Brands Of Strawberry Ice Cream, Ranked Worst To Best

If you're a fan of summery fruit, you may dream of luscious strawberries from your local farm stand. Or maybe, if you're like me, you dream of that perfect pint of strawberry ice cream from your local freezer aisle. 

Strawberry comes in third among the most popular ice cream flavors in the U.S., right behind vanilla and chocolate. As the quintessential fruit when it comes to flavoring ice cream, strawberry hits that magical sweet spot between fruity freshness and rich creaminess. Strawberries have a sweet-tart taste that cuts through the richness of the cream in a way that keeps each bite from feeling too heavy. A quality pint of strawberry ice cream has real strawberries blended into a luxurious, velvety vanilla base, with just a touch of tartness and a subtle bite of berry acidity. But with all of the strawberry scoops on offer at the grocery store, how is one to choose a brand with the perfect balance of berry flavor?

Luckily for you, I compiled a lineup of popular strawberry ice creams, spanning the spectrum from handcrafted pints to big-name budget brands. I tasted each and every one of them to determine which of these creamy concoctions deserves that coveted real estate inside your freezer, and which brands can get freezer burn, for all I care. 

Friendly's strawberry ice cream comes wrapped in nostalgic branding with a cute font and a retro color scheme, but what's inside the carton is a far cry from the homemade-tasting treat you might hope for. This isn't a strawberry ice cream that celebrates the real fruit. Instead, it delivers an artificial, almost chemical taste that lingers in a way that feels more lab-made than farm-fresh.

The long ingredients list reads more like a sci-fi novel than a recipe; it's packed with additives that are hard to pronounce. Who wants a mouthful of glycerine and calcium chloride? Not me. 

Texture-wise, Friendly's remains dedicated to cutting corners. The ice cream is pumped full of air, robbing you of the creamy heft you get from premium pints. Instead, it melts quickly and lacks the rich mouthfeel that makes ice cream a treat. There's strawberry flavor in there somewhere, but it's drowned out by the overwhelming artificiality and the subpar texture. The occasional pink streak or berry fleck feels more like decoration than substance. 

When I opened the carton of 365 Strawberry Ice Cream by Whole Foods Market, the first red flag was the color. Or rather, the lack of color. This ice cream is nearly white, which immediately sets the tone for what's to come. A true strawberry ice cream should show off that rosy hue that hints at ripe, juicy fruit. The overall impression with this variety is a plain vanilla base with the slightest whisper of berry essence, like it shared freezer space with real strawberries but never actually got to meet them.

The texture is decently creamy, though a little on the icy side, but that only takes you so far when the flavor is underwhelming. And the vanilla ice cream base was not particularly rich or delicious, as it lacked the fresh milkiness that I long for in a scoop of strawberry ice cream.

It's established that Whole Foods has a reputation for quality, as well as high prices — and interestingly, this product defied both stereotypes. It did not meet my strawberry ice cream standards, but it was one of the least expensive cartons on this list. Whole Foods Market may score high marks in a ranking of grocery store rotisserie chickens, but you might want to look elsewhere for dessert.

Turkey Hill's Strawberries & Cream ice cream promises a fruity, comforting dessert ... but I was let down from the very first bite. The first thing I noticed was that this confection was massively aerated. Ice cream should have some hefty richness, something to sink your spoon into, but this one practically evaporates on contact.

For a product with "strawberries" in the name, the fruit barely shows up. There's a hint of strawberry essence, but it's too mild and too artificial-tasting to stand out. Instead of the bright, juicy flavor of real berries, you get something watered-down and overly sweet, with none of the vibrant tartness or texture that makes strawberry ice cream famously delicious.

The packaging proudly touts the ice cream's "farm fresh milk," as if that alone should excuse the long list of additives tucked inside. Sure, the dairy might come from a farm, but can they say the same about the cellulose gum, carrageenan, and other lab-born ingredients that fill out the label? Turkey Hill's Strawberries & Cream feels like it was built more for shelf life than for flavor, and that leads to disappointment you can taste. 

