Who doesn't love a sweet yet refreshing scoop of ice cream when it's hot outside? Traditionally, ice cream is made using milk, which isn't suitable for those who are lactose intolerant or following a vegan lifestyle. Thankfully, these days there are plenty of brands producing dairy-free and healthier alternatives made from foods like coconut milk, soy and banana.
To help you choose which tub to try first, we've compiled this buying guide to help you decipher the ingredients, allergens and sweeteners each recipe contains, as well as its environmental impact. We have also gotten the advice of Dietitian Kate Roberts, so keep reading for our ranking of the best vegan ice creams in the UK, including our top 10 favourites from Asda, Tesco and Waitrose. Whether it's a scoop of vanilla, or Ben & Jerry's cookie dough, who's ready to enjoy some delicious plant-based ice cream?
Quick List - Top Vegan Ice Creams
Oatly
A Strawberry Sensation Made From 15% Real Strawberries, Perfect for a Summer Treat
ASDA
A Creamy, Coconut-Based Vanilla Ice Cream That’s Free From Milk, Gluten and Soy
Wicked Kitchen
A Sweet Treat Made With Vegan Cake Pieces And Rainbow Sprinkles
Ben & Jerry's
The Classic Ben & Jerry’s Cookie Dough Ice Cream With a Vegan Twist
mybest UK Specialist Kate Roberts is a registered paediatric dietitian and expert in vegan and plant based diets. Collaborating alongside us, we invited Kate to bring further insight into the world of vegan diets.
A recommendation service that carefully researches each product and consults with experts across many disciplines. We are constantly creating new content to provide the best shopping experience from choosing ‘cosmetics’ to ‘food and drink’, ‘home appliances’ to ‘kids and baby’ products, reaching users all across the United Kingdom.
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Kate Roberts is a registered dietician who also specialises in vegan paediatrics via her Instagram page. Working with mybest UK, Kate has commented on a variety of articles to help you better understand what is best to look out for when shopping vegan!
Nowadays, a lot of ice creams contain artificial or heavily processed ingredients as they're cheaper to use than natural ones. If you're searching for a healthier option, you might want to look for an ice cream that contains whole foods instead. These have antioxidants and other nutrients that can't be produced chemically.
Popular whole foods used to produce vegan ice cream include nuts, coconut oil or cream, fruits, and cocoa powder, as well as grains like rice and oats. The colour of a product can also be derived naturally. For example, a pink ice cream might contain beetroot extract rather than artificial food colourings.
Usually, the ingredients list will include the percentage too, which gives you a better idea of what your ice cream is made from. After all, an ice cream with a high percentage of oats or coconut will have more nutritional benefits than one made primarily from non-whole food ingredients. By choosing this option, you can feel less guilty about indulging in an ice-cold treat!
If you are in need of more vegan food products, why not check out our comprehensive guides on the best vegan chocolates, milks and cheeses!
When going for slightly healthier options, it is good to look for ice creams based on whole foods. They will be more nutritious than ice creams full of artificial ingredients. As below, it is good to look at the placement on the ingredients list, ingredients at the start will be a higher percentage than others.
Ever had a sugar rush after eating something sweet? This is a result of consuming something with a large amount of chemically processed, refined sugar. If you'd like to avoid having a hyperactive moment while enjoying a bowl of vegan ice cream, opt for a product made with unrefined sugar instead.
Agave syrup, rice syrup, raw cane sugar, and coconut sugar are great examples of sweeteners that taste delicious and aren't too bad for you. Try out one of these natural ingredients and you'll still be able to satisfy your sweet tooth, we promise!
There are different forms of sugar and the glycaemic index does vary a small amount between them with refined sugar being the highest - it raises blood sugar slightly quicker. However, all the different sugars - agave, honey, coconut sugar and raw cane sugar still have almost exactly the same amounts of calories per gram.
While vegan ice creams are always suitable for those who are lactose intolerant, they can contain some ingredients that you might be allergic to. For your safety, always check the food label carefully so you can avoid potential allergens.
Some vegan ice creams contain nuts like cashews as a base ingredient, while others may have small amounts of almonds or hazelnuts. Either way, this is definitely something you'll want to avoid if you have any kind of nut allergy!
Soy and gluten are also commonly found in vegan ice cream, so it's best to opt for a coconut or nut-based product if you're allergic or have coeliac disease. To help you out, we've included this important info in the spec tables below each product review, so you'll be able to enjoy vegan ice cream worry-free!
