By now, I’m sure you’ve heard about Demi Lovato’s beef with The Bigg Chill, the Los Angeles frozen yogurt shop she accused of promoting “diet culture” because of their dietary-friendly options, which include sugar-free fro-yo. But, if you need a refresher, here you go.
Needless to say, Demi’s diatribe blew up on Instagram. Naturally, I had to check out the shop for myself IRL.
On Sunday (April 25), my friend Joline and I ventured over to the Bigg Chill. We showed up about 20 minutes before the shop opened, which was great because a line quickly formed around the corner once it got closer to opening. Once the doors were opened, the staff was incredibly friendly and accommodating. They worked quickly to help everyone out, while still being professional and kind.
Demi had called the shop out for serving “guilt free” cookies, but I didn’t see them in the store. It’s possible I missed something, but it also appears they were removed from The Bigg Chill’s Instagram. All other menu items were labeled as dairy-free, fat-free and sugar-free, making it clear the shop accommodates those who have specific dietary needs or restrictions.
Now for the good stuff: reviewing the frozen yogurt! I had the vanilla custard (which was fat-free) with vegan chocolate chip cookie dough, and vegan peanut butter cookie dough. It was heavenly, and so hard to believe that the dessert had any dietary modifications to them.
The custard was sweet, the texture was perfect — it reminded me of Kohr’s for any East Coast folks who have been lucky to have that. The cookie dough was absolutely to die for (and again, I seriously could not tell it was vegan). My friend and I loved our treats so much that we barely spoke while devouring them!
While I’m lucky enough to be able to enjoy dairy and sugar, there are many people who aren’t, and The Bigg Chill is a place for them to feel welcome and accommodated. And if you just want to enjoy a fat-free treat because you want to cut back on a few calories, that’s perfectly okay, too!
I’m glad all this drama seems to be working in The Bigg Chill’s favor, especially since so many small businesses got smacked pretty hard by the pandemic. Sugar-free or not, I only hope for sweet things for The Bigg Chill and their delicious fro-yo!