REVIEW: Edy's Eggnog (Limited Edition)

My journey through the latest Edy's offerings have been contained to the limited edition offerings, so I continued the trend when I stumbled upon their seasonal Egg Nog flavor. Although Peppermint should be around for the foreseeable future, Pumpkin is already being phased out as the Fall months fade away. Both of the previous cartons were straightforward, effective and managed to keep the nutrition facts in check. Although I'm not well versed in the world of eggnog, the beverage on the front of the container certainly looked refreshing.

The authentic holiday drink is made by combining milk or cream with sugar, beaten eggs, a bevy of interchangeable liquors and is finished with a dusting of cinnamon or nutmeg. This ice cream impersonation appears as simple as the other limited edition flavors, with only specks of nutmeg breaking up the off-white eggnog base. With only 140 calories per half cup serving, you could nearly put away this entire one and a half quart container at what a mere pint of Greater's heavier offerings would offset you nutritionally. This soft, fluffy ice cream comes out of the carton with ease, filling the entire bowl after only a few scoops.

Having only had eggnog on a few occasions over the course of my life, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I picked up a portion of the manilla colored base and dove right in. As usual when it comes to Edy's, the consistency is on the verge of having a gum-like feel, but manages to stay just above the threshold. The first inclination from my taste buds came from the subtle nutmeg, followed quickly by the sweet familiar taste of eggnog. Sweetened eggs don't sound too appetizing, but when the taste is added to ice cream it's strangely enjoyable.

The mellow flavoring of the nutmeg and sweetened eggs are pleasant enough, but before long I find myself ready to move on. Although this was a spot-on representation of the actual drink, and tends to get better as I went, this can't manage to surpass Pumpkin or Peppermint. Like many other beverage-based ice creams I've reviewed, this leaves me yearning for a glass of the authentic stuff.

Where I Found It: Super Wal-Mart
Grade: D

REVIEW: Edy's A Very Merry Eggnog (Limited Edition)

Not long after releasing their retitled holiday offerings in the form of Pumpkin Patch and Peppermint Wonderland, Edy’s wasted no time changing the name of their seasonal Eggnog flavor as well. A Very Merry Eggnog may look different than last year’s Eggnog, but features the same ingredient list. Just like in 2012, this will be available from November through December and Edy’s has this to say about their latest limited edition, “Our Eggnog ice cream is like the drink, but better! We've taken rich and creamy eggnog and turned it into a scoopable holiday treat. Somewhere between its cool burst of flavor and its essence of nutmeg, you'll discover the spirit of the holidays.”

I wasn’t too fond of the flavor last year as is indicated by my D-rating, but I was willing to give Edy’s another shot. My palate has changed a handful of times over the course of my life, so maybe it was possible it had picked up the ability to really enjoy eggnog in general. This Grand edition comes in at 140 calories per serving, which is apparent by the pliable consistency as I scooped some into a bowl. After sitting down with a few servings, I was able to appreciate the taste a little more than last year, but even though now it’s very merry, Edy’s most recent release still sits below average for me.

Where I Found It: Walmart
Grade: D

REVIEW: Edy's Peppermint (Limited Edition)

After being pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed Edy's low-calorie Pumpkin ice cream, I decided to try their other limited edition option. I usually don't enjoy mint ice creams very much and even Mint Chocolate Cookie from both Ben & Jerry's and New Orleans Ice Cream Company were only able to secure so-so scores. Edy's Peppermint strays from the typical light green appearance of mint ice cream, and instead, decides to revolve theirs around the red and white striped candy.

With the lid removed, a lovely layer of light-pink ice cream riddled with peppermint stick shards reveals itself. The ease in which my spoon plunges into the ice cream could be cause for concern, but having tried their Pumpkin flavor less than a week ago, I'm confident the consistency won't ruin this flavor. Because of the 140 calories per serving calorie count, Edy's Peppermint retains a light and fluffy feel without melting as quickly as other low calorie offerings. I scoop out a bowl full and sample my first bite.

The consistency continues to impress me. There's absolutely no gum-like texture at all. But the consistency wasn't the only thing that surprised me. Because of mint flavors in the past that I've tried I was expecting a base that was full-bodied and overbearing with the herb, but instead they've overpowered the cooling peppermint with sweetness. As I came into this taste test, I wouldn't have thought peppermint would have been able to overthrow the standard green mint flavored ice cream, but after only a few bites my preference had changed. Other flavors incorporating chocolate ingredients may want to look into swapping out their current mint base for the red peppermint variety.

