All the ice cream we're eating in quarantine — and where to buy pints online

Tillamook ice cream sandwiches, mint choc. chip, $4.59, available at Instacart

Tillamook's mint chocolate chip ice cream is delicious enough but when you sandwich it between two chocolate-dipped waffle cone cookies, it's heavenly. It's good these only come four to a box. — Rick Stella, health & fitness editor

Turkey Hill tin roof sundae, $3.49, available at Instacart

I'm not a huge toppings person when it comes to my ice cream, but tin roof sundae hits the sweet spot when it comes to flavor and texture. It's just vanilla ice cream with chocolate fudge and chocolate-covered peanuts. I find that it has the perfect balance of sweet and salty. Plus, it tastes like you're eating ice cream with a little bit of toppings, rather than toppings with a side of ice cream. — Francesca Rae, story producer

Ben & Jerry's Cherry Garcia (3 pack), $7.99, available at BJ's

I've been eating ice cream for catharsis at least once a month for the last twenty-odd years and this one is the best grocery store buy. Ben & Jerry's ice cream is soft and dense, and the cherries and sticks of chocolate give every other bite a satisfyingly hard or chewy texture. You get just enough variety in a spoonful without being overwhelmed by loud, overly sweet competing flavors. It also makes me feel a little less gross after a pint knowing that cherries, unlike cookie dough, can technically be found in nature. Plus, insider tip: this is one of the only ice cream flavors that tastes just as good in its dairy-free versions as its original. — Mara Leighton, senior reporter

Häagen-Dazs green tea, $4.29, available at Instacart

If you're after an intense green tea flavor, this one from Häagen-Dazs won't be at the top of your list. Instead, what I love is the unique flavor that's delicious sweet cream with a lovely but subtle taste of green tea — refreshing, but light. For commercial ice cream, I'm amazed that there are only five ingredients. — Les Shu, senior editor

Talenti alphonso mango sorbetto, $4.59, available at Instacart

I'm a big fan of Talenti gelatos but this sorbet has been a recent staple in my freezer because of its refreshing sweet mango flavor and smooth texture. The tropical fruit has always reminded me of summer vacation and this Talenti's pint is just the right amount of sweetness for my taste. Something I also like to do is blend a scoop or two in a fruit smoothie for added flavor! — Audrey Lee, story production fellow

Gifford's Ice Cream Maine wild blueberry, $4.99, available at Instacart

My husband and I picked up this new-to-us brand recently and we were immediately blown away. The blueberry flavor is legit and the ice cream texture was super smooth and creamy. There are even little ribbons of blueberry jam throughout for a bit of texture and extra sweetness. I'm looking forward to trying out other flavors from Gifford's after we finish this one, which — let's be honest here — is basically already done. — Jada Wong, senior editor

Häagen-Dazs peanut butter chocolate ice cream, $4.29, available at Instacart

I want to preface by saying I am a big fan of the wacky flavors and fixings that ice cream brands come up with. Please stuff the ice cream with as much candy, cookie dough, cake, chocolate as possible, was my former ice cream mantra. After trying Peanut Butter Chocolate from Haagen Dazs, I have come to terms with the beauty in simplicity. The chocolate ice cream stands on its own, only to be enhanced by the ribbons of peanut butter throughout the pint. Now in the supermarket, I actively try to clear the stock of this flavor. — Frank Massaro, strategic partnership manager

Check Oatly's selection of ice cream at Oatly.com

It's not technically ice "cream," but Oatly's dairy-free dessert is as good as any other pint I've found in the frozen section at the grocery store. All the flavors are tasty, but coffee or chocolate are the favorites in my apartment. It's rich, creamy, and lasts a long time without getting freezer burn. Of all the dairy-free ice creams I've tried, Oatly is by far the best and can be enjoyed no matter what your dairy tolerance is. — Danny Bakst, senior story producer

Van Leeuwen Brooklyn brown sugar chunk, $10, available at Instacart

On our last trip to the grocery store, Van Leeuwen ice cream happened to be on sale. I'd never seen this flavor before, so I grabbed it out of curiosity. It's a brown sugar ice cream base with candied walnuts, cookie dough, and brownie bites mixed in, and doesn't disappoint. Trips to Van Leeuwen scoop shops are inevitable whenever I'm in Williamsburg, Greenpoint, or Soho, so it's nice to have a bit of the outside world in the comfort of my own home. — Jen Gushue, associate guides editor

Ben & Jerry's Phish Food, $4.49, available at Instacart

From the quirky branding to the innovative flavors, I love everything about Ben & Jerry's. Every spoonful of Ben & Jerry's is decadent and nostalgia-inducing — it brings me back to my summer camp trips to the brand's Vermont factory digging into Vermonster Sundaes with my friends. Personal sentiments aside, Ben & Jerry's has some of the most exciting, delicious ice cream flavors that really make you feel like you're treating yourself to dessert. Phish Food, loaded marshmallow, and caramel swirls, and chocolate chunks, is top-notch and has never failed to satisfy a late-night sweet tooth in my house. — Remi Rosmarin, reporter

Seconding Remi here! Phish Food is the perfect ice cream with its mix of chocolate, marshmallow, and caramel. It's long been my favorite ice cream and it's named after a pretty great band, too. — Malarie Gokey, deputy editor

Check Graeter's selection of ice cream at Greaters.com

A friend sent me a package of six pints of this ice cream for my birthday. I had never heard of the brand, let alone tried it. Turns out I've been missing out on this incredible ice cream my entire life, and I deeply regret it! This incredibly rich, creamy, indulgent ice cream is made in Ohio and comes in a number of different flavors. My personal favorites, so far, include salted caramel and coconut chocolate chip. — Emily Cohn, deputy editor-in-chief

Ample Hills ooey gooey butter cake, $8.09, available at Instacart

I've been supplementing my nostalgia for the NYC food scene by ordering as much local food (and dessert!) as possible. Although I can't visit Ample Hills in-person at the moment, pints can thankfully be found in local grocery stores. One of Ample Hills' staple flavors, Ooey Gooey Butter Cake, has been a consistent favorite of mine. Its overly sweet taste is too indulgent for some, but I personally enjoy it. — Emily Hein, story producer

Disney's Mickey the true original vanilla & fudge, $3.99, available at Instacart

This ice cream has become my absolute favorite during quarantine! It makes me miss Disney a little less due to the small mickey shaped chocolates inside. The ice cream tastes similar to what you get in the parks! — Ariel Tilayoff, story production fellow

Target market pantry caramel waffle cone, $4.49, available at Target

For full disclosure, before COVID-19, I was a devout believer of only eating ice cream in warm temperatures. I know, I know, there's no need to @ me on this one. Because I've learned the error of my ways. It all started with a substitute container of Target's Market Pantry brand of Caramel Waffle Cone-flavored ice cream, which ended up in my basket after my local Target was sold out of just about, well, everything else. Eager for something sweet and not in the mood to make anything myself, I decided to live on the edge and eat ice cream when it was barely 60 degrees outside.

What I discovered was a new favorite, a creamy vanilla base with an almost whipped-like consistency, weaved with ribbons of rich caramel, interlaced with chocolate-covered pieces of crunchy waffle cone. It was gone in about two days, and since then, I've been reaching for more pints; Ben & Jerry's The Tonight Dough was another delicious standout. — Emily Hochberg, travel editor