# Ben & Jerry's 'still a pint' **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 23, 2012, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ben-jerrys-still-a-pint/626011 "2012-06-23T02:12:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2012, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ben-jerrys-still-a-pint/626011/41 "2012-06-25T13:05:02Z")
We buy pints instead of half gallons because we just don’t eat that much ice cream any more. And ice cream WILL go bad, if you leave it in the freezer long enough. ---
**Author:** ![mcgato](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac8455/32.png) [@mcgato](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mcgato)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2012, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ben-jerrys-still-a-pint/626011/42 "2012-06-25T13:39:16Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Who the hell eats only 1/2 cup of ice cream? For nutritional labeling, there are rules on what serving sizes will be used for what products. Ice cream has a serving size of 1/2 cup, so all ice cream nutritional labeling will be done with 1/2 cup. Makes it easier to compare between products, which would be difficult if everyone used different serving sizes. I won’t argue that it is probably an unreasonable serving size, but the food manufacturers are following the rules given by the FDA. ---
**Author:** ![Shakester](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shakester/32/437_2.png) [@Shakester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shakester)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2012, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ben-jerrys-still-a-pint/626011/43 "2012-06-25T14:24:02Z")
Jeez, Americans, adopt the metric system already. ---
**Author:** ![amaguri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@amaguri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amaguri)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2012, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ben-jerrys-still-a-pint/626011/44 "2012-06-25T14:26:42Z")
> [@oreally](#): > > Gross. > > And yeah, overrated. I still don’t get the hoopla. I think some people got into it because it was “cool.” > > I’ll stick with Breyers, thanks. Tastes great, moderately priced, and just a few simple ingredients. :rolleyes: Breyers has an enormous line of “dairy dessert” products that are full of candy bars, cookie bits, fudge swirls, etc. Clearly there’s a huge market for ice cream (or equivalent) with junk in it. ---
**Author:** ![MN\_Maenad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e95f7d/32.png) [@MN\_Maenad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MN_Maenad)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2012, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ben-jerrys-still-a-pint/626011/45 "2012-06-25T16:30:36Z")
> [@oreally](#): > > I’ll stick with Breyers, thanks. Tastes great, moderately priced, and just a few simple ingredients. As mentioned, caveat emptor. The last time we grabbed a carton of Breyers it was filled with guar gum and carageenan and all the other crap the other brands use. > [@Cartooniverse](#): > > A 2x4 is not 2x4 either !!! If this isn’t a whoosh, it actually is supposed to be, before it’s put in the kiln to dry. ---
**Author:** ![rock\_party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e19b73/32.png) [@rock\_party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rock_party)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2012, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ben-jerrys-still-a-pint/626011/46 "2012-06-25T18:32:13Z")
The larger ‘econo size’ used to be just that…cheaper because you were buying in bulk with less overall packaging. Manufacturers have realized this so they now are moving away from the econo sizes altogether. Tortilla chips, for example, were 16oz. Then 14oz. Then 12oz. Lately they’ve shrunk to 11oz. Essentially you’re buying big, air filled bags. I’m not sure where manufacturers are going with this. Will one day eveything end up single serving? Or will there someday be a backlash and giant econo sizes will come back? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2012, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ben-jerrys-still-a-pint/626011/47 "2012-06-25T18:48:54Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Reducing the size is smart marketing, as you need to buy two containers in order to provide desert for five, rather than one container. Also, you have to return to the store more often if you’re big on ice cream. I’m wondering if the big issue here is actually rising dairy prices. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2012, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ben-jerrys-still-a-pint/626011/48 "2012-06-25T19:17:58Z")
Here’s a recent thread that covered much of the same territory. ---
**Author:** ![sitchensis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sitchensis/32/4892_2.png) [@sitchensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sitchensis)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2012, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ben-jerrys-still-a-pint/626011/49 "2012-06-25T19:24:05Z")
> [@MN\_Maenad](#): > > If this isn’t a whoosh, it actually is supposed to be, before it’s put in the kiln to dry. It is a whole lot more complicated than that ---