But you won't find any chocolate hiding inside this flavor. Edy's keeps it simple by only including small bits of peppermint stick to add some texture and amplify the overall peppermint experience. These make their way into nearly every bite and some require chewing to break down. Although I preferred the Pumpkin base better, with the addition of the peppermint sticks, the end result is the same. I really wasn't expecting to be as accepting of this flavor as I was, but now I'm ready for the peppermint flavors of Christmas to hurry up and arrive.

Where I Found It: Super Wal-Mart

Grade: C

REVIEW: Edy's Sunny Salted Caramel Pretzel (Limited Edition)

After making sure I’d reviewed the two current limited edition flavors from Edy’s, Pumpkin Patch (Slow Churned) and Peppermint Wonderland, I saw an unfamiliar face sitting amongst the holiday cartons. Seeing as how the temperature in North Carolina had dropped significantly this week, I saw this is a sign to reminisce on summer with this container of Sunny Salted Caramel Pretzel that had somehow lost its way. Edy’s Grand interpretation of the salted caramel craze also incorporates a little crunch by blending together vanilla ice cream with a salted caramel swirl and pretzel pieces.

Like many other options from Edy’s, the calories are kept low, and in this instance, to a mere 150 calories per serving. I’ve learned never to expect greatness from the consistency or flavors contained in the majority of Edy’s ice creams, but they’re always dependable for a simple, yet creative, low calorie option. Not lot can be said of the light vanilla base aside from its sweet, simple flavoring and quick melting tendencies. The salted caramel swirl is one of the better ones offered by Edy’s, and ranks pretty highly as far as saltiness goes in ice cream. Some manufactures play it safe, while Edy’s and others really let the sodium levels soar.

In an attempt to add some texture, they’ve also thrown in pretzel crumbs, as I would call them. These small, poor excuses for pretzel pieces are some of the smallest I’ve ever seen and are barely visible even in my high-resolution pictures. Despite their miniature size, they still serve their intended purpose of adding a little crunch to some bites. Even when all three ingredients are included in a single scoop, the result is still average at best.

Where I Found It: Walmart
Grade: C

REVIEW: Edy's Pumpkin (Limited Edition)

Seeing as how I've been on a pumpkin ice cream tasting spree as of late, it made sense to not only introduce Edy's to the blog, but also to add their limited edition Pumpkin flavor to the growing list of Fall-inspired offerings. I've tended to steer clear of the Edy's brand, mostly because of the surprisingly low calorie count in most of their ice creams. I've become biased towards the super-premium brands such as Graeter's, Jeni's and New Orleans Ice Cream Company, but when pumpkin is involved I'm willing to branch out a bit.

With the bright orange top removed, this base only ice cream is suprisingly plain looking, lacking the pumpkin hue that the images on the carton had insinuated. On their website, Edy's urges it's customers to, "celebrate the season with a scoop of rich and creamy pumpkin delight." The lack of excitement aesthetically has me worried, but I've yet to find a pumpkin flavor that didn't receive a recommendation. With the lack of mix-ins, it seems Edy's has taken a similar strategy to that of Graeter's limited edition Pumpkin.

As I scoop the ice cream out of the carton and into a bowl, it parts easily for the point of my spoon, displaying the pliability of other low calorie options. Unfortunately, most flavors that have this characteristic usually have a gummy, artificial feel as well, but after taking my first bite, this worry is put at bay. Edy's has created an impressive consistency for an ice cream only containing 130 calories per serving. The fluffy feel lingers on my tongue much longer than I had anticipated.

But the overall taste was what won me over. Although they share the same approach for pumpkin as Graeter's, they've added a lot more sugar to their version. Rather than targeting the filling itself, it seems Edy's has tried to capture the overall taste of pumpkin pie in their limited edition flavor. It's not overly spiced, but instead has a nice overall balance. Of course I would have loved to have seen some mix-ins, but at such a low calorie count it's hard to be picky. This went great with a slice of the real stuff.

