I’ve long contemplated how, exactly, Freeze Dried Astronaut Ice Cream should be categorized. Is it candy? Or perhaps it’s simply a general-purpose dessert? Is it dairy or not?
Well, I still don’t have an answer to these age-old questions, but my investigations have certainly been tasty. Turns out, I’m one of the few people in the world who likes the stuff. Just as with my licorice adoration, my Freeze Dried Ice Cream addiction is often maligned and only rarely shared with any other member of the human race.
So, what about it? Anyone else like the stuff? Is it candy or not? Leave a comment and tell us what you think!
Buy Freeze Dried Ice Cream online:
Hey, I haven’t tried it.
March 28th, 2007 at 7:55 amI think its probuly candy, not a desert. Kinda sounds silly to me!
Freeze-dried ice cream is indistinguishable from the marshmallows in cereals. I say it’s not candy, and that buying Lucky Charms is going to satisfy your craving for a lot cheaper.
March 28th, 2007 at 9:02 amI just to LOVE the stuff when I was a kid. My favorite part of going to museums was buying a freeze-dried ice cream sandwich.
Faith: I never thought of it as being like cereal marshmallows before! Odd, since (despite my love of every other kind of marshmallow), I don’t like those things.
March 28th, 2007 at 10:37 amYeah, I don’t really equate them with those marshmallow things either. Don’t get me wrong, I like those too, but the ice cream seems a lot creamier.
I don’t, however, like the ice cream sandwiches. The outsides were just too dry for me. I also hate oreos, so I guess that’s all related.
The cheapest way I’ve found to purchase the stuff is in bulk, especially on eBay. I know, I’m a sick little puppy.
March 28th, 2007 at 2:07 pmI wanted to like it, but I just didn’t. I think maybe I expected it to be like dippin dots which take on the consistency of ice cream when it’s in your mouth. Oh well. I like cereal marshmallows though so maybe if I was only expecting that it would have been a better experience?
March 28th, 2007 at 2:13 pmOh, yeah, dippin dots are totally different. When I first tried dippin dots I thought they’d be like freeze dried ice cream! The freeze dried ice cream can sort of take on a melted ice cream consistency, if you let it melt. But, your mouth can get dry if you try too much at once, which leads to a whole dry-mouth-freeze-dried-ice-cream-stuck-to-roof-of-mouth debacle. So, I recommend smaller amounts, and experiment between sucking and chewing. My favorite flavor is strawberry, followed by vanilla and then chocolate.
March 28th, 2007 at 2:27 pmHey! Little known fact: the marshmallows in Lucky Charms are called “marbits”.
I like freeze-dried ice cream too. Not in the “regularly-have-cravings-for-it” way, but once in a blue moon if it’s at a museum gift shop or something, I’ll buy it.
March 28th, 2007 at 2:57 pmI love this stuff too. I bought it a long time ago when I was a kid. I haven’t had it since but I remember it clearly.
March 28th, 2007 at 6:00 pmIt’s candy… as well as dessert IMO. (You can easily put a snickers bar on a plate after a meal and can consider it desser)
Freeze dried ice cream is a sweet candy confection that’s packaged as candy- i mean it’s not exactly labeled as a dessert is it? Regardless, it’s sole purpose of existence is to give astronauts something sweet to munch on so… does it matter whether it’s considered a dessert of a candy? It’s fun, it’s cute and reminds me a lot of eating cotton candy that’s been compacted into a tight ball. Every kid (and adult) needs to try it at least once. And maybe 10 or 20 more times after that.
March 28th, 2007 at 11:20 pmHmm, I never thought of it to be a candy! I remember going to various museums and seeing freeze dried ice cream and would stock up on the 3 flavored block and the ice cream sandwiches. It is good to know you can buy it on amazon, thanks!
The one thing I do remember is that the texture was odd, you can’t bite into it without thinking of someone scratching their nails across the blackboard! These are meant to be broken into pieces and eaten slowly I suppose. Do astronauts really eat this? LOL!
March 29th, 2007 at 11:07 amI’d consider it a candy. I have yet to try it, but I have heard it’s quite delish
March 30th, 2007 at 1:12 amI loooooooove freeze dried ice cream and I don’t really think it matters what category you shove it in to. It’s still all on it’s own when it comes to taste.
March 30th, 2007 at 11:38 amI bought this from the gift centre at the Edmonton (Telus) Science Centre. Surprisingly.. it’s pretty good! I love the Neopolitan flavored, and even the freezedried icecream bars! It’s crunchy and milky and mmmmm. If you get the opportunity to try it don’t pass it up!
April 16th, 2007 at 12:02 amI love it too! I don’t think it reminded me of cereal marshmallows. It is yummy yummy but expensive.
