Toasted Almond Fudge

I'm definitely not the target market for Toasted Almond Fudge--as I don't really love the taste or connotation of any of three words--but I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised. The flavor does taste a little bit like a pine cone (or what I imagine a pine cone to taste like), but, once you get beyond that, it is pretty good. Additionally, my almond-loving companion (that is, in fact, her defining characteristic) informed me that it was a delicious flavor indeed, so to each his own.

TASTI (3 of 4 stars)

80 calories/serving

Creamsicle

As is almost the case, the Tasti gods present the best flavors on the most worthy of days. After suffering through a horrible history section, I ran to Tasti for a pick-me-up, and it certainly delivered. Creamsicle is unlike any Tasti D-Like flavor I've ever consumed--a completely different family of flavor and, most surprisingly, a different color! Creamsicle defies the chocolate-or-vanilla-colored tendency and is a friendly pink! The flavor is fruitier and more refreshing (and delicious) than many Tasti flavors and would be perfect at any time of day. It's such a delight to know that Tasti still has surprises up its sleeve for even the most devout fans.

D-LITEFUL (4 of 4 stars)

70 calories/serving

Chocolate Mousse

There are some Tasti flavors that just aren't worth making--they're just too similar to the generic and ubiquitous Dutch Chocolate and French Vanilla. Chocolate Mousse is clearly one of these flavors--it has a good, sturdy taste, but not one that is too distinctive or memorable. Sometimes when Tasti emulates foods that are similar in texture to frozen yogurt, the flavor somehow falls short. Chocolate Mousse kind of looks and feels like real chocolate mousse, but is just a little worse. In short, disappointment abound.

NASTI (1 of 4 stars)

80 calories/serving

Yalie Goes on Tasti D-iet

Freshman Christine Kwon recently documented her three-day Tasti-only experiment for the Yale Herald. The research was allegedly to "explore the social and gastronomic aspects of a dieting phenomenon; that [she] wanted to answer an essential question: What is Tasti and why does it matter?" The dieting phenomenon in question, apparently, is women who eat almost entirely on Tasti D-Lite and iced coffee. Nice. Unfortunately, the experiment provided little clarity:

The past few days have raised more questions than provided answers. The actual secrets of Tasti remain as elusive as ever. All I know is that it is “not frozen yogurt, because it does not contain any yogurt, nor is it ice cream, because it does not contain a significant amount of cream.”

The article's worth checking out. Christine's final conclusion:

I can see the appeal. There’s something perversely comforting about the idea of consuming something so synthetic. I don’t think anyone but someone who has actually stepped on the scale every morning on a Tasti D-Lite diet will understand. Even if a portion of Tasti has more calories than advertised, the “light” feeling that one gets is completely authentic, albeit mixed half-and-half with hysteria. If only for the experience of feeling that lovely, empty yet satisfying sensation alone, the whole thing was worth it. I still don’t know what’s in Tasti D-Lite, and no one probably ever will. Maybe this is the kind of thing we should just take at face value and just blindly accept. Maybe we’re all better off that way.

Samoa Cookie

Having never eaten an actual "Samoa Cookie," I cannot speak to the validity of Tasti's concoction, but I would say that, whatever exactly Samoa is, it tastes pretty good. This is one of the thicker, richer Tasti flavors, which can be an asset or a detriment depending on your mood. It also has a strong, chocolatey aftertaste, so overall it certainly has a strong personality, perhaps befitting of the citizens of Samoa (?).

Also, enjoy Tasti D-Lited's first ever video production--expect more in the future!

TASTI (3 of 4 stars)

80 calories/serving

Angel Food Cake

Flavor accuracy is one of the hallmarks of the Tasti D-Lite platform--they take the most complex flavors and perfectly transform the tastes into frozen dessert form. That's what makes Angel Food Cake so surprising. It has a fairly strong flavor, but it is hardly reminiscent of Angel Food Cake. Rather, as my astute companion pointed out, it tastes exactly like coconut--to the point where I wonder if they accidentally mixed up the labels. Either way, Angel Food Cake is a fairly refreshing and light flavor and would be an easy 3 stars if not for the coconut issue.

D-LIST (2 of 4 stars)

80 calories/serving

Kahlua 'n Cream

It is a mystery how exactly the list of Tasti flavors are determined, but somehow a flavor as obscure as Kahlua 'n Cream made it to the list (which is a kind of good thing, I think). Either way, as exciting as the obscure flavor may be, the taste itself isn't accurate or incredible. The flavor tastes kind of good, but is indescribable: it doesn't taste like Kahlua, cream, or Kahlua and Cream.

In unrelated, I punched the last hole of my frequency card today, which is always exciting. Free frozen dessert!

