In an increasingly health-conscious society frozen yogurt has replaced ice-cream as the frosty dessert of choice. The “froyo” craze has spread like wildfire, and has even gained adoration from health fanatics because the treat is a less fattening, probiotic enhanced version of ice cream. Since summer is almost here, a lot more people are going to be craving something cold and sweet and, as the froyo lover that I am, I decided to visit two nearby locations, Froyo World and Peachy Keen, to find the best frozen yogurt in Hamden.
Flavor Variety: Froyo World is the king of flavor variety. There are exactly 12 choices which may make the flavor decision process stressful to the point of a possible anxiety attack. I’m just joking. But seriously, is it possible to have too many choices? They receive a 5/5. Peachy Keen, on the other hand, only has six flavors to choose from, and each time I visit there seems to be the traditional “Original Tart” flavor, as well as a generic chocolate yogurt. Despite the limited selection, Peachy Keen is still able to cater to most customers: 2/5.
Toppings: Froyo World’s toppings are crazy. You can put cheesecake cubes, nutella flavored syrup, even cookies on your frozen yogurt. While I like to keep my dessert simple with a few pieces of sliced fruit on top, I have to say the toppings at Froyo World are mouth watering, and their creative options earn them a top rating: 5/5. Peachy Keen’s toppings are also impressive, although they don’t have quite as many syrups to put on top of the frozen yogurt. Peachy Keen has a larger selection of fresh fruit, which it adds a healthier spin to this dessert: 4/5.
Environment/Location: Froyo World is clean and has nice mirrors so you can watch yourself eat, but I simply cannot stand listening to the country music that they constantly play. Froyo World also loses points for not being within walking distance of campus, located about 10 minutes away in Hamden Plaza: 2/5. Peachy Keen plays a variety of generally pleasing music that does not make me want to rush out of there as soon as I buy my frozen yogurt. That’s a plus. And the establishment is literally a five minute walk from campus. It can’t get any better than that: 5/5.
Price: Whenever I go to Froyo World, my friends are shocked at the register by an unexpectedly high price. They spend a lot more on toppings than they realize and don’t get their money’s worth out of it: (3/5). Froyo World and Peachy Keen have the same prices for their frozen yogurt, 49 cents per ounce, but Peachy Keen gets a higher rating in this category (4/5) because it doesn’t offer a lot of heavy toppings that will ultimately raise the price of your purchase.
Quality: Peachy Keen and Froyo World have amazing flavors, and both deserve a 5/5 for this category based on taste. However, there is always the question of texture. Froyo World’s yogurt can often seem somewhat runny and watered down (3/5). Peachy Keen’s on the other hand is more thick and creamy, which helps it hold its own against the mountains of toppings you are bound to add: (5/5).
The Breakdown: I must say that both locations are definitely worth checking out and rank as the best Froyo joints in Hamden. No matter what you get, you’re at risk of devouring it in less than 30 seconds, but when you break down the scores, the top title goes to Peachy Keen with 20/25 point, over Froyo World with 18/25.
