We Tested This New Sleep-Friendly Ice Cream. Here’s the Verdict

Our favorite way to eat ice cream? At midnight, splayed out on the couch in our PJs while watching true-crime documentaries. (Don’t judge us.) There’s only one problem: After eating all that sugar so late at night, Amanda Knox turns into The Staircase turns into Abducted in Plain Sight…and before we know it, it’s 4 a.m., and we’re still jittery.

But now there’s Nightfood, “ice cream for people who eat ice cream at night.” (Ooh, that’s us.) No, it’s not regular ice cream laced with melatonin—it’s a special recipe that’s free of caffeine, excess fat, sugar and calories, which is friendlier for the nighttime digestion process. It also includes additional minerals (like magnesium, a proven sleep aid) and amino acids to support sleep quality.

This sounds amazing in theory, but does Nightfood really work? We taste-tested all eight flavors to find out.

What flavors are we talking about? We sampled the Full Moon Vanilla, Midnight Chocolate, After Dinner Mint Chip (mint chocolate chip), Cold Brew Decaf (sleep-friendly coffee), Cookies N’ Dreams (cookies and cream), Milk & Cookie Dough (cookie dough chunks in vanilla ice cream), Cherry Eclipse (cherries and chocolate chips), and Bed and Breakfast (sweet maple ice cream with waffle chunks). 

How does it taste? It’s not quite as decadent as traditional ice cream. There’s no denying this is a lower-sugar, lower-fat alternative. But right before bed, that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Think a frozen yogurt texture and consistency, with a slightly subtler flavor than the Breyers or Ben & Jerry’s ice creams you’re used to. Our favorites? Bed and Breakfast (hello, crunchy waffles), Cherry Eclipse (did you know that cherries are a natural source of melatonin?) and After Dinner Mint Chip (so refreshing).

But does it really help you sleep? We ate a generous bowl of After Dinner Mint Chip at 11 p.m. and had absolutely no trouble falling asleep by 11:30. Best of all, there was none of that I-just-consumed-200-grams-of-sugar shakiness that comes along with traditional ice cream. And if you’re partial to coffee or chocolate, having a caffeine-free option is a game-changer. Will Nightfood cure an underlying sleep disorder? Definitely not. Will it make you never want to touch a pint of creamy, sugary ice cream ever again? Nope. But it is it worth a shot if you have a sweet tooth after dinner but don’t want to be up for hours? Absolutely.