Fair Trade Spotlight: Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream

During our time in Switzerland, whenever Isaiah and I were feeling a little homesick AND in the mood for something sweet, we'd reach for a "pint" of Ben and Jerry's. At nearly $10 a pop, it was definitely an indulgence. However, we were always pleased with the fact that many of our favorite flavors featured Fair Trade certified ingredients. Unfortunately, upon our return to the States, we were hard-pressed to find Ben and Jerry's pints with the U.S. Fair Trade logo. 

Although I have yet to see such products in the larger chain supermarkets, they are out there. You can have your ice cream and support a great cause. Even if you haven't spotted the Fair Trade label on your favorite Ben and Jerry's flavor, be sure to check out their scoop shops. Their menu indicates which flavors are made with Fair Trade certified ingredients, and really with so many options, it's hard to choose! Guess we'll have to go back and try each one at least once! What would you like to see made with Fair Trade ingredients?

A recent visit to Seaport Village in San Diego included a mandatory stop at Ben and Jerry's:

UPDATE 6/29/13: I have seen the Fair Trade logo on B and J's ice cream more and more since I first published this post. I have, however, become aware of a questionable ingredient in their products: carrageenan. The verdict is still out on this ingredient, but we are not taking any chances, so we've stopped purchasing some of our favorite food products that contain it, including pints of Ben and Jerry's. I have written the Ben and Jerry's company to find out if the ingredient is also in the scoop shop flavors. I will update this post as soon as I get a response.