**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2012, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ben-jerrys-still-a-pint/626011/50 "2012-06-25T19:27:23Z")
Plastic ice cream pails were recycled into toy containers in my childhood. Zurheide’s. Guessing that was a gallon or maybe more? Poor kids these days. ---
**Author:** ![BlinkingDuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eada6e/32.png) [@BlinkingDuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlinkingDuck)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2012, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ben-jerrys-still-a-pint/626011/51 "2012-06-25T20:17:17Z")
> [@rock\_party](#): > > The larger ‘econo size’ used to be just that…cheaper because you were buying in bulk with less overall packaging. Manufacturers have realized this so they now are moving away from the econo > sizes altogether. Tortilla chips, for example, were 16oz. Then 14oz. Then 12oz. Lately they’ve shrunk to 11oz. Essentially you’re buying big, air filled bags. > > I’m not sure where manufacturers are going with this. Will one day eveything end up single serving? > Or will there someday be a backlash and giant econo sizes will come back? Maybe you youngsters think this is a new thing but the shrink ray has been around a long time. When you reach the end of the line…when you cannot shrink the food anymore then you launch a huge Ad campaign where you DOUBLE your size and poke fun at all the competitors small packages. This is where the big price increase comes from. Once you do this, then you start bringing out the shrink ray again. Toilet paper has been doing this since I can remember. The rolls keep getting smaller and smaller until they look stupid. They then come out with ‘Double Rolls’ and phase out the ‘single rolls’…then start shrinking the double rolls over time. Rinse repeat. I imagine your Tortilla chips will be the same. In the near future look for ‘double bags’ or some such with the ‘single bags’ hanging around for a bit then becomeing harder to find then disappearing. ---
**Author:** ![ThisSpaceForRent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thisspaceforrent/32/345_2.png) [@ThisSpaceForRent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisSpaceForRent)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2012, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ben-jerrys-still-a-pint/626011/52 "2012-06-30T01:52:23Z")
I still consider a PINT of Ben and Jerry’s to be a single serving.🙂 And NO…I don’t weigh 300+ lbs… ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2012, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ben-jerrys-still-a-pint/626011/53 "2012-06-30T01:55:46Z")
> [@ThisSpaceForRent](#): > > I still consider a PINT of Ben and Jerry’s to be a single serving.🙂 > > And NO…I don’t weigh 300+ lbs… It’s not. It’s a taster sample. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Pine\_Fresh\_Scent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/43a26b/32.png) [@Pine\_Fresh\_Scent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pine_Fresh_Scent)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2012, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ben-jerrys-still-a-pint/626011/54 "2012-06-30T05:23:33Z")
Came in here to post that the other day I noticed that the Ben & Jerry’s lids in my local grocer said “still 16 oz.” instead of “still a pint”. I was looking for a picture online and found what I thought was a funny photoshop. I think these are real, though. [Ben & Jerry’s Pint Lock.](http://technabob.com/blog/2012/06/28/ben-jerrys-pint-lock/) Poor little ice cream pint. It’s not its fault it’s so delicious that it must be locked up like a caged puppy… ---
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2012, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ben-jerrys-still-a-pint/626011/55 "2012-06-30T05:33:14Z")
> [@Pine\_Fresh\_Scent](#): > > Came in here to post that the other day I noticed that the Ben & Jerry’s lids in my local grocer said “still 16 oz.” instead of “still a pint”. I was looking for a picture online and found what I thought was a funny photoshop. I think these are real, though. > > [Ben & Jerry’s Pint Lock.](http://technabob.com/blog/2012/06/28/ben-jerrys-pint-lock/) Poor little ice cream pint. It’s not its fault it’s so delicious that it must be locked up like a caged puppy… Shame your Ben & Jerry’s container is made of cardboard I had to cut through it to get around that lock. Want your lock back? ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2012, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ben-jerrys-still-a-pint/626011/56 "2012-06-30T06:36:32Z")
> [@wheresmymind](#): > > Be careful! Breyers was always my favorite “non-premium” brand too, but just recently they’ve started abandoning their whole all-natural, 4-5 ingredient philosophy. I was HORRIFIED recently when I came home with a carton of cherry vanilla, only to literally spit out the first spoonful I put in my mouth. …snip… I can’t remember if it’s Breyer’s or Dreyer’s, but one of those brands’ ice creams is a horrible foamy-textured monstrosity (which bizarrely somehow manages to taste “warm” though I can’t figure out how that’s possible), that doesn’t deserve to call itself ice cream. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ben-jerrys-still-a-pint/626011.md?page=2)