The Great Ice Cream Downgrade: When Frozen Desserts Replace the Real Thing
Cleaning out the garage this morning, I stumbled upon some old Streets ice cream containers, which sparked a rather depressing realization about how far our beloved frozen treats have fallen. Looking at today’s “frozen dairy desserts” sitting in my freezer, the difference is stark - and not in a good way.
Remember when ice cream was actually ice cream? These days, many of our childhood favorites have been quietly reformulated into something that barely resembles the original product. The culprit? A cost-cutting move that replaces real dairy fat with cheaper vegetable oils, particularly palm oil. It’s a perfect example of what’s known as “enshittification” - the gradual degradation of product quality in pursuit of higher profits.
The change isn’t just about taste and texture. There’s an environmental cost too. The palm oil industry is notorious for its role in deforestation, particularly in Southeast Asia. It’s frustrating to think that our desserts are now contributing to habitat destruction for orangutans and other wildlife, all to save a few cents per tub.
Most concerning is how these companies try to obscure these changes. They’ll slap terms like “frozen dairy dessert” on the packaging in small print, hoping we won’t notice that it’s no longer legally allowed to be called ice cream. The serving sizes listed on these tubs are particularly laughable - apparently, I’m supposed to get 20 servings from a single container. Who are they kidding?
Thankfully, there are still some quality options available. Local producers like Bulla and Golden North continue to make proper ice cream, though you’ll pay a premium for it. The way forward might be to treat ice cream as what it should be - an occasional treat made with real ingredients, rather than a cheap, mass-produced substitute that’s more chemical than cream.
The trend toward degrading our food quality for profit margins needs to stop. Perhaps it’s time we all voted with our wallets and supported producers who maintain high standards, even if it means paying a bit more or enjoying these treats less frequently. Quality over quantity - it’s a principle that serves us well in both our food choices and our broader consumption habits.
After all, what’s the point of a treat that isn’t actually a treat anymore?