4 Snack Food Flavors That Belong In Ice Cream And 4 That Don't, According To Customer Reviews

On a hot summer day, there are few treats as appetizing as a classic ice cream cone. With origins dating back as far as the second century B.C., there is no doubt that this dessert has now cemented itself as a worldwide favorite. However, if you think its popularity lies only with classic flavors like vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry, you may want to think again.

In recent years, adventurous brands like Ben & Jerry's and Van Leeuwen have pushed boundaries by introducing unique and somewhat bizarre flavors to their ice cream rosters. From the salty crunch of a potato chip to a sweet spin on macaroni and cheese, bold ice cream flavors have taken the freezer aisle by storm.

The reviews of these releases have varied, with some becoming instant fan favorites, and others becoming downright flops. In this article, we'll explore what customers have to say about what snack food flavors belong in ice cream, and which are best left unpaired.

Pretzels are a delicious snack all on their own, however, when paired with ice cream, they combine into the perfect sweet-and-savory treat. Ben & Jerry's proved this with their Chubby Hubby ice cream, a delicious vanilla malt ice cream with fudge-covered pretzels, fudge, and peanut butter swirls.

This flavor was created when two pranking employees tried to convince a colleague that this fake flavor existed. Eventually, the pair experimented and made a batch, which was undeniably delicious. Soon after, Chubby Hubby was distributed to the masses, and the rest is history.

Today, it boasts an impressive 4.4 rating from customers of Ben & Jerry's. One happy customer shared on the Ben & Jerry's website: "This is my most favorite flavor of Ben & Jerry's! The salty and the sweet combine so perfectly together. I love the brand of ice cream. The flavor is always on point!" Another Ben & Jerry's fan review read: "This has always been my favorite flavor!!! The chunks of pretzels are the best! So good! Sweet & salty! Never get rid of it please!" Clearly, people love this pretzel-flavored treat, and people love this snack flavor in their ice cream.

Some snack flavors are best left out of your ice cream, and that is certainly the case with macaroni and cheese. Many customers learned this in July of 2021, when New York-based ice cream company Van Leeuwen decided to make a Kraft macaroni & cheese-flavored ice cream. The announcement ignited a viral frenzy over this bizarre flavor combination, as many doubted that these flavors would be good together. One customer commented on the announcement on Instagram: "This is as ridiculous as bacon flavored soda. Some things shouldn't be merged together. Blech!!! Just because it sounds funny doesn't mean you should make it."

This rich ice cream uses real Kraft cheese sauce mix to give it its signature macaroni and cheese flavor. But for many ice cream lovers, this concept is less than appealing. One critic wrote on Reddit: "Mac & Cheese flavored ice cream... and yes, it's bad... oh, and it's that Mac & Cheese yellow." 

Those who tried it say the flavor tastes somewhat of butterscotch, but overall, the bold Kraft cheese flavoring was off-putting when paired with the sweet creamy flavors of the ice cream. One customer shared on Reddit: "Had all my friends taste it blind. They all liked it and thought it tasted kinda butterscotchy, except for one friend who is an avid Kraft Mac n cheese eater and knew immediately. Now everyone hates it because it is most definitely Kraft Mac n cheese flavored lol." Despite the negative reactions from many, this flavor was actually brought back to stores in October of 2023 for a nationwide launch at Walmart. This is one taste you don't want from your dessert.

Known as the better half of any PB&J sandwich, peanut butter is a staple of kitchen pantries. To the delight of many, this delicious snack has also made its way into freezers. The creamy, salty flavor of peanut butter — combined with the chilling sweetness of ice cream — is a match made in savory-sweet heaven. Today, numerous ice cream companies have found a way to integrate this delicious snack flavor into their ice cream repertoire.

The brand Jeni's Ice Cream has earned a near-perfect 4.9-star rating for its Salted Peanut Butter with Chocolate Flecks ice cream. One customer raved on the Jeni's website: "Jeni's Salted Peanut Butter is a banger! It has a really rich and roasted peanut butter flavor and only includes little chocolate flecks as its only mix in, which is great because like you, I too prefer only a minimal amount of chocolate in my peanut butter ice cream. Too much chocolate either overpowers or distracts from the taste of the peanut butter, which is not something I want." Another person wrote on the site: "Chocolate and peanut butter, what's not to like? I would prefer a vat over a pint next time."

Other flavors like Ben & Jerry's Peanut Butter Half Baked ice cream (which has a solid 4.5-star rating on its company website) and Umpqua Ice Cream's Chocolate Peanut Butter (which has a 4.7-star rating on its company website) have also stood out amongst fans. Overall, this is certainly a flavor worth trying and definitely a taste that should be paired with ice cream.

Another divisive, unexpected ice cream snack flavor is pizza. This combination was launched into the public eye by Van Leeuwen in 2022, with its pizza-flavored ice cream. This limited-edition flavor featured cream cheese and mozzarella ice cream, tomato jam swirls, and basil crust cookies. Similar to the macaroni and cheese flavor from this same brand, this ice cream went viral for its bizarre concept and its less-than-satisfying taste.

While some of Van Leeuwen's other limited-edition flavors gained popularity for their uniqueness, this flavor failed to please even the most open-minded. One reviewer shared on Reddit: "Most of their crazy flavors are actually really good, but this one was the most difficult for me. The tomato jam is just so off putting (despite being exactly what I imagined tomato jam tasting like)." The savory flavors of pizza clearly did not work well in the sweet format of ice cream, especially with the tomato element. 