Where I Found It: Ingles Markets
Grade: C

REVIEW: Edy's Peppermint Wonderland (Limited Edition)

After trying out the Slow-Churned Pumpkin Patch from Edy’s last week, I ran across the Grand version of their Peppermint Wonderland a few days later. I suspected that this was just a renamed version of their seasonal Peppermint flavor that I reviewed last year, but I couldn’t resist the temptation of a peppermint based ice cream since it had been so long since I’d had one (even though I gave the previous rendition an average rating). From the months of September through December, you can give the gift of deliciousness with the official flavor of the holidays. Every scoop of peppermint flavored ice cream is loaded with tasty peppermint candy pieces.

As soon as I opened the lid to this 140-calorie per serving option, I was certain it was the same formula as before. It shared the same pink hue, the same neon pink bits of peppermint, and the same fluffy consistency. As before, the feel is just substantial enough to remain relevant, but still melts down rather quickly. The base remains mild and sweet despite the fact that peppermint usually comes equipped with a strong cooling sensation. This one keeps that characteristic, one of the most unique aspects of eating a mint ice cream, to a minimum.

The bits of peppermint candy add some texture and are added in such high amounts that they are included in practically every bite. The crunch and intensified peppermint flavoring round out this option pretty nicely, but can’t really manage to get past the original average grade I gave it last time. Like others though, this is a perfect foundation for some of your own mix-ins (see below).

Where I Found It: Walmart
Grade: C

I opted for some of the same options I reached for when I used their Slow-Churned Pumpkin Patch: warm fudge brownies, chocolate sprinkles and Hershey’s chocolate syrup. Also notice the Steve’s washable pint that I reuse regularly for my own combinations.

REVIEW: Edy's Slow Churned Pumpkin Patch (Limited Edition)

After I received a Freezer Find submission (as well as a Reader Review) of Edy’s limited edition Slow Churned Pumpkin Patch, I sat out to see what ice cream could possibly come in at only 90 calories per serving. I’ve seen flavors approach the 100-calorie threshold, but I’ve never reviewed anything that’s dipped below it. I picked up and reviewed their Grand version of this same flavor last fall (which I ranked around average despite my love for all things pumpkin), so I was interested to see if this lean rendition could stay relevant. The new Pumpkin Patch name seems to be just a simple name change because it still possesses the same description of sweet, pumpkin flavored light ice cream; just like the previous release. Edy’s encourages people to celebrate the bounty of harvest with this delicious seasonal treat that’s only available September through October.

Since this only contains 90 calories per serving, that means that the entire 1.5 quarts stuffed inside this container would only set someone back 1080 calories; less than a lot of super-premium pints. Edy’s is able to keep the nutrition facts so light by using non-fat milk and only including half the fat of their already low-fat Grand flavors. The trade off for the decline in calories is evident in the texture and feel. With the top removed, Pumpkin Patch’s first layer looks identical to that of their Pumpkin from last year. My scoop was able to cut through the low-fat base with ease, grabbing huge globs of pale orange ice cream as I transferred them out of the carton and into my bowl.

As expected, the texture leaves plenty to be desired. Without the heavy cream and butterfat incorporated during the churning process, the consistency has a sticky, somewhat gummy feel. Surprisingly enough, I couldn’t really tell the difference between this and the heavier Grand flavor. The flavors inside weren’t enough to knock off any other pumpkin-inspired ice creams on my list, but the sweet and subtle artificial taste was strangely satisfying. This is one of those options, unfortunately, that is rather bland without the assistance of any mix-ins. If you’re in a quantity over quality type of mood, and enjoy pumpkin flavored things like most everyone else in America, this isn’t a bad option, but don’t go in with unreasonable expectations.

Where I Found It: Walmart
Grade: D

And like most other flavors that don't live up to my extremely high standards, I built upon the base with some custom, at-home mix-ins. At only 90 calories per serving, I went a little overboard. I crunched up graham crackers in the Pumpkin Patch ice cream, added a warm, fudge brownie and topped the whole thing with chocolate syrup and chocolate sprinkles. These additions quickly enhanced Edy's light ice cream to an A-rated ice cream experience.

READER REVIEW: Ryan's Review of Edy's Slow Churned Pumpkin Patch

It's that time of the year again where seasonal favorites start surfacing. Everything from pumpkin pies to spiced drinks to cider donuts start making rounds into various grocery stores and homes alike. Edy's this year has brought forth a pumpkin spiced ice cream to join the buzz.

