S FRESH FARE: 10861 Le Conte Ave., Los Angeles (Westwood Village), CA 90024

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.

Nestle Outshine Simply Yogurt Bars Review

Fro-yo girl here. I never felt the urge to try Outshine bars/pops before because they didn’t have any yogurt bars. That just changed this month with the launch of Outshine Simply Yogurt Bars, made with 100% yogurt and fruit. I spotted the bars at Target, where a box of four bars (10.2 fl oz) is $4.59.

One bar is 90 calories with 2g of fat and 5g of protein. Outshine Yogurt Bars have live and active cultures, with no artificial colors or flavors and no high fructose corn syrup.

* Blueberry: A thick bar with a soft, creamy, whipped texture that holds its shape well. The bar delivered on its promise of creaminess and it also didn’t have unpleasant artificial flavors. It was light and satisfying. The flavor was slightly tangy and mildly blueberry like but on the bland side (too much cream?) I’ve had better (and worse) froyo bars. This one was better than average in texture but lacking in flavor.

Spotted flavors: Strawberry Banana, Strawberry, Mango, Peach, Blueberry 

There are two other flavors but I'm not sure what they are.

Ingredients (Blueberry): Yogurt (skim milk, sugar, lactose reduced skim milk, cream, blueberry puree, milk protein concentrate, pectin, natural flavors, guar gum, carob bean gum, live and active cultures).

Outshine Simply Yogurt Bars are available only at Target.

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

3.5 out of 5 stars

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.

Lifeway Frozen Kefir Bars Review

Fro-yo girl here. Lifeway introduced a line of frozen kefir bars/pops last year. I hadn’t had much luck finding them in California until a recent trip to Gelson’s in La Canada Flintridge. Gelson’s had two flavors: Tart and Tangy Coconut and Tart and Tangy Pear. Each 15 oz. package comes with six individually wrapped bars. Gelson’s sells a box for $5.39 regular price.

Lifeway Frozen Kefir Bars are available in four flavors: Tart and Tangy Coconut, Tart and Tangy Peach, Tart and Tangy Green Tea Raspberry and Tart and Tangy Vanilla.

Frozen kefir bars are gluten free, contain no artificial colors or flavors and have beneficial live and active kefir cultures. I was pleasantly surprised that each bar is 60 calories or less.

* Tart and tangy pear: The pear flavor is very prominent. The bar tastes like fresh pears. The texture was very pleasant - soft, smooth and creamy but it holds its shape. I liked the tanginess and the clean aftertaste. Yum! The bar had a milkiness from the kefir but the kefir flavor could have been more prominent.

One 1/2 cup serving is 110 calories and nonfat.

Ingredients: Cultured low fat milk, evaporated cane juice, nonfat dry milk, tapioca maltodextrin, natural pear flavor, natural flavors, stabilizer, turmeric, active kefir cultures

4.5 out of 5 stars.

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

* GELSON’S MARKET: 635 Foothill Blvd., La Canada Flintridge, CA 91011

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.

Kroger Deluxe Frozen Nonfat Greek Yogurt Review

Fro-yo girl here. Kroger’s private label line of frozen nonfat Greek yogurt is carried by Ralph’s in Southern California. The Greek frozen yogurt comes in 16 fl oz tubs in three flavors: Honey Vanilla, Raspberry and Blueberry. It retails for $2.99; I found it on sale for $1.99 each. 

The honey and blueberry flavors look like the honey and blueberries aren't blended throughout the frozen yogurt, so I opted for raspberry. The raspberries are blended throughout the raspberry frozen yogurt, with no seeds or chunks of raspberries.

* Raspberry frozen yogurt: I was pleasantly surprised that the flavor was tangy and fruity. It tasted much like raspberry sherbet. The texture was dense and not as creamy as ice cream. It felt lighter. It wasn't as yogurty as I expected.

One 1/2 cup serving is 110 calories and nonfat. 

Ingredients: Cultured pasteurized skim milk, sugar, blueberries, whey protein concentrate, corn syrup, raspberry puree, raspberry juice concentrate, citric acid, cellulose oil, cellulose gum, mono and diglycerides, lemon juice concentrate, carrageenan, elderberry juice concentrate, natural flavor

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.

