The best grocery store ice creams, ranked

July is National Ice Cream month , which means that beating the summer heat has never been easier.

If you’re like me, you enjoy adding lots of toppings to your ice cream, like chocolate syrup, whipped cream and maraschino cherries.

Or maybe you just like to mix a couple flavors of ice cream together, all in the same bowl.

Better yet, perhaps you make your own “soft serve” by mixing your ice cream with a spoon until it’s the perfect consistency.

Whatever you like to do, the key to enjoying your ice cream is picking the right brand. Here is a ranking of some of the most popular ice cream brands.

Best ice cream brands

1. Blue Bell: For me, Blue Bell ice cream takes the cake — or cream — every time. The consistency and sweetness are perfect, and the flavors are to die for. Some of my favorites are chocolate chip cookie dough, rocky road and butter crunch.
2. Ben & Jerry’s: Ben & Jerry’s has some of the best flavors of ice cream around. From chocolate fudge brownie to “The Tonight Dough,” this ice cream is perfect for those who love cookie dough and brownie chunks in their dessert. Plus, it comes in manageable containers, perfect for a small group.
3. Tillamook: This brand is tasty and perfect for the family. The sea salt & honeycomb toffee is exceptional, and their family size ice cream makes it easy to serve up a lot of people. Other fun flavors include orange and cream, dark chocolate cookies and cream, and peaches and cream.
4. Haagen-Dazs: This brand sells both tubs of ice cream and ice cream bars in a variety of flavors. If you’re looking for something new to add to your ice cream palate, this brand is a great option. I particularly enjoy the the cherry vanilla flavor and the butter pecan flavor.
5. Magnum: Magnum ice cream is many people’s favorite brand. And I don’t blame them. I find this ice cream to be really decadent and rich, especially those layered ice cream bars.
6. Breyers: Breyers is a great option for family night. I think it’s the perfect ice cream for ice cream sundaes — particularly with the classic flavors of chocolate and vanilla.
7. Baskin-Robbins: In my opinion, Baskin-Robbins tastes best when you buy it straight from the shop. But if you do happen to see a carton of this ice cream in a grocery store aisle, it’s worth checking out. Cookies and cream, chocolate fudge and icing on the cake are some of my favorites.
8. Talenti: I’ll be honest: Store-bought gelato just isn’t for me. But Talenti has a great selection of gelatos and flavors that provide a smoother texture for those who aren’t fans of hard ice cream. Their sorbettos are a must-try, and the layered gelatos are particularly indulgent.
9. Favorite Day: The ice cream flavors from this Target brand are rich and enjoyable, and I love the texture. Caramel brownie moose tracks is probably my favorite flavor. I usually buy fun flavors from this brand; if you’re looking for a more generic flavor like vanilla or chocolate, I’d go with Blue Bell instead.
10. Meadow Gold: To me, this ice cream is perfect for making root beer floats to share with a lot of people at summer barbecues. The rainbow sherbet is a personal favorite of mine.

Healthy alternatives

1. Halo Top: If you’re looking for a healthier alternative to full-sugar ice cream, Halo Top is a great way to go. I’ll admit that the consistency of this ice cream isn’t my favorite, but the overall calorie count is significantly better than many other ice creams out there. Plus, it comes in lots of different flavors, including candy bar, blueberry crumble and sea salt caramel.
2. Yasso: Yasso is a personal favorite of mine. These ice cream bars are made with Greek yogurt and come in a variety of flavors, including cookies and cream, mint chocolate chip and chocolate chip cookie dough. My favorite flavor is the sea salt caramel chocolate crunch, which has a yummy chocolate covering on the outside.
3. Talenti Organic Gelato: The nice thing about gelato is that it has lower fat content. While gelato often has a higher sugar content, this organic gelato is made with organic ingredients and it has fewer additives. It comes in flavors like brown butter caramel and chocolate mousse.
4. Enlightened: This ice cream is a great choice due to its low calorie and low sugar content. Made with skim milk, this ice cream comes in flavors that include chocolate peanut butter, brownies and cookie dough, and marshmallow peanut butter.
5. Breyers No Sugar Added: If you’re really hoping to cut out the sugar, this treat might be for you. It comes in flavors like caramel swirl, butter pecan and vanilla. But be warned — this ice cream includes artificial sweeteners, which might upset your digestive system.