Going in with the mindset that this flavor from Edy's would taste as similar to a pumpkin pie as could ever be, I was enthusiastic about my taste test. Considering pumpkin pies are downright delicious, I was in hopes that this ice cream could deliver a similar experience in a new way. Popping off the lid with ease, you then get the visuals of a pumpkin pie and the scent of pumpkin spice. I land a few scoops in a dish and get ready to give it a go. Upon the first bite I don't quite get a pumpkin pie flavor per say, but more of a spiced flavor. This ice cream doesn't scream pumpkin, but it definitely has the essence. Enjoyable it is, and regardless of the fact the pumpkin isn't as forthcoming as id like it to be, this ice cream carries an acceptable title of ''Pumpkin Patch'' not ''Pumpkin Cake'' or ''Pumpkin Pie''.

Consistency is a big factor at hand when dealing with ice cream and in some cases can really make or break a batch. Considering Edy's Pumpkin Patch comes in at a lighthearted 90 calories per serving the thickness or richness of the base isn't its strong suit. By no means did Edy's make a lackluster flavor due to the consistency, but you do get a lighter, less dense version with the slow churned option. With the above mentioned in mind, you can't really complain because as far as flavor is concerned they did a fairly good job on creating a pumpkin themed ice cream. In the end, deeper pumpkin flavor and more spice! Either way its a nice selection for anyone looking to satisfy that seasonal craving.

Where Ryan Found It: Walmart
Ryan's Grade: C

FREEZER FINDS: Edy's Latest Limited Edition Holiday Flavors, Peppermint Wonderland and Pumpkin Patch

One of our readers recently found some of Edy's holiday limited edition flavors, Peppermint Wonderland and Pumpkin Patch. Last year I reviewed their Grand Pumpkin and Peppermint flavors, both of which received average scores of C. These newly renamed options look like the practically the same product in different packaging.

REVIEW: Edy's German Chocolate Cake Spectacular! (Limited Edition)

Over the past few months, my freezer has been packed with super-premium pints of top-notch ice cream. My current infatuation with these small-batch, handmade flavors from craft creameries across the country has left me little time to sample some of the lower-quality, mass-produced offerings. A few weeks back, Edy’s announced that it was releasing 3 limited edition flavors for the summer months. 3 Stripes You’re Out and Salted Caramel Pretzel hadn’t really caught my attention, but I made it a priority to sample their German Chocolate Cake Spectacular! Available only from May until August, Edy’s explains their latest release like this, “If you froze a German Chocolate Cake and then exploded it into a carton of chocolate ice cream, you’d end up with this amazing Limited Edition flavor. Chocolate ice cream with caramel coconut swirl and brownie pieces.”

Although I've had German chocolate cake ice cream in the past, none of them have been a lower calorie treat like this one. The 150 calories per serving for a flavor featuring chocolate, caramel and brownies seems pretty light, so I'm expecting a letdown in the density department. By simply picking up the carton straight from the freezer, the pliability of the ice cream is already evident. Before I even scoop out the deep brown base, the brownie pieces and coconut caramel swirl show themselves. Despite having a lighter, fluffier texture than I find ideal, Edy’s has still managed to pack a lot of flavor inside. The chocolate ice cream is simple, effective, and provides a suitable start to German Chocolate Cake Spectacular!

The caramel coconut swirl makes its way through the entire carton and really ramps up the sweetness. This thick sauce is golden in color, stringy in texture, full of coconut pulp and plays the role of the cake’s icing effectively. Edy’s rounds this one out by including brownies instead of cake pieces. That decision results in a denser, chewier mix-in rather than the crumbly consistency of cake. Even with the richness of the brownie bites, they've managed to avoid overpowering the palate. All three components combine to create a decent-made, low-calorie interpretation of German chocolate cake ice cream.

Where I Found It: Super Wal-Mart
Grade: C

NEWS: Edy's Releases 3 New Limited Edition Flavors - 3 Stripes You're Out, German Chocolate Cake Spectacular! and Salted Caramel Pretzel

Edy's recently added three new, limited edition flavors to their Grand lineup in the form of 3 Stripes You're Out, German Chocolate Cake Spectacular! and Salted Caramel Pretzel. All will be available from the months of May to August. 3 Stripes You're Out is vanilla ice cream with blueberry and strawberry swirls. German Chocolate Cake Spectacular! is chocolate ice cream with caramel coconut swirl and brownie pieces. The last, Salted Caramel Pretzel, is vanilla ice cream with a salted caramel swirl and pretzel pieces. Let us know what you think of the new additions.