Simple Truth Greek Frozen Yogurt Bars Review

Fro-yo girl here. Simple Truth is a line of products from Kroger launched in September 2012 with simple ingredient labels. I spotted Simple Truth Greek frozen yogurt bars at Ralph’s. A box contains four 3.5 fl oz bars/popsicles. Each bar is 120-130 calories with 3.5-4g of fat. A box retails for $4.49. During my visit the bars were on sale for $2.99.

Flavors: Vanilla, Strawberry Vanilla, Blueberry Vanilla

* Blueberry vanilla bar: It’s a pretty bar, vanilla with light purple blueberry swirls throughout. There’s a thin icy shell. The bar is soft, airy, smooth and quite creamy. The blueberry flavor is noticeable but not strong/potent. It’s very sweet and tastes mostly like cream with a hint of vanilla and blueberry. The aftertaste is slightly bitter. It looks and tastes similar to the new 365 Everyday Value Organic Greek Yogurt Low Fat Dessert Bars at Whole Foods.

Ingredients: Skim milk, milk, sugar, cream, Greek frozen yogurt base (whey protein concentrate, cultured dairy solids, milk protein concentrate, natural flavors), blueberry base (blueberries, sugar, water, blueberry juice concentrate, sugar syrup, natural flavor, carob bean gum, citric acid), corn syrup, contains 2% or less of: egg yolks, carob bean gum, guar gum, carrageenan, polysorbate 80, vanilla extract, beet juice (color)

The bars are not organic but they are “free from 101 artificial preservatives and ingredients.” 

You can find coupons at simpletruth.com

3.5 out of 5 stars.

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

* RALPH’S GROCERY: 160 N 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.

Blue Bunny Mint Chocolate Chip Froyo Review

Fro-yo girl here. Albertson’s had several flavors of frozen yogurt: White Mint Chocolate Chunk, Caramel Praline Crunch and Vanilla Bean. The White Mint Chocolate Chunk, described as white mint frozen yogurt loaded with chocolate chunks sounded the most appealing.

* White Mint Chocolate Chunk: I liked how the mint flavor was refreshing and natural tasting. Also I enjoyed the abundance of small chocolate chunks. The chocolate wasn’t waxy. The frozen yogurt was firm and creamy but not quite as rich and dense as a super premium ice cream. It was sweet with little yogurt flavor. There are 130 calories and 4g of total fat per serving.

Their frozen yogurt products are all natural with live and active cultures. Each tub was 1.75 quarts and $4.99 at Albertson’s.

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.

Yasso Peanut Butter Cup Frozen Greek Yogurt Bars Review

Fro-yo girl here. Back in May 2012, I tried Yasso’s Raspberry Greek Frozen Yogurt Bars: http://froyogirl.blogspot.com/2012/05/yasso-frozen-greek-yogurt-bars-review.html and I found them to be lacking in flavor. Yasso released five new flavors in February 2014: Peanut Butter Cup, Mint Chocolate Chip, Chocolate Fudge, Dark Chocolate Raspberry and Sea Salt Caramel. The bars are made with Greek yogurt and all natural ingredients.

* Peanut butter cup: These are tastier than the Raspberry Yasso bars I tried in 2012. The best part was the thin chocolate shell that covered the top half of the bar. It’s a crisp shell that tastes like good chocolate, not the yucky waxy chocolate shells one sometimes encounters. The peanut butter part was firm and light. It wasn’t icy but I wish it were creamier. The peanut butter flavor is mild and there isn’t much yogurt flavor. It’s sweet but not too sweet. I liked how it tasted lighter. The chocolate shell fell off...I wish the shell covered the entire bar. One bar was 130 calories with 6 gms of fat.

Each box comes with 4 60 g bars. I found Yasso on sale at Von’s for $3.99 ($4.99 regular price).

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.

Dannon Oikos Greek Frozen Yogurt Review

Fro-yo girl here. Back in late 2011 I reviewed the new Stonyfield Oikos Organic Frozen Greek Yogurt line. I tried the honey flavor and gave it a generous 3 stars. It was sold in a one pint size in six flavors: Peach Mango, Superfruits, Vanilla, Honey, Blueberry and Chocolate. I didn’t like the frozen yogurt much so I didn’t buy it again.

Oikos Frozen Greek Yogurt is back with John Stamos as the spokesperson. It’s been renamed, with Dannon replacing the Stonyfield name. It’s no longer organic. It’s available in a one pint size in six flavors: Strawberry, Cafe Latte, Vanilla, Black Cherry, Chocolate, Key Lime

* Key lime: It’s very firm, so leave it out for a few minutes before scooping. I liked how the texture was firm, thick and creamy; it was similar the texture of ice cream. It was sweet and not tart/tangy. The aftertaste was sweet. I found the flavor pleasant but I prefer a tangier key lime flavor.

