Italian Ice is primarily made with water, sweetener (i.e. corn syrup & sugar), and fruit flavoring. But, does it also have dairy in it to help create a bit of creaminess or to give it flavor? Read on to learn if Italian ice commonly contains dairy.
Store-Bought Italian Ice & Dairy
Below you will find a selection of Italian ice products with their ingredients and whether they contain dairy. Dairy is not a common ingredient in store-bought Italian ice as the table shows. It is essentially sweetened ice with fruit flavoring without the need for dairy for texture or taste. While it is often found down the ice cream aisles at grocery stores, Italian ice isn’t a dairy treat but dairy-free similar to several Popsicle and Bomb Pop products.
| Italian Ice | Dairy Ingredients (Yes or No)? | Ingredients |
|---|---|---|
| Lugi’s Lemon | No | Water, Syrup Blend (Sucrose Syrup and Corn Syrup), Sugar, Lemon Juice From Concentrate (Water, Lemon Juice Concentrate), Citric Acid, Natural Flavor, Stabilizer (Guar Gum, Xanthan Gum). |
| Lugi’s Strawberry | No | Water, Syrup Blend (Sucrose Syrup and Corn Syrup), Strawberry Juice From Concentrate (Water, Strawberry Juice Concentrate), Sugar, Natural Flavor, Citric Acid, Stabilizer (Guar Gum, Xanthan Gum), Beet Juice Concentrate (Color), Caramel Color. |
| Lindy’s Lemon | No | Water, High-Fructose Corn Syrup, Corn Syrup, Sugar, Natural Lemon Flavor, Citric Acid, Dextrose, Guar Gum Xanthan Gum, Carrageenan. |
| Lindy’s Blue Raspberry | No | Water, High-Fructose Corn Syrup, Corn Syrup, Sugar, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Citric Acid, Dextrose, Guar Gum Xanthan Gum, Carrageenan, Blue 1, Red 40. |
| Wyler’s Italian Ices | No | Water, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Maltodextrin, Contains 2% Or Less Of The Following: Apple And Pear Juice From Concentrate, Citric Acid, Natural And Artificial Flavors, Pectin, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Benzoate And Potassium Sorbate (Preservatives), Red 40, Yellow 5, Blue 1, Yellow 6. |
| Philadelphia Water Ice Cherry | No | Water, Sugar, Corn Syrup, Artificial Flavor, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Guar Gum, Cellulose, Carrageenan, FD&C Red #40 |
| Philadelphia Water Ice Lemonade | No | Water, Sugar, Corn Syrup, Natural & Artificial Flavor, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Guar Gum, Cellulose, Carrageenan, Lemon Juice Concentrate |
| Marino’s Cherry | No | Water, Sugar, Glucose, Citric Acid, Acacia Gum, Xanthan Gum, Soy Protein, Artificial Flavor, Red 40. |
| Richie’s Watermelon | No | Water, Sucrose ,Corn Syrup, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Fruit Acid, Artificial Watermelon Flavor, Ascorbic Acid, Guar Gum, Xanthium Gum, Propylene Glycol, FD&C Red #40 |
Be aware that some store-bought Italian ice products may be manufactured on equipment that processes products containing milk. If cross-contamination is a concern for you, we highly recommend that you contact the manufacturer to inquire about their manufacturing process related to dairy. The product label or product website may also indicate this information.
Lastly, be sure to always reference the Italian ice product label for the most accurate and up-to-date ingredient, allergen, and nutrition information. The information above is for general informational purposes only and the label will be the ultimate source for ingredients used.
Homemade Italian Ice & Dairy
The beautiful thing about making Italian ice at home is that you control the ingredients. You get to pick and choose which recipe you want to use with ingredients that are suitable for diet.
The good news for people wishing to avoid dairy is that there are many dairy-free Italian ice recipes available online that are relatively simple to make with minimal ingredients. Here are a few that you may want to try for a homemade dairy-free treat:
- Food 52 – Italian Ice
- Spruce Eats – Lemon Italian Ice
- Food Network – Strawberry & Pineapple Italian Ice
- Serious Eat – Lemon Italian Ice
- McCormick – How To Make Italian Ice At Home
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Image Credit – Kim Scarborough/flickr