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                                                                      EXHIBIT 23
 
                       CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS
 
We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration
Statements on Form S-8 (Nos. 33-7350, 33-8418, 33-35561, 33-36092, 33-40275,
33-56417, 33-56411, 33-56413 and 333-16701) of Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream, Inc. of
our report dated March 12, 1997 appearing in the 1996 Annual Report to
Stockholders which is incorporated in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. We also
consent to the incorporation by reference of our report on the Financial
Statement Schedule, which appears on page 15 of this Form 10-K. We also consent
to the incorporation by reference of our report dated April 9, 1996 relating to
the consolidated financial statements of M-K-D Distributors, Inc. appearing on
page 17 of this Form 10-K.
 
PRICE WATERHOUSE LLP
 
San Francisco, California
March 28, 1997