The Fro-Yo Trend

It's kind of died down in my area but for the rest of the country, there is a booming trend of frozen yogurt shops opening up everywhere. It seems like Pinkberry and Red Mango really set the business model but there are many smaller chains and mom&pop shops putting their own twist on this delectable treat.

1. You have delicious frozen yogurt flavors. I'm not talking about the old-school "frozen yogurt" that looked like ice cream and just tasted like a watered-down shitty ice cream. This fro-yo TASTES like yogurt straight up out of the cups. Standard fare is vanilla and chocolate but usually seasonal fruity flavors will also be available. (i.e. pomegranate, strawberry, etc.)
2. Select your flavor(s) and cup size.
3. Add delicious toppings like fresh fruit, candies, or cereal.
4. ENJOY!

As much as I do enjoy the taste of Red Mango however, I am really digging the new twists that other shops have been doing.





1. Self-serve... As much as YOU want. Often for me the medium cups are too much for me but the small cups are not enough. =( It's nice to get my own cup to fill.
2. Plethora of flavors. At Red Mango, the have maybe... four or five flavor options but these new places offer SO MANY MORE!! I've been to places with up to ten handles!
3. Self-serve toppings... agains... AS MUCH AS I WANT. What if I want lots of strawberries and like... 5 gummy bears? At these shops, I can do that.
4. Your purchase is based on how much you help yourself to. Once you get to the counter, they weigh your cup and charge you per ounce.

So as much as my gals and I love Red Mango's yogurt, we always go to another cafe a few doors away because we feel we get our money's worth. It's decent frozen yogurt (tastes a little like soft serve) and we can customize it to our wants. TCBY just recently revamped their entire concept to this new one. Sadly, the yogurt doesn't quite meet my standards. It tastes more like frozen custard than yogurt. I like frozen custard (RITA'S) but if I want fro yo... I want it true!

Take caution. Just because it's frozen yogurt doesn't necessarily mean it's "healthier." You really need to factor how much fat and sugar is in it. Chains have nutrition facts available but the mom&pop stores usually don't. It's also really easy to get carried away with filling up your cup. We're so used to having a pretty mountain swirl peaking way past the rim, that our brain tries to recreate that when we fill it up ourselves. Self-serve places usually carry two cup sizes. It's likely that you can't even finish the a filled up 'small' cup. Also, if you go crazy with all the toppings, you are adding more sugars and fats to your snack/dessert. You are also not doing your wallet a favor, because a fully stacked cup will weigh a lot and you could end up paying a ridiculous amount of money for something you probably won't finish.

So here's some handy tips if you luckily find yourself in a self-serve shop:
1. Sample the flavors. The yogurt messes with everyday flavors a lot so flavors you would think to be sweet are more tart or vice versa.
2. Once you've picked your flavor(s), select a cup (I always recommend the smaller one) and slowly fill your cup with desired flavor(s). I say slowly so you can watch how much is going in. Really think about how much you want/have room to eat. When in doubt, fill less than you think.
3. Choose your toppings wisely. Fruit is generally heavier so your cup will cost more yet candies are not very healthy so steer clear if you are dieting.

I enjoy good old vanilla topped with fresh fruits and filled only halfway. =)

Happy eating!

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