Froyo Is Having (Another) Moment. But Is It Actually Better for You Than Ice Cream?

Key Points

• Frozen yogurt is surging in popularity again, with yogurt chains seeing year-over-year visit growth nearly every week during the first half of 2026, as nostalgia and interest in protein and gut health help fuel its comeback.

• Froyo typically contains less fat than ice cream and may have fewer calories, but added sugar, portion size, and toppings can significantly affect its nutritional profile.

• Froyo made with active bacterial cultures may offer probiotic benefits and can be lower in lactose because of fermentation, though freezing may reduce the amount of beneficial bacteria that survive.

Frozen yogurt is having another moment. Once a fixture of the '80s and early 2000s, froyo is drawing crowds again, with TikTok filled with videos of lines stretching down the block outside New York shops and people showing off their go-to topping combinations. Some are calling it frozen yogurt's "third wave" — and the numbers suggest the comeback is real.

Data from analytics platform Placer.ai shows that yogurt chains experienced strong year-over-year growth nearly every week during the first half of 2026, with visits during some weeks climbing as much as 18% from the year before. Meanwhile, over the same period, traditional ice cream shops saw year-over-year declines.

Classic froyo shops are benefiting from the comeback, but a new crop of businesses is helping drive it. Madrid-based Myka , which has expanded to cities including Mexico City, Miami, New York, and Paris, is among the most prominent. Other newcomers include Mimi's and Culture in New York City, Go Greek in Los Angeles, and viral pop-up Mikono in Chicago. Together, these businesses are helping fuel the resurgence by repositioning frozen yogurt as a protein-friendly treat rather than the diet dessert of decades past.

Related: The 6 Coolest New Ice Cream Shops in America

And people are willing to pay for it. One woman shared on TikTok that she spent $31 on a single bowl of frozen yogurt. "It's criminally expensive (but so worth it)," she wrote in the caption. (Plenty of people in the comments begged to differ.)

Froyo's comeback is arriving at a time when protein, probiotics, and gut health are all major food trends — qualities that frozen yogurt has long been associated with. But does that health halo actually make it a better choice than ice cream? According to dietitians, the answer is more complicated than you might think.

What is frozen yogurt?

You probably know frozen yogurt when you see it, but what exactly makes it different from other frozen desserts? "Frozen yogurt is a heated milk and sugar base with added active bacterial culture," explains Lamees Lahham, RD , a dietitian at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. That mixture is left to cool and ferment, similar to the process used to make regular yogurt, she says. "The mixture is then frozen while air is folded into it for a creamier texture," Lahham explains.

But not all froyo is made the same way. "Some brands may add yogurt 'powder' to mimic the tart taste of yogurt without adding in the bacteria cultures," says Mackenzie Harkins, RD , a dietitian at Tufts Medicine MelroseWakefield Hospital.

What's the difference between frozen yogurt and ice cream?

Recipes vary by brand, but the biggest distinction between frozen yogurt and ice cream comes down to their bases. "Ice cream is made from cream and milk, while frozen yogurt starts with fermented yogurt," says Scott Keatley, RD , a dietitian and co-owner of Keatley Medical Nutrition Therapy. "Fermentation makes it more acidic, which gives frozen yogurt its tangy flavor."

Frozen yogurt typically contains less fat and has less air churned into it, resulting in a slightly less rich and creamy texture than ice cream, he points out.

Some brands, like Yasso, use non-fat Greek yogurt as the base for frozen yogurt, Harkins says. "That increases the protein content and decreases the saturated fat content," she says. "A chocolate fudge Yasso bar contains 5 grams of protein and 0 grams of saturated fat, while a traditional Fudgsicle contains 1 gram of protein and 0.5 grams of saturated fat."

Is frozen yogurt actually healthier than ice cream?

It depends on what you order. Keatley says frozen yogurt is healthier than ice cream "most of the time," but stresses that it's not automatically the better choice. "Lower fat content means fewer calories per ounce, and surviving live cultures can support gut health," he says. "But manufacturers often add sugar to offset the natural tartness from fermentation, so the calorie savings can disappear once sugar and toppings are factored in."

Sugar concerns aside, Lahham says the probiotic benefit of frozen yogurt may be overstated. "Frozen yogurt is perceived to have probiotics and translates to a healthy gut," Lahham says. "However, with the freezing process, the beneficial bacteria may not survive and may not add any significant benefit." Protein content can also vary considerably depending on how the frozen yogurt is made, Lahham says.

Related: 30 Delicious Frozen Dessert Recipes

Then there are the toppings, which can be a slippery slope, according to Harkins. "Alongside the fresh fruit and chopped nuts at the toppings station at a frozen yogurt shop are other foods like sprinkles and candy, which are higher in added sugar but can be enjoyed in moderation," she says.

Frozen yogurt does have a major advantage for people who have trouble digesting lactose. According to Lahham, "With the fermentation process of the yogurt, the lactose content is significantly lower, so this may be a good option for those who are lactose intolerant."

Froyo vs. ice cream: a nutritional comparison

Frozen yogurt is still dessert, and dietitians say it's important to think of it that way. But its nutritional profile can vary considerably depending on the ingredients, portion size, and toppings.

"Look for live and active culture labeling to confirm probiotics survived processing, added sugar under 15 to 20 grams per serving, and higher protein content to slow the blood sugar spike," Keatley says. He suggests sticking to smaller portions, especially at self-serve shops, and choosing fresh fruit or nuts instead of candy or syrup for toppings.

Making froyo at home with high-quality yogurt is another way to control the amount of added sugar, Lahham says. "Whether made at home or not, if enjoyed in moderation with appropriate portions, this is still a great treat," she says.

What's driving frozen yogurt's comeback?

Frozen yogurt boomed in the 1980s and again in the late '90s and early 2000s before gradually falling out of fashion. Its latest comeback appears to be tapping into several trends at once.

Related: No-Churn Vanilla Frozen Yogurt

"It's part nostalgia for the '90s–2000s self-serve froyo era, and part renewed interest in gut health and fermented foods," says Keatley. "Frozen yogurt benefits from that probiotic association, even when a given brand lacks much live culture by the time it's served."

Frozen yogurt also fits neatly into the current protein craze. "Frozen yogurt made from Greek yogurt can offer more protein than traditional ice cream," Harkins says. And its longstanding reputation as a lighter alternative to ice cream may be helping, too. "It's making a comeback among more health-conscious adults," Lahham says.

There's also the experience itself. "Frozen yogurt shops can offer a fun and unique dining experience in which you self-serve your frozen yogurt and toppings and pay by weight," Harkins says. "This allows people to customize their dessert how they like it, rather than picking from a curated menu."

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