This Costco Frozen Dessert Is Underwhelming At Best

The hardest part of shopping at Costco is figuring out whether to try something new. The issue is that when it's a swing and a miss, you're now stuck with enough of the whiff to feed a family. This is especially tough when it's a frozen item as not everyone has a giant freezer in their garage. With this in mind, we're advising you not to bother picking up a box of the Authentic Asia Mango on a Stick next time you're at the warehouse market. 

Daily Meal tried 8 frozen desserts from Costco, ranking them from worst to best, and it came in dead last. We determined our ranking by judging each item on flavor, overall quality of ingredients, value, and even accounting for a little nostalgia. The Authentic Asia Mango on a Stick is a Costco exclusive, and only available in the Northwest, Southeast, and Midwest locations. The problem with this particular frozen treat lies in its failure to follow through on either of its promises, delivering neither tasty chocolate nor sweet mango. 

The mango was underripe, leading to a slight sourness that was wholly unpleasant — not the juicy, sweet mango experience we were hoping for. The treat also utilizes compound chocolate rather than pure dark chocolate which, considering there's more vegetable fat contained in it than cocoa butter, leads to a muted chocolate flavor. Save your money and freezer space for Daily Meal's number 1 pick: It's-It Mini Ice Cream Sandwiches.

Online, plenty of people agreed with Daily Meal's feelings on Costco's Authentic Asia Mango on a Stick while others loved it. On Reddit, one user posted just to spread their love for the dessert. They were met with either people lamenting that it wasn't available at their local Costco, or not liking it. "Super tasteless and def not buying again," one such user posted. And yet, in response to that, another Redditor proudly proclaimed, "I am on pack #3...they are amazing." One person who hadn't tried it caught on to one of our main issues with this frozen treat when they pointed out, "'Chocolate flavored' seems sketchy."

Honestly, it sounds like you would be better off hand dipping mango into chocolate yourself at home rather than taking a chance on the Authentic Asia Mango on a Stick. It's super easy to do; simply slice up some mango, stick a skewer into each piece, freeze it (for at least 30 minutes or overnight if you prefer), then carefully dip half of each slice into some melted chocolate. Let that cool, and you've got good mango dipped in equally good chocolate. Just ensure you read our expert advice on how to properly temper chocolate first!