17 Popular Great Value Ice Cream Flavors, Ranked

Great Value, one of Walmart's private-label brands, has been providing budget-friendly grocery products for over 30 years. The company behind Walmart's Great Value ice cream is called Wells Dairy, headquartered in Le Mars, Iowa. If you haven't heard the name Wells Dairy before, perhaps you'd recognize some of its other brands, like Halo Top or Blue Bunny.

With so many ice cream options on the market, diving into a brand, testing out the flavors, and figuring out how consistent the quality is can be a project — a delicious one for sure, but a project nonetheless. For you, though, dear reader, I'm willing to take on that massive task. 

I tried 17 Great Value ice cream flavors and ranked them worst to best. Now, instead of standing in front of the ice cream case and wondering where your hard-earned dollars should be spent, you can confidently know exactly which of these Great Value flavors are worth buying, and which are better off left in the freezer.

I take my ice cream seriously, so when I say that I have a detailed scoring system, I mean exactly that. Each of these 17 flavors was tasted and judged by a panel of three other tasters and me. Flavors could earn up to 100 points from three different categories: Taste (40 points), texture (40 points), and overall satisfaction (20 points).

Flavor and texture were broken down into multiple subcategories to cover the bases, while satisfaction focused on how the ice cream felt in the moment and the level of desire to eat it again. Let's be honest, there is no better metric to judge a scoop of ice cream than by how much you want to eat it again. 

Overall, we found that Great Value ice cream was almost uniformly smooth, creamy, rich, and of good quality. Each flavor was light and fluffy with a smooth melt on your tongue. In the end, the largest deciding factor when ranking these flavors was taste.

Unanimously voted last place, Great Value Birthday Cake ice cream tasted more like the frosting you find on an ice cream cake than it did an actual cake. It wasn't helped by the blue frosting swirl, which took an already sweet frozen dessert to a cloying level that had my teeth hurting.

Despite that intense sweetness, the ice cream itself was smooth and creamy. Unfortunately, even the texture was ruined whenever you'd come across pieces of the confetti candy sprinkles. Each time I bit into one, I found my tongue coated in a chalky powder that was equal parts sweet and dry.

While I generally enjoy the frosting on an ice cream cake, it is enjoyable only as a balance to the actual ice cream. Using it as the flavor itself was, in my opinion, a misstep. While Great Value proved it makes generally satisfying ice cream, this is one flavor to leave behind on your next shopping trip.

Despite coming in just above last, it should be stated that Great Value Peanut Butter Cup ice cream scored twice as many points on our ranking scale as birthday cake. The peanut butter ribbons were smooth and rich, and the fudge swirl had a distinct fudgy flavor. The peanut butter cup pieces were soft enough to bite into without any unpleasant crunch that would have ruined the ice cream's soft, smooth texture.

The failure of this one was the ice cream itself. While it carries the same creamy, rich, and smooth quality as the other flavors, it was only after reading the carton that we realized the ice cream is meant to be peanut butter flavored. If I hadn't known, I'd have assumed it was simple vanilla ice cream.

If the peanut butter flavor in the ice cream itself were stronger and didn't compete with the peanut butter swirl, then I think this flavor would have scored much higher in our list.

Great Value Butter Pecan ice cream was exactly what you expect from a discount brand as far as flavor goes. A bit too sweet, this one suffered not from a lack of flavor but from a lack of quality. Budget brands often come with sacrifice, which makes the subtle flavors of butter pecan tough to pull off.

Considering butter pecan is one of the most popular ice cream flavors, it's hard to hide any missteps. More competition means that to stand out, you really have to stand up and deliver. While the brand does well packing in pecan flavor, the buttery background notes came across as artificial.

Add the too-sweet base ice cream, and there isn't much else to say. Overall, the butter pecan was tasty, the texture was smooth and creamy, and the bits of pecan were crunchy. However, the experience just wasn't satisfying compared to the flavors that ranked higher on this list.

I have to admit, I expected Great Value Root Beer & Vanilla Float ice cream to be even lower than it is. While I love a root beer float, it's hard to believe the flavor works as an ice cream. Pleasantly though, I was surprised. When it comes to flavor accuracy, no other ice cream scored higher than the competition.

The lack of carbonation meant the swirls of fat-free root beer sherbet dancing through rich and creamy vanilla ice cream were sweeter and almost fruitier than actual root beer. There was no doubt that this was exactly the flavor of a root beer float.

A couple of issues brought this flavor's points down, landing it at No. 14 on our list. The combination of too much sugar and iciness from the sherbet made the overall mouthfeel less enjoyable. Despite being delicious, I can't see myself buying a carton when I want ice cream, but I could see myself buying some to satisfy a hankering for a root beer float.

