Best ice cream and lollies for summer: from boozy ice pops to Soleros and Fabs
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While cooling fans, garden sprinklers and hastily tied topknots are our main lines of defence against the sweltering heat wave that’s currency roasting the UK, ice creams and ice lollies are the first port of call for chilling from the inside out.
Yes, we might feel like ants under a spotlight but the silver lining is that the UK is blessed with some epic ice cream brands to help keep the sweat at bay.
Less kids in a candy shop, more Britons kettling the ice cream van.
The options are split between rich traditional frozen creams (Magnum, Cadbury's Flake and the like) and refreshing fruity ice lollies and frozen yoghurt that are kinder to the waistline. If you’re really feeling fancy, there’s also gelato and sorbet for a delicious frozen fix.
From retro treats (hello Fab!) to low-calorie tubs that taste anything but, here are the best ice cream brands and deals to shop as the UK sizzles.
See our favourites below
Wall’s Ice Cream
They specialise in two things at Wall’s - sausages and ice cream - but in a heatwave, we’re pretty much only interested in the latter (unless a BBQ is part of the equation).
The huge choice includes all the ice cream truck favourites: Cornetto, Carte D’Or, Twister, Calippo, Mini Milk, Feast, Solero, Vienetta, Guuk Greek Fro-Yo, Kinder ice cream sticks and Nice by Nature. You’ll find them in any corner shop, but if you want to stock up on some for the future, find multipacks in-store.
Little Moons Mochi Bites
These Japanese-style ice cream dumplings are perfect when all you want is a quick thrill - they’re bitesize and the mochi dough (which makes them melt-proof) encases rich, dense artisan gelato. Flavours include the dazzlingly exotic Alphonso Mango and the universal favourite Cookie Dough amongst others.
Chin Chin Laboratorists Ice Cream in the Post
If you’ve been mourning the closure of one of London’s *coolest* ice cream emporiums during lockdown, icy salvation is closer than you think. The food wizards at Chin Chin have started offering selected ice creams via post (yes, really).
They use liquid nitrogen to keep ice cream colder for longer so they can send freshly churned, hand-packed nitro ice cream directly from their Soho lab to your front door - and they’ll deliver it to anywhere in the UK. Pre-order now for the regular ice cream or a limited edition vegan alternative for delivery on Aug 21.
Kelly’s of Cornwall Cornish Ice Cream
Churned with Cornish clotted cream, Kelly’s is a staple at British seaside resorts and inland at parks too. The rich ices are available in mini single-serve pots as well as tubs to scoop out for all the family. Flavours are classic British retro: think Eton Mess, Honeycomb Crunch, Cornish Dairy Vanilla, Cherry Bakewell Ripple and Clotted Cream & Salted Caramel.
We are POPS
Strictly for the 18+ crowd only, premium popsicle brand POPS has a selection of cocktail-inspired ice cool treats in flavours like Prosecco & Peach Bellini and Gin and Lime, made with Gordon’s Gin. Or, if you fancy a taste of something different try Watermelon Martini and Chilly Mango. Yum.
Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream
A movie night favourite, there are few flavours we don’t love at B&J. The creamy line-up made from the milk of Vermont-grazing cows never fails to hit the spot.
If forced to choose though, new contender Netflix & Chill’d (featuring peanut butter, salty pretzel bits and chunks of brownie) is in our top three, along with Blondie Brownie and Cone Together. Their ice cream sandwiches are pretty decent too, and virtually mess-free.
The latest flavour is Chip Happens, a curious combo of chocolate ice cream with chocolatey chunks and crunchy potato chip swirls.
Halo Top Low-Cal Ice Cream
If you’ve always viewed low cal ice cream from a place of thinly veiled mistrust, Halo Top is here to turn all your perceptions 180. It’s so greedily decadent, you’d think the calorie count on the front is a misprint - it’s just 320 calorie for the whole tub.
There are a few flavours to choose from, but Birthday Cake - a party-perfect just-baked vanilla complete with rainbow sprinkles - is the best.
Choose from dairy and dairy-free tubs, chilled desserts and ice cream bars.
Best Ice Cream Deals in the UK
Deals at ASDA Ice Cream Shop
The supermarket is running a 2 for £3 deal on chocolate bar and retro ice cream packs:
Deals at Tesco Ice Cream Shop
- Deliciously Ella Fudgy Chocolate Brownie 170G - was: £3, now: £2.25
- Deliciously Ella Chocolate Chip Cookies 4 X 50g - was: £3, now: £2.25
- Lotus Biscoff Ice Cream Sticks 3 X 90ml - was: £3.89, now: £3
- Deliciously Ella Apple & Blackberry Crumble 275g - was: £3, now: £2.25
- Haagen-Dazs Vanilla Ice Cream Collection Mini Cups 4 X 95ml - was: £4.20, now: £3
- Haagen-Dazs Fruit Mini Cups Ice Cream 4 X 95ml - was: £4.20, now: £3
- Green & Black Organic Salted Caramel Ice Cream 500ml - was: £4.20, now: £3
- Green & Blacks Organic Chocolate Ice Cream 500ml - was: £4.20, now: £3
Deals at Sainsbury’s Ice Cream Shop
- Alpro 360 Passionate Mango Swirl 450ml - was: £5, now: £3
- Jude's Low Cal Salted Caramel Ice Cream 460ml - was: £4.50, now: £3
- Häagen-Dazs Caramel Collection Mini Cups Ice Cream 4 x 95ml - was: £4.20, now: £3
- Carte D'Or Chocolate Ice Cream Dessert 1L - was: £3.50, now: £2.50
- Häagen-Dazs Ice Cream Salted Caramel 460ml - was: £4.20, now: £2.50
- Nuii Ice Cream Aventure Coconut & Indian Mango 3 x 90ml - was: £3.90, now: £2
Deals at Waitrose’s Ice Cream Shop
- Oreo Ice Cream Sandwiches 6 x 55ml - was: £3, now: £2.50
- Cadbury Flake 99 4 Cones 4 x 125ml - was: £3, now: £2.50
- Lotus Biscoff Ice Cream 460ml - was: £3.79, now: £2.79
- Häagen-Dazs Peanut Butter Stick Bars 3 x 80ml - was: £3.89, now: £3