Van Leeuwen Fans Need To Know About This Vegan Ice Cream Recall

With humble beginnings slinging small-batch ice creams from trucks prowling the streets of New York City in 2008, Van Leeuwen has gone on to become a heavy hitter in the world of frozen desserts, scooping its premium ice creams at shops in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Texas, and California, as well as stocking them in freezer cases in supermarkets across the country (via its official website). Known for utilizing high-quality ingredients, including Oregon marionberries, Yunnan Province Earl Gray tea, and Sicilian pistachios, Van Leeuwen ice cream is consistently ranked on best-of lists — including our roundup of favorite supermarket ice cream brands, on which the company grabbed the number two spot.

A big part of the reason Van Leeuwen is so beloved is undoubtedly thanks to its vegan desserts, which are a highly satisfying choice for the dairy-avoidant. Made from creamy, non-icy bases that utilize coconut, cashew, and oat milks (via Van Leeuwen), the vegan offerings are cited as being some of the best dairy-free ice creams on the market, according to Insider. But if you count yourself among the fans of these vegan selections, take note, because the brand just issued a widespread recall of its Oat Milk Brown Sugar Chunk ice cream.

If you're someone who lives with food allergies, dietary restrictions, or both, then you know how difficult it can be to find reliably safe prepared foods. And if you happen to be a vegan with any kind of nut allergy, then you probably know frustrating this can be, as many vegan products such as dairy-free cheeses, spreads and dips, and desserts are based on nuts and various nut milks. So if you recently bought a pint of Van Leeuwen ice cream's vegan Oat Milk Brown Sugar Chunk, listen up, because the brand just recalled 2,185 containers of this flavor due to the likely presence of undeclared tree nuts.

According to a notice published yesterday by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA), 14-ounce containers of this ice cream flavor have been recalled because they might contain trace amounts of undeclared cashews or pistachios. According to the ice cream's ingredients list, its base is made from oat milk, but the FDA reported that a consumer called in a complaint after suffering an allergic reaction. Oat Milk Brown Sugar Chunk ice creams with a lot number of 21V194 and a best by date of 1/13/2023 have been removed from store shelves, and the FDA's notice advises anyone allergic or sensitive to peanuts, chestnuts, Brazil nuts, walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, pine nuts, or cashews to dispose of the dessert or return it to its place of purchase for a full refund.