Honestly, I'm not surprised to see Great Value Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice cream end up in the lower half of our list. That's not to say it wasn't tasty, but it didn't have anything special either.

The ice cream itself came across as a sweet cream flavor rather than vanilla. Nevertheless, it was still creamy, rich, and the level of sweetness was well-balanced. The chocolate pieces had a bite to them but melted smoothly, and the cookie dough was sweet, chewy, and unmistakably mirrored chocolate chip cookies. Each component was flavorful, but the sugar level ended up just a bit too high.

Nothing about this pick was wrong, but there was also nothing to make it stand out. Fans of the flavor will find themselves satisfied and their craving filled, but I doubt any of them would put Great Value forward as their favorite rendition.

I have no problem admitting that Great Value Sea Salt Caramel ice cream took me by surprise. It's not exactly a flavor I'm usually looking for, but I admit that adding salt to something sweet is a generally good way to balance sugary treats.

The actual caramel flavor in the ice cream was lacking, but the ribbon was packed full of caramelized sugar flavor and a noticeable bite of salt. A good bite of gooey caramel swirl and chocolate truffle pieces together was highly satisfying and left an amazing aftertaste.

Overall, however, this flavor was a touch too sweet. Despite the high sugar content, the general balance was pretty spot on. There was no doubt that this was a salted caramel ice cream while it was on my tongue. Whenever you got a piece of candy, however, the aftertaste was more chocolatey than anything. 

Great Value Chocolate ice cream continued showing off how rich, creamy, and smooth the brand's ice cream can be. Like several flavors, the overall sugar content was a bit too high and came across as overly sweet, but the rich cocoa flavor definitely helped.

Many brands offer a chocolate ice cream, and there was nothing out of this world about Great Value's. It definitely beat out other value and discount brands, however, when it came to both quality and flavor. What stood out the most was its texture, a category in which it gained near-perfect marks. Compared to the other flavors, chocolate was one of the denser ice creams, which really made it feel even more luxurious.

Unfortunately for chocolate, almost all of the ice creams tested also had a great texture. So, the plain chocolate just couldn't make it higher on our list after accounting for taste and personal satisfaction.

A noticeable upgrade from plain chocolate, Great Value Rocky Road brought nuance and complexity along to push itself ahead. Traditionally consisting of chocolate ice cream, marshmallow swirls, chocolate pieces, and almonds, this is where our scores started jumping up.

Clearly made with the same chocolate ice cream, the crunch of almonds combined with bits of chocolate and the not-quite marshmallow swirl elevated this beyond its plain counterpart. The marshmallow lacked actual taste and was basically a white sugar-flavored swirl, which is unfortunate, as the added note of flavor may have pushed this one up a few more spots.

While it only ranked one spot higher than plain chocolate, it was noticeably better, and a big part of that was the extra texture. If you like chocolate and don't mind mix-ins, then this flavor is worth picking up.

Generally, I find cookies and cream (the flavor Blue Bell claims to have invented) to be rather boring. I mean, sure, it tastes like a classic chocolate sandwich cookie dipped in milk, but I wouldn't expect it to make it halfway to the top of my list.

Despite that, here it is. The cookie pieces in Great Value Cookies & Cream manage to melt in the mouth as quickly and cleanly as the ice cream itself. Combined with being one of the first options that didn't come across as too sweet, you have a well-balanced flavor. I have a feeling that if I ate the ice cream on its own without the chocolate cookie bits, I may think differently, but that's unlikely since every spoonful was laden with pieces.

This flavor could undoubtedly stand up against any other budget brand and hold its own. While true premium picks may beat it out, Walmart's brand would have no trouble competing on taste.

Rich, creamy, smooth, and absolutely dripping with nostalgia, Great Value Homestyle Vanilla was a surprisingly effective crowd pleaser. Coming into our tasting session, I wasn't even considering where vanilla would place. The flavor is easy to overlook as bland or boring, and it's often treated as such. If trying 17 flavors in a row taught me anything, though, it's that vanilla ice cream is anything but bland.

Despite being easy to overlook, this pick was actually packed with flavor. When allowed to be the star of the show, vanilla can really shine. The moment this classic flavor, complete with a yolky custard-like richness, touched my tongue, I was transported to an ice cream shop. I'm not one to select vanilla when looking at the wide varieties in the ice cream case, but that may well change, especially if I'm picking from one of the many Great Value brand selections.

Combining chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla, Great Value Neapolitan ice cream hits all the right notes. Most interesting is that it doesn't just present you with three flavors, it balances them in a way that makes each a little better. This was abundantly clear as the flavors hit my tongue. The chocolate suddenly had light, creamy vanilla to balance the almost too-intense cocoa flavor. The vanilla had some strawberry notes to brighten it up. The strawberry ... well, the strawberry was just delicious and found a way to shine no matter which flavor it was paired with.

