In an earlier post, I promised to share a dairy-free alternative to Haagen-Dazs’ ever-de’lish mango ice cream. Here it is.
Turns out, I’ve come across TWO amazing choices: Mango Sorbet by Haagen-Dazs and Mango Sorbet by Trader Joe’s. Each is a little different, so let me provide a quick overview. BOTH are amazingly tasty (like A+ tasty) and I heartily recommend either. (But really, I can’t imagine a vendor messing up mango sorbet, can you?) So it’s down to a matter of preference about which to bring home and proudly call your own.
The Haagen-Dazs selection tastes more quintessentially dessert-y, compared to the Trader Joe’s version. I guess the best way to put it is that the Haagen-Dazs version is a little sweeter than the Trader Joe’s product – the texture might be slightly smoother as well. I would describe it as being a step closer in likeness to ice-cream, but without the dairy of course.
The Trader Joe’s Mango Sorbet tastes more like actual fresh frozen pureed mangoes. It’s also darker in color. Ounce per ounce, the Trader Joe’s Mango Sorbet is somewhat less expensive than the Haagen-Dazs offering as well. I found myself wanting to switch back and forth, because each is so good. It’s definitely a case of Different but Equal !
Bottom line: If you’re going for a more natural fresh fruit taste, try the Trader Joe’s Mango Sorbet. If you have a sweet tooth, opt for the Haagen-Dazs Mango Sorbet. But remember this is sorbet not ice cream – so it’s not THAT sweet!
Oh and one more thing….
Bottom line #2: From a practical standpoint, the Trader Joe’s container is about 2x the size/volume of the Haagen-Dazs container. So…families might find the Trader Joe’s sorbet a better fit for their needs, while singles might prefer the smaller portioned Haagen-Dazs option. Just a thought!
Happy Sorbeting!