Breyers Natural Strawberry ice cream is fine. It isn't the worst scoop you'll find in the freezer aisle, and it's certainly not the best. It's a perfectly serviceable option if you're craving something fruity and cold, but not the pint you reach for when you want a truly satisfying strawberry moment.

On the bright side, it's not overly artificial, and the base has a light, pleasant creaminess to it. The strawberry flavor is there, but it's subtle ... almost too subtle, especially for a flavor that's supposed to spotlight such a bold, juicy fruit.

Breyers products tend to have lighter textures, and while that might appeal to those looking for something less rich, it also means the ice cream lacks that dense, velvety mouthfeel you expect from a truly creamy scoop. It's a little too airy, and it melts faster than you'd like. Among the grocery store ice cream brands that are affordable and that you can find at practically any supermarket, Breyers is a perfectly fine, no-frills option — it gets the job done, but it won't blow your mind. Still, if you're looking for something richer, more flavorful, or packed with real fruit, you'll likely find better options just a few freezer doors down. 

This ice cream sounds like a dream. McConnell's Organic Strawberries & Shortbread Cookies promises juicy strawberries, buttery shortbread, and a rich vanilla base — what could be better? However, while this pint has a lot going for it, it doesn't quite hit the high notes I was hoping for.

The vanilla base is absolutely top-notch. It's thick, creamy, and clearly made with high-quality ingredients. But the strawberry component is confined almost entirely to a swirl of jam. Rather than infusing the ice cream with a consistent berry presence, the jam pops up here and there. When you hit one of those sweet, tangy ribbons, the taste is bright and fruity, with just enough berry acidity to balance out the rich, dense ice cream base. But those swirls are a little too elusive. You can go several bites without tasting any berry at all, which feels like a missed opportunity for something labeled as a strawberry product. 

The shortbread cookie pieces suffer a similar fate. When you do encounter one, it's buttery and flaky — but these encounters are too few and far between to really deliver on the expectations set by the label. You're more likely to get several bites of plain ice cream in a row than you are to stumble across that golden combination of cream, fruit, and cookie. 

It's no wonder that Strawberry Cheesecake is one of Ben & Jerry's most popular flavors. It's rich, creamy, and delivers exactly what you'd expect from a dessert that mashes this beloved dessert into a pint of ice cream. The base ice cream is smooth, with that signature Ben & Jerry's heft that gives every spoonful a satisfying melt.

But despite the name, the strawberries themselves aren't exactly the star of the show. They're in there, but they feel more like a supporting character than the headliner. The fruit is a little too subtle, especially up against that big, bold cheesecake base and the buttery graham mix-ins. It also leans sweet (a little too sweet for my own taste), with significantly more added sugar than most of the ice creams on this list. But that could be part of the appeal if you're in full-on dessert mode.

And it's not bad at all. The graham cracker swirl brings a gentle, salty tang that cuts through the richness and rounds out the flavor. It's a devilishly delicious ice cream — but if you're looking for a summer burst of strawberry flavor, I'd keep looking. 

Alden's Organic Strawberry Ice Cream has all the makings of a winning confection. It's fully organic, made with high-quality ingredients, and it comes from Oregon, the third-largest strawberry-producing state in the U.S. (not to mention home to some of the juiciest berries around). With that kind of pedigree, you'd expect a strawberry ice cream that leans hard into being one of the best ideas for how to use up gorgeous summer fruit. But the final result falls just a little short of greatness.

The ice cream itself is undeniably tasty. The texture is velvety and rich, with a milky sweetness that's clean, smooth, and signals an ice cream crafted with care. The fact that it's fully organic is a major plus for anyone looking to enjoy dessert a little more mindfully. But as much as you can taste the quality, you can't taste the strawberries.