Despite being three separate flavors sharing a home, Neapolitan is a great choice for those who have trouble choosing. Add in the fact that all three of these Great Value flavors are delicious, and you'll understand why this pick made it this far up our rankings.

I've always had a soft spot for sherbet. Yes, there is a difference between ice cream and sherbet, but that doesn't mean it shouldn't get a chance to compete. Considering Great Value Rainbow sherbet came in sixth place, I think it's hard to argue that fact.

This mix of lime, raspberry, and orange flavors is like the Neapolitan of sherbets. Each tasted exactly as you'd expect, melted perfectly on the tongue, and came with the perfect level of sweetness. When it came to flavor, the rainbow sherbet had the second-highest score, but lost points in texture. That's not to say it was bad, but it's hard for a sherbet to match the silky texture of ice cream.

Nevertheless, the fruit flavor was strong, the sweetness was perfectly balanced, and every bite was wonderfully satisfying. Sherbet isn't normally my first thought when I want ice cream, but it's great to know there's a fat-free frozen treat that can compete.

Mint chip isn't something I avoid, but it's not a flavor that I go looking for. I disagree with anyone saying it tastes like toothpaste, but I'm not one to stand up for it as a must-have. 

In Great Value Mint Chip ice cream, the level of mint to chocolate was perfect. When combined with the brand's consistently creamy, smooth textures, it was more delightful than I expected. Chocolate bits in ice cream can bother me; if they are too hard, they ruin the texture, and if they're too soft, you barely notice them. Here they were, dare I say, perfect.

The ice cream itself is minty, without being overpowering, and the chocolate pieces melted perfectly into the overall flavor as I ate, which made this a treat worth enjoying. There is a reason this one made it so high up the list, so if you're a fan of mint ice cream, make sure to grab some next time you swing by Walmart.

Coming in at fourth in the ranking was Great Value Vanilla Bean flavored ice cream. I admit, when I saw the word "flavored," I was worried. My first thought was immediately of artificial flavors. The last vanilla had been surprisingly good, and I was genuinely excited to try this one.

Thankfully, a quick look at the ingredients list assuaged some fear. Vanilla bean specks and vanilla extract were both on the list of ingredients, but I still held my breath. Looking at the smooth, bright white ice cream with tiny black dots, my first impression was similar to that of any other vanilla bean ice cream. Looks alone wouldn't be enough to determine anything.

Surprised, I found the flavor was clear and clean. It was milder than others I've tried, but that didn't make it less satisfying and may have contributed to how much I enjoyed it. While Great Value has proven to be a decent brand, this one shines as an example of simple flavors done right.

Maybe it's being a Rhode Islander — coffee milk is our state beverage after all — but the familiar bitterness of coffee mixed with creamy dairy and then sweetened until it becomes classified as a dessert will always have a place in my heart. However, I truly believe this one earned its spot on its own merits.

The density, sweetness, and richness of Great Value Coffee ice cream were perfectly balanced. Before the sugar levels went too high, the bitter, nutty coffee flavor would ride in on a wave of cream, bringing balance to this enticing treat. Could the coffee flavor have been stronger? Yes. If it had been, this one might have made the top of the list.

Next time you find yourself craving an iced coffee, you may find this a more satisfying way of filling that hole. Anyone who enjoys coffee or ice cream will be pleasantly surprised by this value offering.

As we close in on the top of our list, I'm happy to see one of my personal favorite flavors make it to second place. Surprisingly, Great Value Strawberry ice cream earned the majority of its points for texture. While the flavor was about equal to others in the top ten, this one had the top marks for texture of the whole bunch.

The strawberry flavor was pronounced, genuine, and mixed perfectly with the cream. Each time I bit into a small piece of strawberry, the fruit flavor and light tartness would fill my mouth and cut through the incredibly rich, creamy ice cream.

The flavor, despite being delightful, still didn't wow as much as the texture. Compared to the other flavors, none had such a rich, buttery, or indulgent consistency. The moment this one hits your tongue, it melts into pure cream, lightly sweetened and kissed by fresh strawberries.

If you had asked me which flavor was going to win when we started, I would never have placed my bets on Great Value Fudge Tracks. I didn't expect it to be bad, but I definitely didn't expect it to wow a room of people stuffed with ice cream either.

At my first taste, I knew this one was competing for first. Richer, more cocoa-flavored, and overall better than any of the brand's other chocolate ice creams, it was hard not to feel impressed. There was just something about it that was drastically more satisfying. 

Once you account for the fudge ribbon, which melts perfectly and adds another dimension of chocolate, and the peanut butter cup pieces, the flavor really takes off. Each bite of fudge tracks is decadent. This ice cream was hands down the best of the bunch, and I'm honestly itching to grab a scoop from the freezer even as I write this.