Vegan ice cream may not always be suitable for people with allergies or intolerances, in fact, it may not always be suitable for people with milk or egg allergies as they may be made in the same factory or produced in the same machines. If you have an allergy it's still best to refer to the ingredients list and precautionary allergen labelling before eating.
Whilst it's convenient that we can buy goods from all over the world, regardless of where we live, this has the downside of being harmful for the environment. Pollutants emitted from aircraft and lorries create carbon footprints that affect air quality - and is it really worth it for a tub of ice cream?
If you're concerned about carbon emissions, try to choose a brand of ice cream that's made locally. Ideally, you should pick one made in the UK, as this is much more eco-friendly than buying a product that has been shipped from another continent.
Food miles (i.e. the distance from factory to plate) are very important to consider for the environmental impact of processed food, when food has further to travel there is a higher detrimental impact. If possible, choose UK manufacturers to reduce the carbon footprint involved in transport, or look for larger manufacturers who offset their food miles.
Palm oil is used in many aspects of our daily lives, including the production of ice cream because it's cheap to purchase, therefore there's a huge demand for it in food manufacturing.
However, in order to grow palm fruit trees and harvest their oil, rainforests are often cut down and the homes of animals such as orangutans and rhinos are destroyed in the process. If this is something that concerns you, look for a product with either no palm oil at all, or oil that's sustainably produced.
A lot of vegans avoid palm oil due to its links to deforestation and climate change. Certified sustainable palm oil has to meet a set of environmental and social criteria with the aim to minimise the negative impacts of palm oil cultivation.
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Oatly Strawberry Ice Cream | ![]() | A Strawberry Sensation Made From 15% Real Strawberries, Perfect for a Summer Treat | |
2 | ASDA Free From Vanilla Ice Cream | ![]() | A Creamy, Coconut-Based Vanilla Ice Cream That’s Free From Milk, Gluten and Soy | |
3 | Wicked Kitchen Birthday Cake Ice Dream Treat | ![]() | A Sweet Treat Made With Vegan Cake Pieces And Rainbow Sprinkles | |
4 | Ben & Jerry's Cookies On Cookie Dough | ![]() | The Classic Ben & Jerry’s Cookie Dough Ice Cream With a Vegan Twist | |
5 | Swedish Glace Smooth Vanilla Ice Cream | ![]() | An Affordable, Family-Sized Tub of Vanilla Ice Cream That’s Both Nut and Gluten Free | |
6 | Booja-Booja Caramel Pecan Praline Ice Cream | ![]() | A Naturally Sweet and Creamy Delight Made With Natural Sugars and Only 7 Ingredients | |
7 | Roar Hemp Seed Chocolate Brownie Plant Based Ice Cream | ![]() | Decadent Chocolate Ice Cream With Crunchy Hemp Seeds From a Brand Doing Their Bit to Save the Wild Cats | |
8 | Halo Top Plant-Based Peanut Butter Chocolate Ice Cream | ![]() | A Low-Calorie Peanut Butter and Chocolate Option at Only 380 Calories per Tub | |
9 | Roar Hazelnut Chocolate Cookie Ice Cream | ![]() | Crunchy Hazelnut and Rich Chocolate Ice Cream Sweetened With Unrefined Sugar | |
10 | Almond Dream Salted Caramel Ice Cream | ![]() | Almond-Flavoured Salted Caramel Ice Cream That Contains No Palm Oil |
We're incredibly excited to see that one of the UK's favourite Swedish vegan brands has launched their very own ice cream! We all know how amazingly smooth Oatly milk is, so just imagine it as a frozen dessert.
Made with approximately 15% strawberries, the flavour is much stronger than regular ice cream. It actually tastes like you're eating a bowl of fresh berries, and we can't think of a better sweet treat to tuck into on a hot summer's day!
ASDA's Free From vanilla ice cream may be a surprise hit for those with food allergies and intolerances. Not only is it totally vegan, but this coconut-based alternative is safe for those who wish to avoid gluten and soy. Its creamy texture and delicious vanilla-like flavour makes this a great side on your favourite dessert.
It does, however, contain some heavily refined ingredients including sugar. But, seeing as it's made in the UK without any palm oil, we won't hold it against them! If you want a good alternative to regular ice cream, this is the one for you.
