By Sarah Hunt, AZFB Communications Intern
Did you know there are ice cream brands out there that have healthier options than the normal 1,000-calories-per-pint Ben and Jerry’s? Read on to discover some of my favorite healthy ice cream brands.
These first came out about 5 years ago, and they have been my favorite healthy ice cream option ever since. Halo Top is focused on producing ice cream that is 280-330 calories per pint, so you can eat some or all of it without the guilt. It has a low sugar content and high amount of protein. They also have keto and dairy free options for those following these diets. Some of the flavors are not as good as others (I don’t recommend the cookies and cream), but my favorite flavors are the peanut butter cup, cookie dough, mint chip, and vanilla bean.
This ice cream is one of my newer discoveries. Trader Joes sells these delicious mini drumstick-style ice cream cones; they are only 93 calories per cone. These are great if you are trying to focus on portion control without entirely cutting out sugar. They come in a few different flavors, including chocolate chip, vanilla, chocolate, and coffee, which are offered year-round. They also have peppermint and pumpkin ginger flavors available during fall and winter.
Nice Cream
Some restaurants offer a dairy free version of ice cream called “nice cream”, which is sweetened with dates. But if you can’t find a restaurant near you that offers it, you can make it yourself! Try this recipe for peanut butter chunk nice cream by Natalie of the Feasting on Fruit blog.
This brand had some amazing mint chocolate chip ice cream bars when I was in high school; sadly they’ve discontinued these, but they still have lots of different delicious options, including ice cream bars, ice cream sandwiches, and ice cream cones. They typically are around 120 calories per bar with 12 grams of sugar, which a little higher than the other brands I’ve listed, but is not too bad compared to regular ice cream brands. You can find their products at most local grocery stores.
Go try some of these, find your new favorite, and tell us what it is in the comments!
Find more articles on healthy food on Fill Your Plate’s blog.