The consensus online was that this ice cream did not capture the true flavors of pizza, and ended up tasting more like a tomato cheesecake. One review stated on Reddit: "The way these flavors mix, and the added cream cheese they put in, makes it taste exactly like strawberry cheesecake ice cream. I really like cheesecake ice cream, but it was definitely disappointing." This limited-edition flavor did get a Walmart release in 2022, but it does not seem like it will get a revival anytime soon. For now, pizza lovers will have to get their fix in a traditional, non-ice cream format, because it doesn't seem possible to make this snack flavor taste authentic (or good) as a dessert.

The salty and satisfying crispness of a potato chip makes it a snack that truly stands out on its own. However, when combined with the sweet smoothness of ice cream, this snack flavor truly comes to life in a whole new way.

For example, one of Ben & Jerry's most unique limited-edition flavors, Chip Happens, was a potato chip, fudge, and chocolate ice cream mixture. It was a huge hit amongst fans. One fan shared of the ice cream on Reddit: "I didn't have high expectations, but they absolutely killed the potato chip swirl — it was as salty and crunchy as ever. With the chocolate base to make that salty-sweet combo, it instantly became one of, if not my favorite, flavor of all time." Even though time has passed since this release, fans have still remained insistent that this flavor needs a comeback. One fan shared on Reddit: "I've only had this once and it was my favorite ever, because of the chips, and I haven't found it since."

While somewhat unconventional, potato chips belong in ice cream. That salty flavor, and crunchy texture, add a delicious juxtaposition to the sweet and cold ice cream. While some unique snack flavors do not work well in ice cream, this one certainly does.

Love them or hate them, raisins are notorious for ruining otherwise delicious dishes, and ice cream is no exception. Raisin-flavored ice cream remains a divisive snack flavor combination, due to the odd texture that raisins add to the ice cream, and the fact that raisins don't have much to contribute flavor-wise (other than sweetness). For many, the combination leads to a peculiar mouthfeel and an underwhelming (yet cloying) taste profile.

Raisins are full of fast-digesting carbs, natural sugars, and fibers, making them a great snack for those needing a quick boost of energy. However, when paired with ice cream, their already sweet flavor can become overbearing. Häagen-Dazs created a Rum Raisin Ice Cream, which features rum-soaked raisins mixed into sweetened cream. While some fans love the combination, it appears that the majority find this concept to be a miss. One reviewer shared on Google: "I don't like this ice cream. It is so sweet." Another wrote in their Google review of the ice cream: "The current one hardly has any hint of rum flavor and just tastes like vanilla with some rather bland raisins thrown in."

Overall, raisins don't contribute anything of worth to ice cream. While this snack is probably the least offensive member of our "doesn't belong" list, it has earned its spot due to the fact that it was deemed underwhelming or too sugary by customers.

In addition to being a delicious breakfast food, cereal is a crunchy and delicious ice cream flavor. Of the numerous brands who have tried adding cereal to their ice creams, many have received rave reviews. Plus, the possibilities for cereal-inspired ice cream are endless, due to the many different cereal flavors out there. Cereals like Fruity Pebbles and Cocoa Pebbles have created their own ice creams made with the name-brand cereals, for example. However, perhaps the most beloved creation has been from the New York-based dessert shop Milk Bar.

Milk Bar's Cereal Milk Ice Cream aims to capture the taste of the bottom of your cereal bowl by combining a cereal milk-flavored ice cream with cornflake pieces. This sweet and crunchy ice cream became an instant hit, due to its uniquely nostalgic taste and satisfying crunch. One reviewer said on the Target website of this treat: "Honestly, this is the best ice cream I think I've ever had. I was skeptical, but the blend of sweet and crunchy is AMAZING!!! I even got the seal of approval from my picky toddler on this one. Definitely a new favorite!"

While some do find this flavor to be overly sweet, the consensus is that this concoction is a hit, proving that cereal does belong in ice cream. One reviewer shared on the Target website: "The flavor was just what I was craving. I love creamy cereal flavored things and wow this did not disappoint. Perfect balance. A little bit of crunch. May or may not have eaten the entire thing myself." The possibilities for cereal and ice cream combinations are endless, and we hope to see more ice cream companies integrate this snack in the future.

Although it may seem obvious, but ranch is a snack flavor that does not belong in ice cream. However, that didn't stop Van Leeuwen from releasing a ranch-flavored ice cream nationwide in 2023. Van Leeuwen's Hidden Valley Ranch ice cream delivered a garlicky and salty flavor that left many tasters feeling disgusted. As easily the most offensive flavor on this list, this collaboration seemed to be more of a marketing move than an effort to create a delicious flavor.

After being launched to celebrate National Ranch Day, this ice cream went viral for its bizarre concept and terrible execution. The taste of this ice cream was incredibly overbearing, and it is safe to say not many are hoping for its return. One reviewer described it on Reddit saying: "I bought this yesterday, took it home to the family for us to all try and immediately threw it in the trash. I expected it to be bad, but it was bad on another level. If you could amplify the smell of a person's breath who had just eaten Funyuns, dipped in Hidden Valley Ranch by 10 fold and then managed to put that smell into an ice cream.. that's what it tastes like."

This flavor was only available in select Walmart stores from March 20 through March 28, 2023, and it does not appear to be getting a revival anytime soon. However, with Van Leeuwen's track record, it won't be long until ice cream customers have another wacky flavor to obsess over.