The ice cream freezer in grocery stores has recently become home to an increasing number of products that are not ice cream at all, but rather ‘frozen desserts’.

Unlike real ice cream, frozen desserts are made mostly with edible vegetable oils that lack the nutrients naturally found in milk. In fact, the oils used in frozen desserts (such as palm kernel oil or coconut oil) are the very same oils consumers are trying to avoid in their diets. Real ice cream, on the other hand, is made from wholesome milk, including ingredients derived from milk and nothing else.

It seems consumers recognise and trust the brand name on frozen dessert packages, which is often bold and large. However, their attention isn’t drawn to other labelling, which is often small and inconspicuous, to confirm whether it is in fact ice cream and not frozen dessert.

Despite the confusion that can potentially arise at purchase time, 86% of respondents say they can taste the difference between real ice cream and frozen dessert and 92% prefer ice cream made from milk.

The survey also shows that ice cream is by far the most popular treat of Canadians during the summer months. 44% of respondents from Vancouver, Toronto, Montréal and Halifax chose ice cream as their favourite.

“We only use 100% dairy in our products, never oils, which gives our products a better taste, consistency and nutritional benefits, which are not the same in frozen desserts, which typically have a gummy consistency,” said Ashley Chapman, vice president of Markdale, Ontario-​based Chapman’s Ice Cream. “The intentionally misleading packaging or ‘trickery’ taking place in the ice cream aisle is a big concern to consumers who still do not understand the differences between ice cream and frozen desserts.”

Source: Dairy Farmers of Canada

Smooch is Real Dairy for that wholesome milk  flavour and you can taste the difference