In early twentieth century, ice cream was a simple dessert of its own. There were only a handful of flavors, whereas today, the number of flavors is countless. One of the most prominent flavors today is cookies and cream. But which brand should you buy? Paly’s beginning journalism class analyzed the most common brands of ice cream to find out which brand produces the most fitting cookies and cream ice cream.

[THIS IS A BEGINNING JOURNALISM EXERCISE]

A few of the most common brands were chosen to conduct a blind taste test cream; Lucerne, Piazza’s, Coldstone’s Creamery, Baskin Robbin’s, and Breyers were selected, and the taste, texture, and nutrition facts of each were evaluated.

In the rivalry for best flavor, Baskin Robbin’s received the highest average rating. The ideal proportion of cookies and vanilla ice cream was a key distinction for tasters. Lucerne’s cookies and cream lacked enough cookies and the excessive cream generated an artificial texture. Coldstone’s received a lot of positive feedback on flavor, however the ice cream was unsuitable for the standard cookies and cream. Instead of cookie chunks, there were chocolate and toffee bits, which created a coffee taste instead of the usual cookies and cream taste.

In the search for best texture, Piazza’s cookies and cream dominated. The supplementary creaminess and rich essence shaped an ice cream almost too thick for tasters. Breyers was a close rival, drawing approval for its impeccable texture. However, Piazza’s ice cream maintained admirable texture for a longer period of time while Breyers’ texture gradually abased as the ice cream began to melt.

Aside from taste and texture, the amount of fat, sugar, and calories per serving differs strikingly between brands of ice cream as well. At the measures of about 200 calories and 20 grams of sugar per half cup, ice cream produced by the chain stores of Baskin Robbins and Coldstone’s Creamery came up with the most impressive statistics. Grocery-store-purchasable brands such as Breyers only contained three-fourths as many calories and sugar per serving.

A noticeable trend included that of which ice cream from chain stores like Coldstone’s and Baskin Robbins had the most fat. Another notable trend existed in the number of calories in Coldstone’s and Baskin Robbin’s cookies and cream. Each contained a lot of chocolate chips or cookies within the ice cream, which was directly proportional with the calories. Other ice creams with more ice cream than ‘cookies’ had fewer calories.

Moreover, the grams of sugar and number of calories vary directly with the grams of fat and taste. Brands with more sugar and calories had the most fat and the best taste. Lucerne and Breyers had the lowest numbers for grams of fat, with eight grams per serving. In general, Lucerne contained fewer calories and sugar, however the bland taste caused much dissatisfaction. On the contrary, Baskin Robbin’s cookies and cream had a high amount of sugar, and also received a high approval rating for taste.

Lastly, price is a critical factor in consumer decisions. Typically, the price of the ice cream is what buyers identify first. Most shoppers don’t look into the nutrition details first, and those buying ice cream from grocery stores can’t taste the ice cream before purchasing. At the cost of $6.75 per pint, Coldstone’s Creamery had the highest charge. Piazza’s ice cream is sold at $4.99 per pint, and Baskin Robbin’s at $3.00 per pint. On the contrary, Lucerne only costs $1.50 a pint, and Breyers only costing purchasers a meager $1.14.

In general, the competition for the best cookies and cream ice cream turned out to be quite close. Each brand name had its own pros and cons. Piazza’s had a decent taste and texture, although it was quite expensive. Coldstone’s had a good taste, but it wasn’t suitable for a cookies and cream ice cream. Lucerne’s ice cream was excessively rich and had a flat taste, but it was affordable. Baskin Robbin’s had a fantastic flavor, though its quantities of sugar, fat, and calories were on the high side. But ultimately, Breyers’ cookies and cream suggested the best deal. On average, Breyers received the best feedback and ratings for taste, texture, healthiness, and price. One Paly student even said that Breyers’ cookies and cream had the “perfect cookie and ice cream proportion.”