Breyer's Ice Cream Banana Cream Pie Review

2012 Update: This could have happened last year, but Banana Cream Pie is off the menu at Breyers.

To be honest, I can't believe I picked up this flavor. It's not that I don't like bananas, it's just that they always seem to get in the way. I mean, seriously, do you really enjoy strawberry banana kiwi juice? I like bananas, and I love fresh banana bread, but in other things ...no thanks. In fact, I don't even eat banana splits. I just don't enjoy the silky banana texture in anything but, well, a banana (or maybe the occasional bowl of Frosted Rice Krispies)

With that being said, if there was anyone who could get me to try a banana flavored ice cream, it's Breyers. No, they aren't perfect, no one is, but I think they nail mellow better than anyone else. They understand ice cream is smooth and creamy, and that includes the flavorings and not just the ice cream itself. I don't want a flavor to beat me down or taste artificial, I just want to savor it.

So, here it is. It doesn't say new but I'm pretty sure it is since I'm almost positive I've never seen it before. The exact description of Breyers Banana Cream Pie is Banana Ice Cream with Vanilla and Graham Cracker Swirls. I'm glad it doesn't mention banana chunks because even though I'm tempted by new products, the thought of banana chunks in ice cream would have permanently crossed this one off my list.

With a little digging, you will find the curious creation before you. When Breyers says graham cracker swirl, they mean GRAHAM CRACKER swirl. You can literally pull up a corner of the swirl and the whole thing will come up, it's just that thick. On the left hand side you will see a chunk of graham cracker dying to be taste tested. The first bite threw me off a bit as it struck me as rather salty, but it only took a few more bites before I started settling in and appreciating it. Note: this may be the first time since Breyers Sara Lee Strawberry Cheesecake that they've gone with a graham cracker swirl. It's a neat trick they've pulled off here and I truly hope they roll it into some more flavors as soon as possible.

Ok, enough stalling, need to talk about the base ice cream here. Is it mild like I hoped? Actually, it is. There's no mistaking it's banana, and it's got a weird funk to it at first, but you get used to it. In fact, I recommend smushing the whole thing together so that the 3 flavors blend the way they were meant to. Unfortunately, this is when I ran into another problem. It's not that the blend tasted bad, it's that the whole time I was eating it, I kept wondering what I should mix it with. My primary suggestion: A scoop of banana cream pie with a scoop of chocolate and a scoop of strawberry might make for an interesting sundae (with whip cream and sprinkles of course).

Would I buy this again? No, I just don't like banana that much, but I don't feel like I've wasted my money either. We've got a unique treat here and I'm glad I got up the nerve to try it.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1/2 cup (72g) Servings Per Container 12
Amount Per Serving
Calories 170	from Fat 80
	% Daily Value*
Total Fat 9g	14%
- Sat Fat 4g	20%
- Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 15mg	5%
Sodium 100mg	4%
Total Carbohydrate 19g	6%
- Dietary Fiber 0g	0%
- Sugars 17g
Protein 2g
Vitamin A 4%	Vitamin C 0%
Calcium 8%	Iron 0%