Ice Cream for the Lactose Intolerant: Best Brands Ranked
Discover the best lactose-free ice cream brands and flavors that taste just as good as the real thing.
Ice cream is probably the food lactose-intolerant people miss most. The good news: the market for genuinely delicious LF ice cream has exploded. Here's our ranking based on taste, texture, and availability.
Tier 1: Tastes like real ice cream
Signature SELECT Lactose Free Ice Cream — Our top pick. Real dairy cream with lactase enzyme, available in Vanilla Bean and Cookies & Cream. Rich, creamy texture that rivals any full-lactose premium brand. Available at Vons, Safeway, Albertsons, Jewel-Osco, Acme, and Shaw's — typically around $2.99 per 1.5 qt. Breyers Lactose Free — Breyers uses a lactase process on real dairy cream. The vanilla and chocolate flavors are nearly indistinguishable from regular ice cream. Widely available at Walmart and Target. Lactaid Ice Cream — same approach, solid execution in vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry. Creamier than most non-dairy options.
Tier 2: Good, with caveats
Häagen-Dazs — not labeled lactose-free and does contain lactose, but some moderately sensitive people report tolerating certain flavors (especially sorbets, which are dairy-free). YMMV — take lactase if you want to try their dairy flavors. Non-dairy "ice cream" (Oatly, Ben & Jerry's Non-Dairy) — technically dairy-free, but oat or almond base gives a noticeably different texture. Acceptable if you don't have a dairy-forward alternative nearby.
Tier 3: Novelty / specialty
Coconut milk ice cream — rich and creamy, but the coconut flavor dominates everything except chocolate. Cashew-based ice cream — good for very dairy-sensitive people; nuttier texture than cream.
How to shop
Check the Dairyish ice cream category to see what's available at your preferred retailers. We track over 40 lactose-free and low-lactose frozen dessert products with current retail availability.