April 17th, 2007 at 1:24 pmCaitlin, I had no idea we were so alone. I love the stuff, maybe partially because I wanted to be an astronaut when I was a kid (still do, really). Now it’s kind of a luxury, and I only think of it when it’s on a shelf in front of me. But why would we need to categorize it anyway? Why not ask, “What else would fit in ITS category?”
April 22nd, 2007 at 10:46 ami dont get it !! you are not alone i live in houston and almost everyone i know loves the stuff!!! what makes you say that? My little girl just tried it today as a matter of fact and i was online looking to buy more with out having to drive to NASA… lol and stumbled on to this debate. It’s ice cream!!! thats its category!!! ICE CREAM!!!! and as for lucky charm marshmallows they dont come close to freeze- dried ice cream the taste doesnt even compare!! absoultely love the Chocolate Ice Cream with Chocolate Chips. yum!!! I will defintely be driving down 45 this week for more!!! it’s only 3.50 a package!!
June 15th, 2007 at 10:48 pmWhy is it that I never seem to meet people in then real world who like the same things I do?? NOBODY I know likes astronaut ice cream, or licorice for that matter. Oh well, more for me!
I just had an epiphany - licorice flavored astronaut ice cream. Man, I bet that would be good.
June 15th, 2007 at 10:56 pmI’ve neever tried them before, though they were tempting sitting in those bulky bins in the museums i went to as a kid.
June 20th, 2007 at 9:51 pmNow that people compared them to cereal marshmallow, i don’t think i want to try them! I absolutely loathe that stuff.
The marshmallows in Lucky Charms are called marbits and they’re made up of tiny bits of freakin’ Circus Peaunts-how gross.! i’m hoping freeze-dried ice cream tastes a LOT better(:
I love, love, love astronaut ice cream. I think it can qualify as candy — it’s portable, eaten as a snack, sugary. Sounds like candy to me! And, you are not alone in your addiction to it — I have definitely had my times of having to drive far, far away from the army surplus store that sells it
August 17th, 2007 at 6:48 pmI absolutely LOVE Astronaut Ice Cream. In fact, my whole family loves it and has since we first bought some at the Pacific Science Center in the Early 80’s. It quickly became a staple and must have purchase every trip we made there(which was pretty often since we were members). I still buy it whenever I find it. I don’t consider it candy, but a dehydrated dessert, much like freeze dried camping foodstuffs. And it is definitely NOT like cereal marshmallows, as it actually melts completely (I hate cereal marshmallows, cuz they end up soft and slimey outside and crunchy in the center- also, they are much sweeter and artificial tasting).
August 23rd, 2007 at 4:28 pmi think astronaut ice cream is not a candy, and is disgusting. im just not a fan, but deffintly not a candy
November 1st, 2007 at 1:11 pmin my opnion its like candy, becausse its not really ICE cream. I LOVE the mint chocolate chip, and it really does have the flavor of that ice cream, but i still see it as candy
November 7th, 2007 at 5:28 pmim afraid im from europe so i cannot eat anything the beaurocrats in brussels have decided is bad for me.
November 27th, 2007 at 6:07 pmim so lucky to have these people looking out for me and protecting me from this sugary junk food.
BTW- when i travel to america i dont feel the need to discard the contents of my suitcase to make room for lucky charms and astronaught ice cream to take back home;-)
BTW- i have to import lucky charms for $17 a box:-(
BTW- i cant even get astronaught ice cream:-[]
sorry, what i meant to say was- astronaught ice cream is candy. and its awesome!
I absolutely love freeze dried ice cream! I didn’t like the ice cream sandwiches, though. Just the neopolition. I noticed that it does kind of taste like the marshmellows to me, only better. I wouldn’t consider it candy, but I suppose I would consider it dairy. Yum.
December 14th, 2007 at 1:53 ami first tried freeze dried ice cream when i was in middle school at a science museum. then i got lucky and a candy store in the mall carried it. once that closed, i found it online at funkyfoodshop.com. it’s only $1.85 a package! they ship really fast and i’ve never been unhappy with them
February 2nd, 2008 at 5:01 pmI’m eating the stuff right now!! the flavor I’m having is chocolate ice cream with chocolate chips..MMMM…I bought it from thinkgeek.com…It’s pretty good! It’s nice to know that I’m not the only person out there who enjoys it lol
March 5th, 2008 at 9:32 pmOh my God, I LOVE that stuff! I had no idea that you could buy it in bulk! I must get some, it’s so good! I haven’t though about astronaut ice cream in years but now I think I NEED some, this is bad!
April 25th, 2008 at 3:17 pmI’d definitely call it candy though, it’s not substantial enough to be a dessert.