D-LIST (2 of 4 stars)

80 calories/serving

Tasti Raises Calorie Estimates Across the Board

It appears last night the folks over at corporate updated the "Products" section of the Tasti website, which lists every available flavor. The old site had an ugly old-fashioned table separated in groups by calories/ounce, while now the site features the image shown at all Tasti locations separated in groups by calories/serving (sections of both are attached to this post).

While visually the change is a good one, it is interesting to note that the calorie estimates for every flavor have been raised, which is troubling given the presumption that it is a scientifically measured number. Plus, low calories are obviously one of Tasti's biggest selling points.

For example, the old site listed Banana in the first category with 14-15 calories/ounce, meaning the 4-ounce small (making one serving) would be 56-60 calories. The new site still lists Banana in the first category, but with 70 calories/serving. Other flavors have an even bigger jump: Angel Food Cake moves from 56-60 calories/serving to 80 calories/serving.

While the caloric numbers are still low, it is worrisome that the estimates are still fluctuating so much (with little public acknowledgment), especially when the calorie numbers are a point of constant scrutiny and controversy ("Fewer Calories Than Ice Cream, But More Than You Think" - New York Times).

All past entries have been updated with the new caloric statistics.

Banana Fudge

I'm a firm believer that the Tasti D gods select the daily flavors as some kind of karmic redemption for the rest of your day. Case-in-point: after having a miserable morning and afternoon, the Tasti D deities rewarded me with one of the best flavors around. Thank you, as always.

Banana Fudge is definitely a flavor not to be missed. It has one of the most distinctive, accurate, and delicious tastes--I could eat Banana Fudge frozen dessert quite often and never tire of it. Banana Fudge is everything Tasti is meant to be and certainly brightens even the cloudiest days.

D-LITEFUL (4 of 4 stars)

80 calories/serving

Snicker

Snicker (one of Tasti's worst attempts at avoiding copyright infringement) is one of those flavors that reminds you how amazing Tasti D can be--not because it's that good (although it's not bad at all), but because it backs so much distinct flavor into a low-calorie, uniformly colored frozen yogurt-esque substance. Tasti D knows what Snickers tastes like better than Mars does. I'd rather eat Tasti's interpretation than an actual Snickers bar. Snicker isn't quite four stars--it matches, rather than improves upon, the imitated flavor--but it's one of those flavors you have to go back later in the day to try again.

TASTI (3 of 4 stars)

90 calories/serving

Tres Leches

Tres Leches has the distinct honor of being the hardest Tasti flavor to pronounce ("Can I have a small cup of... tress.... leckx.... please....?"), but its taste is worth the embarrassment. Tres has a subtle flavor, but a sustaining and sweet one, making the snack light but refreshing. In fact, Tres is one of the few Tasti flavors which becomes more pronounced as you eat.

TASTI (3 of 4 stars)

80 calories/serving

Rice Pudding

When you really think about the idea of a rice pudding frozen dessert, it's none-too-surprising that Tasti's rice pudding leaves much to be desired. It takes kind of like you'd expect: decent, but bland and kind of nondescript. It would fit in nicely with the diet of a teething toddler or a spunky granny with weak taste buds.

NASTI (1 of 4 stars)

80 calories/serving

Chocolate Chip Mint

For the sake of full disclosure, I am not a big fan of mint flavors--I know that puts me in the minority. Thus it's hard for me to be an objective judge of Tasti's mint offerings. Personally, choco chip mint left much to be desired: the incredibly potent mint taste overshadowed any supposed "chocolate chip" influence. To double-check, I brought a mint lover along for the ride, and he assured me I had made the right judg-mint.

NASTI (1 of 4 stars)

80 calories/serving

Cake Batter

The recent surge in popularity of "batters" as an ice cream flavor is quite perplexing--brownie batter and cake batter are shoppe staples at this point, either neither really makes any sense intuitively or logically. Why cake "batter" is more appealing than "cake" is a mystery, but, in any case, the taste that is now associated with "cake batter" is a pretty good one. Tasti D captures the taste pretty well, although it certainly does not exceed expectations. Tasti D-Lite is best when it excels at unusual flavors, and its standard ones are often just average, as is the case with cake batter.

D-LIST (2 of 4 stars)

80 calories/serving

Milky "Weigh"

I've always been amused by Tasti D's awkward re-spellings and re-wordings to avoid copyright infringements: Honey Nut "O's" Tasti Musketeers, and the like. Yet another quirk to cherish, I guess. Of the copyright-fearing flavors, Milky "Weigh" is one of the best--the taste is accurate and sustained throughout. Also, there's a bonus for the accurate color--the flavor looks just like the fluffy inside of the candy bar.

TASTI (3 of 4 stars)

90 calories/serving