There's a gentle strawberry flavor throughout, but it lacks the punch of intensely fruity flair that I expect from a strawberry ice cream. For a flavor that's meant to showcase a fruit as bold and vibrant as Oregon's strawberries, this pint plays it surprisingly safe. Alden's strawberry ice cream is a pleasant, wholesome option ... but if you're craving a full-on berry experience, you may find yourself longing for more. 

When it comes to making a straightforward pint of strawberry ice cream, Häagen-Dazs understands the assignment. With this brand's characteristically short ingredients list, this ice cream proves that you don't need mix-ins or additives to make a fantastically creamy, delicious product.

Häagen-Dazs is known for its dense, rich pints, and this one is no exception. It's thick and creamy in a way that feels truly decadent, and the chunks of real strawberry scattered throughout give it just the right amount of texture and visual appeal. The fruit adds a touch of brightness without overwhelming the creaminess of the base — it's all about balance.

Unlike many other brands, this ice cream producer makes confections with low overrun levels, which is the industry term for how much air is pumped into a given unit of ice cream. Less air means more ice cream per unit, and it's the reason the best ice creams taste better than fluffier budget alternatives. At a price point that's reasonable for the quality, Häagen-Dazs is also a reliably accessible option, which only adds to its appeal. 

Tillamook's Oregon Strawberry Ice Cream is proof that you don't need to splurge to get a premium scoop. Made by the beloved Oregon-based creamery known for its rich dairy products, this carton is a standout in the frozen aisle for both flavor and value.

The luxurious ice cream foundation is velvety smooth and humming with a subtle milky flavor. But the real magic is in the strawberries. You'll find generous chunks of real fruit swirled throughout, bringing bursts of bright, juicy flavor that taste like summer. And it's no coincidence that Tillamook excels in this particular flavor: Oregon is famous for its strawberries. There's even a strawberry variety called "Tillamook" known for its sweetness and deep red color.

Considering the relatively low price of this brand, Tillamook's strawberry ice cream just keeps getting sweeter. It consistently delivers that premium, creamy texture and real-fruit goodness at a more accessible price point than many high-end brands. So if you've got a small budget and a big sweet tooth, look no further. 

The ingredients list on the back of a pint of Van Leeuwen's strawberry ice cream reads like poetry: cream, strawberries, cane sugar, organic egg yolks, and salt. With this fantastically simple list, the Brooklyn-based creamery managed to win over my taste buds. It's as if Van Leeuwen managed to churn peak-season strawberries straight into the pint, which is why it earned the coveted top spot on this list.

Van Leeuwen makes French-style ice cream, which means it's made with egg yolks for a richer, more custardy base. That extra fat content gives the ice cream a luxurious, almost velvety mouthfeel that's noticeably thicker than most others. It's decadent without being heavy, and the richness balances perfectly with the brightness of the strawberries.

Though Van Leeuwen makes adventurous, sometimes over-the-top flavors (Van Leeuwen's Grey Poupon ice cream with pretzels, anyone?), this brand can nail the classics too. This strawberry ice cream doesn't rely on gimmicks — it lets the quality of the ingredients do the talking. This pint is a little pricier than average, but you're paying for the taste of real creamery craftsmanship when you buy it. It's the kind of ice cream that tastes like it came from a boutique scoop shop, not the freezer aisle.

Tasting 10 strawberry ice creams in one day might sound like a dream job, until you realize brain freezes and sugar rushes don't care about your journalistic integrity. Before tasting, I let each ice cream sit out for about five minutes, just long enough to soften slightly so the flavors and textures could really shine.

Every ice cream was judged on a few key things: how strong and real the strawberry flavor was, how creamy or icy the texture felt, how well-balanced the sweetness was, and whether the mix-ins (if there were any) actually added anything worthwhile. Ingredient quality also came into play. I looked for signs of real strawberries and clean labels, and took note of whether each confection tasted fresh or a little too artificial. Since the lineup ranged from budget brands to pricier pints, I also factored in whether the ice cream felt worth what you'd pay for it. The best of the bunch managed to deliver big flavor, satisfying texture, and a clear love for the queen of summer berries.