These don’t really fit the typical criteria for a “budget” item, as this is a nationally available product from a company that’s been around since the 1920s, and they’re rather expensive for what they are. But sometimes, we just need to splurge. That, and I’d never heard of the brand name before, and neither had my wife, so I consider this fair game; maybe not from a “budget” viewpoint, but certainly from a curiosity angle.
I’m not really into ice cream sandwiches but I have to say the name “FatBoy”, while clearly politically correct in this day and age, does kind of trigger thoughts of someone who would know ice cream. And the appearance seconds that: These are good-sized squares, rather than the rectangles typically associated with ice cream sandwiches. However, whereas most regular ice cream sandwiches have about an inch or so of vanilla coupled between the two soft chocolate wafers, FatBoy bucks that trend by packing in at least double – if not triple – that amount. These are stacked quite high with ice creamy goodness.These don’t really fit the typical criteria for a “budget” item, as this is a nationally available product from a company that’s been around since the 1920s, and they’re rather expensive for what they are. But sometimes, we just need to splurge. That, and I’d never heard of the brand name before, and neither had my wife, so I consider this fair game; maybe not from a “budget” viewpoint, but certainly from a curiosity angle.
They look good, but as we all know, looks can certainly be deceiving, so let’s dig in and see if the taste experience matches the visuals, shall we?
Holy mackerel, I had no idea that ice cream sandwiches could be anything but boring. I’ve never really been a big fan of the chocolate “wafers”, because they feel super soft and get soggy. Basically, the same reason that I never eat cake with ice cream: it’s just not a texture that I find very appealing, while the standard filling layered in between is also usually substandard (or just standard) vanilla with very little oomph.
The wafer in FatBoy’s take on the classic dessert is probably more or less the same…but it doesn’t really matter, because there’s so much ice cream wedged inside that it pretty much renders the sandwich part null and void. Well, not technically, since you do get the flavor of the chocolate, but the ice cream is so decadent in and of itself that it carries the flavor from start to finish. It’s a very soft, rich ice cream…honestly, there were quite a few bites where I was just wishing I could get a carton of just the ice cream by itself. (According to FatBoy’s website, they do sell it, but it wasn’t a part of Aldi’s very limited selection).
The one question mark is its price, which comes in at $3.99 for six 5 oz. bars. That might seem pretty high for an ice cream sandwich, but these are truly in the upper echelon of such desserts. Trust me, I virtually cringe at the very mention of “ice cream sandwiches”, but these are one that I wouldn’t hesitate to ever get again, should they ever be available at Aldi again (since other stores around us don’t seem to carry it).
Overall: 8.5/10. Honestly – and I suppose it’s not really large praise considering my very limited experience with them – but I would have to say that this is the best ice cream sandwich product I’ve ever had. The ice cream sandwiched in between two soft chocolate wafers is rich and creamy on its own, and mixes well with the chocolate flavor of the exterior “cookies”. I find most ice cream sandwiches to be rather dull affairs, but these are actually fantastic; they may singlehandedly prevent me from cringing every time I hear the term “ice cream sandwiches”. Absolutely have to give Aldi high marks for presenting this one to the masses, as the brand doesn’t seem to be widely available (at least at any supermarkets around us).
