Well let’s just forge ahead with more frozen treats, shall we? This time, we’ll be taking a look at an underrated flavor of ice cream that I always seem to forget about: Mint chocolate chip. I feel like that’s one of those flavors that even non-fans of mint tend to like, a shining example of this phenomenon being my wife.
However, there’s one thing that typically sets “good” mint-chocolate chip ice creams from the “bad” ones: the color of the ice cream. If it’s white, throw it away…it’s no good. The best examples of them have that green flavor that used to be made by artificial coloring, and now might still be, although with the public’s sudden shift from artificial colors, might be executed using plants, or spices, or some shit.
At any rate, Kroger’s version fits the latter bill, which you can tell just from looking at the packaging. It’s a lighter shade of green than I remember from childhood – again, probably owing to a more “natural” coloring agent – but it still invokes those delicious memories from so long ago.
Texturally, I would say that it’s about an “average” to “slightly-above-average” consistency, with a smoothness that is easily scooped up with the spoon straight out of the freezer. It doesn’t get very hard in the freezer, but it also isn’t as rich or creamy as more premium ice creams; it’s probably about what you should expect from a “lower-tier” ice cream brand. It’s evident this ain’t premium, but it’s also not as depressing as a “frozen dairy dessert”, or anything like that.
Digging in…yep, this has that nostalgic flavor. There are some flavors of ice cream, like vanilla, that are just so standard and boring that I want brands to do something unique with it; to put their own spin on it just to make it interesting, if nothing else. But mint chocolate chip is one of those classic flavors that don’t need changed; when you grab a pint, or a carton, or even a scoop from your local ice cream shop, you just want that same standard flavor that you grew up with.
And that’s exactly what Kroger serves up here. It has the right balance of sweet mint to go along with the semi-sweet chocolate chips. It’s one of those flavors that really creeps up on you, as each bite seems to add more minty goodness, virtually begging you to take yet another bite, until you’re looking down at an empty container.
Which brings me to another drawback of the pint: It’s way too easy to finish in one sitting. My wife and I both managed to hold back from doing so, but it’s much harder than putting down the cartons (yes, we eat them direct out of the cartons). Nevertheless, while it’s hard to be a shining example of a “good” mint-chocolate chip ice cream, given how they all seem to be so similar to each other (and again, that’s a good thing), this is up there as one that I would definitely get again.
Valuewise…well, it’s hard to judge a pint of ice cream on “value”, considering all of them are overpriced to begin with. This is presumably a psychological attempt to get you to buy the larger containers, which are usually just a dollar or so more for three times as much ice cream. (Although the one plus is that there are usually more “mix-ins”, or whatever they’re called, within a much smaller volume.) However, the $1.69 retail price is in line with Walmart ($1.62), although they can be had for $1.25 each on sale (which was the price at the time we bought them). And $1.25 for a pint of ice cream is, sadly, a “good deal”.
Overall: 8/10. While being a “great” mint-chocolate chip ice cream is virtually impossible, given how similar all brands seem to taste to one another, Kroger’s version is just what you’d expect, with that trademark green color and minty taste combining with semi-sweet chocolate chips to provide you with a nostalgic blast back to childhood. It doesn’t do anything unique, but this is one of those flavors where you don’t need, or even want, it to…it’s just a standard, light mint that is so airy that it keeps begging you to take bite after bite.