Just like the packaging says, 'make every day your birthday!' with this tub of ice cream made from vegan cake pieces and rainbow sprinkles. Created by Wicked Kitchen, a company based in the US and exclusively sold at Tesco, this ice cream really is one-of-a-kind! Some customers have compared the flavour to that of Bakewell Tarts, Vanilla Cake and Marzipan!
Though not suitable for those with gluten or nut allergies, this ice cream does not include palm oil, which is a plus. Additionally, the amount of ice cream you get for the price makes this a great choice. If you are wanting to try something new, different and unique, this is the one!
We all know how tasty and popular the dairy version of Ben and Jerry's cookie dough is, it's basically like having a pack of chocolate chip treats crumbled into ice cream. It is the perfect sweet treat for any movie night with friends! Just because you're vegan, it doesn't mean you have to miss out on the deliciousness, this version tastes so amazing, you won't be able to tell the difference!
That said, sadly it is not suitable for those with gluten and nut allergies. Additionally, this product contains quite a high amount of sugar. Although this ice cream is a bit more expensive than many of our other picks due to the slightly smaller container size, it's totally worth every penny if you ask us!
Not only is this family-size tub of vanilla ice cream very affordable, it's delicious too! Free from both nuts and gluten, it's suitable for a wide range of diets - although it does of course contain soy. Just add sauces and toppings to create your own tasty dessert or add it to any other desserts such as vegan brownies or fruit crumble.
As this is an extremely popular product, it's available on most supermarket websites. So you'll never have to worry about missing out on ice cream again! This is also a good choice for those concerned with sustainability, as the company has actively ensured that both the tub and lid are fully recyclable.
A vegan ice cream that's made with only 7 simple ingredients? Count us in! We particularly like how the sweet caramel sauce wonderfully complements the gentle vanilla flavour of this cashew-based product.
Natural agave syrup is the only ingredient used to add sweetness to this ice cream, so you don't need to worry about having a sugar rush after eating it! Booja Booja is also a British company that manufactures all of their products in the UK, making this tub an eco-friendly choice too. Yet, given that this flavour is quite nutty, it may not be to everyone's taste!
This is another decadent chocolate ice cream from Roar that's totally delicious! Those who prefer a smooth texture might be put off by the crunchy hemp seeds, but who doesn't love ice cream with chunks of brownies?
Most importantly, Roar has partnered with Panthera (a wild cat conservation organisation) for their "Tigers Forever" programme which aims to increase the number of tigers in the wild. So you can do your part to save wild cats, just by buying this ice cream!
If you're keeping an eye on your calorie consumption, but find frozen treats hard to resist, Halo Top's plant-based ice cream may be your perfect match. At only 380 calories per tub, you can help yourself to the whole thing should you so wish, without making too much of a dent in your daily allowance.
Before you get too carried away, be aware that although it's low-calorie, this isn't the healthiest choice when looking at the ingredients. This ice cream also contains palm oil, with no mention as to its sustainability.
This tub by Roar is another nut-based option that perfectly balances crunchy hazelnuts with rich chocolate. The cookie pieces are what make this plant-based ice cream truly delectable, so it's certainly one worth considering if you're after an indulgent treat.
Unfortunately, the sugar content is quite high. That said, the sweeteners used are raw cane sugar and rice syrup, which are slightly healthier than refined sugar-laden alternatives.
This is the only almond-based ice cream on this list, so if you're nuts about salted caramel, then we reckon you'll love it! It's free from palm oil too, so you can enjoy a scoop or two with a clear conscience.
We have to admit that the salted caramel taste isn't super strong. Still, it's one of the few vegan brands that offer this popular flavour so it's definitely worth trying!
The majority of vegan ice creams are made of coconut milk, almond milk or soy milk. Other ingredients such as fruit, nuts, or dark chocolate may also be added for extra flavour.
Vegan ice cream can be keto, especially if you make it yourself and control the number of ingredients. That said, since most store bought ice creams are high in sugars, it does not normally fit into a keto diet.
Dairy-free ice cream or vegan ice cream is safe to eat on a low FODMAP diet, though it is always best to check this with your nutritionist or doctor.
Written and researched by Angina Chow
No. 1: Oatly|Strawberry Ice Cream
No. 2: ASDA|Free From Vanilla Ice Cream
No. 3: Wicked Kitchen|Birthday Cake Ice Dream Treat
No. 4: Ben & Jerry's|Cookies On Cookie Dough
No. 5: Swedish Glace|Smooth Vanilla Ice Cream
View Full RankingThe descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.
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