One serving has 150 calories, 3g of fat per serving and live and active cultures. I found Dannon Oikos Greek Frozen Yogurt at Von’s on sale for $3.49 (regular price $4.99).

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.

Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams Frozen Yogurt at Andronico’s

Fro-yo girl here. Proudly handmade in Columbus, Ohio, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams are made with Snowville milk and cream from grassfed cows in Ohio. Their frozen yogurt uses biodynamic organic yogurt and has live and active yogurt cultures. It’s pretty spectacular.

Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams can be found at Safeway, Berkeley Bowl, Mollie Stone’s and other markets in the Bay Area. I’ve found that many locations only carry 1 or 2 of Jeni’s frozen yogurt flavors.

I was impressed with the Jeni’s frozen yogurt selection at Andronico’s on Irving St. in San Francisco. During my visit they had the following flavors:

• Grapefruit
• Lemon
• Lime Cardamom
• Mango Lassi
• Red Raspberry

A pint is $11.99. You can also order ice cream and fro-yo pints from Jeni’s website. The website lists the stores that carry Jeni’s.

5 out of 5 stars.

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

http://www.jenis.com/where-to-buy/

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

* ANDRONICO’S: 1200 Irving St., San Francisco, CA 94122

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.

Safeway Super Premium Greek Key Lime Pie Frozen Yogurt Review

Fro-yo girl here. I’m not at Safeway every week but I swing by maybe once a month and just noticed a new line of Super Premium Greek Frozen Yogurt by Safeway Select. A one pint package is $3.99 or $2.99 for Club members.

The new line comes in the following flavors: 

• Vanilla Honey Praline
• Vanilla Caramel Toffee
• Strawberry Shortcake
• Blueberry Vanilla Cheesecake
• Key Lime Pie

The flavors are reminiscent of Ben & Jerry’s Greek frozen yogurt line.

* Key Lime Pie froyo: It’s firm and creamy, with the texture of a premium ice cream. I liked the strong key lime flavor that had a hint of tartness and wasn’t super sweet. The graham cracker bits are soft and sweet; they didn’t overwhelm the key lime flavor. I didn’t notice the whipped cream ribbon. I liked it a lot but it didn’t have yogurt flavor. It was more like ice cream...but it does have active yogurt cultures. One serving (½ cup) is 160 calories and 2.5 grams of fat.
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.

ProYo High Protein Frozen Yogurt Review

Fro-yo girl here. What happens with an active, health conscious froyo shop owner suffers a multiple arm fracture? Nathan Carey, owner of Twin Cups in Santa Barbara, CA suffered an injury that prevented him from using his hand to eat. He wanted to have protein in his diet and was dissatisfied with the high protein options available. This was the inspiration for inspired ProYo, a high protein frozen yogurt with probiotics that’s low fat, gluten free, soy free and GMO free.

ProYo comes in four flavors: Vanilla Bean, Banana Vanilla, Dutch Chocolate, Blueberry Pomegranate. Each box contains three 4 fl oz. tubes and retails for $7.49. They were on sale at Whole Foods for $5.99 a box. Each tube has 20g of protein.

* Blueberry pomegranate: I chose this flavor hoping it would be tangy and it wasn’t. I wasn’t that fond of the squeezable tube because it was hard to get all the product out of the tube and you're holding onto a frozen cold tube (a popsicle stick is neater). The texture was more ice cream like than frozen yogurt like: very creamy, heavy, and dense. I like a lighter, more refreshing frozen yogurt. It didn’t have much blueberry or pomegranate flavor but it was faintly fruity. It had a weird, slightly bitter flavor. 

Ingredients: Milk Nonfat (Cultured [with] , Milk Whole, Whey Protein Concentrate, Sugar, Whey Protein Isolate, Inulin Organic, Blueberries Puree, Pomegranate Juice Concentrate, Blueberries Juice Concentrate, Flavors Natural [Including], Citric Acid, Dextrose, Beets Juice Color, Disodium Phosphate, Flavors Raspberry, Stevia Extract)

3 out of 5 stars.

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

* WHOLE FOODS MARKET: 1150 Ocean Ave., San Francisco, CA

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.