‘Try a Dollar General’: Target shopper demands answers after taking a look at Ben & Jerry’s section

A Target shopper is demanding answers from the owners of Ben & Jerry's after she is unable to find a plain vanilla-flavored ice cream.

TikTok user Casia (@casia.mac) posted a video on Jan. 28 that features her complaint. She is in the ice cream section of her local Target, but unfortunately, she can’t find a Ben & Jerry’s flavor that she finds palatable. “Ben and Jerry, where’s the vanilla?” she says to start the video.

She continues, “Where’s the plain flavors at? I’m over here trying to support you. Babe, I have ARFID. I need vanilla.”

What is ARFID?

Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) is an eating disorder primarily found in children. People with ARFID struggle with the smell or flavor of foods and are often extremely picky eaters. Some individuals might eat only a few select dishes or lack interest in eating.

A review of Ben & Jerry’s website shows that the company does indeed offer the classic flavors of vanilla and chocolate. However, according to Tasting Table, only vanilla is sold by the pint. The outlet suggests going to a brick-and-mortar Ben & Jerry’s to track those down.

In a Reddit thread posted to r/NoStupidQuestions eight years ago, a user noted that Ben & Jerry’s focus on mix-ins can be attributed to co-founder Ben Cohen, who suffered from the sinus condition anosmia, which inhibited his sense of taste and smell. A Delish interview with Cohen from 2021 backs this theory up.

In the interview, Cohen reveals that his condition had a profound impact on the Ben & Jerry’s ice cream development process because they added mix-ins to create texture that Cohen could enjoy. He couldn’t pick up on plain flavors like vanilla. “I was just trying to make ice cream that I personally liked,” he told the magazine.

Watch on TikTok

Viewers react to Casia’s request

The video has amassed more than 1.2 million views. In the comments section, viewers offered mixed (pun intended) reactions to Casia’s request.

One viewer simply stated, “They do not make any plain flavors.”

A second viewer agreed, “You know what, I don’t think I have ever seen a plain flavor before.”

A third viewer said, “OK, so one of the creators has this thing where he doesn’t really taste flavors, so their ice cream has lots of texture! I guess the opposite of ARFID.”

Other users said they’ve encountered this exact problem.

One wrote, “Literally me. I don’t eat chocolate and so many of them have chocolate.”

A second viewer said, “Vanilla Ben & Jerry’s is so hard to find.”

A third viewer wrote, “As a just cheese pizza girly, I get it.”

The Daily Dot reached out to Casia via TikTok comment and direct message for comment. It also reached out to Ben & Jerry’s and Target via email for comment.

Internet culture is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter here. You’ll get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.

Sign up to receive the Daily Dot’s Internet Insider newsletter for urgent news from the frontline of online.

The post ‘Try a Dollar General’: Target shopper demands answers after taking a look at Ben & Jerry’s section appeared first on The Daily Dot.

dailynoti coindeskcrypto cryptonewscrypto bitcoinmymagazine mybitcoinist cryptowithpotato mycryptoslate fivenewscrypto findtechcrunch journalpayments nulltxcrypto newsbtcarea