Ice cream is the quintessential summertime sweet. After all, the average American eats 23 pounds of it — from cones and bars to sandwiches and sundaes — every single year, the International Dairy Foods Association reports.
Fortunately, there are a lot of better-for-you options on the market, even if you're in search of something lower in fat, sugar, calories or all three. So next time you're at the freezer aisle, look to this guide to see if your favorite frozen treat would fit on this list and try some new brands below.
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What to Look for in Healthy Ice Cream
- Lower in calories: Aim for 200 calories or less per serving.
- Low in added sugars: Look for a treat that has 15 grams or less of added sugars per serving — that translates to just under 4 teaspoons of added sugar, which is under the daily cap recommended by the American Heart Association.
- Built-in portion control: Ideally, dessert should come in a small package. You won't find this with every frozen treat, of course, but it can be a helpful tool if you're the kind of person who likes to save a dish and eat straight out of the container.
- A nutrition bonus: Seek out a dessert that offers up something notable when it comes to nutrition. Does it include some fruit? Is there some fiber or protein or probiotics?
10 Healthier Frozen Treats to Buy
1. Yasso Poppables
Per poppable: 60 calories, 3 grams fat (2.5 grams saturated fat), 15 milligrams sodium, 7 grams carbohydrates (0 grams fiber, 5 grams sugar, 4 grams added sugar), 2 grams protein
- High-protein
- Low-carb
These low-calorie chocolate-covered yogurt bites are exactly as their name implies — bite-sized and poppable. They're also new to the Yasso family of frozen Greek yogurt treats and come in four different flavors: Vanilla, Chocolate, Mint, and Sea Salt Caramel, all with a tasty and crunchy outer chocolate coating.
Buy it: yasso.com; Price: $56.00 (8 boxes)
2. Coconut Bliss Cups of Joy
Per serving: 140-160 calories, 10-12 grams fat (9-11 grams saturated fat), 30-70 milligrams sodium, 12-15 grams carbohydrates (<1-2 grams fiber, 10 grams sugar, 8-9 grams added sugar), 1 gram protein
- Vegan
- Keto
Madagascan Vanilla Bean or Dark Chocolate, these single-serve plant-based, dairy-free ice cream cups are made with coconut milk and coconut syrup. Another boon: Their new packaging is oh-so-pretty and entertaining-worthy.
Buy it: CoconutBliss.com; Price: $9.00 (pack of 4)
3. Klondike Wind Down & Chocolate Shake
Per serving: 120 calories, 4 grams fat (3.5 grams saturated fat), 55 milligrams sodium, 20 grams carbohydrates (<1 gram fiber, 9 grams sugar, 7 grams added sugar), 3 grams protein
- Calorie-friendly
Klondike Wind Down & Chocolate Shake is a diner-style milkshake in a squeezy pack. These come nicely portion-controlled with each 4.7-ounce package, delivering only 120 calories. Not a fan of chocolate? Try the Chill Out & Vanilla Shake, which has fewer calories (and also slightly less protein).
Buy it: Target.com; Price: $5.99 (pack of 6)
4. Chloe’s Oat Milk Raspberry Chip Pops
Per popsicle: 100 calories, 2.5 grams fat (2 grams saturated fat), 20 milligrams sodium, 18 grams carbohydrates (0 grams fiber, 13 grams sugar, 12 grams added sugar), 1 gram protein
- Vegan
- Gluten-free
- Dairy-free
Oat milk-based pops are new to Chloe's line of frozen treats and fully dairy-free. They also don't contain any of the other top allergens. In addition to Raspberry Chip, Chloe's has five other oat milk-based flavors, which include Chocolate Peanut Butter, Salted Caramel, Cookies & Cream, Brownie Batter and Mint Chip.
Buy it: FreshDirect.com; Price: $9.58 (pack of 4)
5. Halo Top Gourmet Fudge Pops
Per popsicle: 80 calories, 1.5 grams fat (1.5 grams saturated fat), 45 milligrams sodium, 12 grams carbohydrates (6 grams fiber, 6 grams sugar, 4 grams added sugar), 6 grams protein
- High-protein
- High-fiber
- Low-carb
Chocolate Fudge has the lowest calorie content of the Halo Top Pops bunch. It's loaded with fiber (21 percent of your daily target) and 6 grams of protein. The other flavors — like Strawberry Swirl and Mint Chip — also deliver notable amounts of fiber and protein.
Buy it: Instacart.com; Price: $6.56 (4 pops)
6. Wyman’s Just Fruit & Greek Yogurt Bites
Per serving: 45 calories, 0 grams fat (0 grams saturated fat), 10 milligrams sodium, 10 grams carbohydrates (2 grams fiber, 7 grams sugar, 4 grams added sugar), <1 gram protein
- High-fiber
- Fat-free
Brought to you by the company best known for their frozen Wild Maine Blueberries, the Just Fruit & Greek Yogurt Bites are refreshing with just the right amount of sweetness. In addition to the classic Wild Blueberries flavor, Wyman's also makes Wild Blueberries and Mangos, Wild Blueberries, Strawberries and Banana Bites, and Raspberries and Strawberries.
They're also low-calorie and portioned into single-serve cups. Really, all you need is a spoon.
Buy it: Target.com; Price: $4.99 (4 cups)
7. Pro Rich Nutrition Rocket Launch
Per serving: 150 calories, 5 grams fat (3 grams saturated fat), 70 milligrams sodium, 17 grams carbohydrates (3 grams fiber, 12 grams sugar, 9 grams added sugar), 10 grams protein
- High-fiber
- High-protein
A frozen dessert with 10 grams of protein, 26 vitamins and minerals, probiotics and 3 grams fiber? It sounds too good to be true, but Pro Rich Nutrition proves it's the real deal.
The Rocket Launch flavor is a mix of coffee, caramel and chocolate chips, and supercharges you with 71 milligrams of caffeine — about the amount in a shot of espresso — deeming it perfect before the gym or as a midday snack. Other flavors include Mint Madness, Chocolate Chunk and Strawberry Sundae, so there's something to please every palate.
Buy it: Prorichnutrition.com; Price: $11.79 (3-pack)
8. Daiya Classic Vanilla Bean Bars
Per serving: 190 calories, 14 grams fat (12 grams saturated fat), 45 milligrams sodium, 17 grams carbohydrates (1 gram fiber, 13 grams sugar, 13 grams added sugar), 1 gram protein
- Vegan
- Gluten-free
Vegans and plant-based eaters rejoice: The vegan dessert aisle is top-notch these days and Daiya helps lead the way. Daiya Dessert Bars come in delicious classics such as Classic Vanilla Bean, Chocolate Fudge Crunch and Salted Caramel Swirl.
What we love most about this dessert is that it doesn't cut corners. It's a decadent dessert, just in a smaller portion, which is the right way to go in our book.
Buy it: Target.com; Price: $4.59 (4 bars)
9. Bubbies Strawberry Mochi Ice Cream
Per serving: 90 calories, 2.5 grams fat (2 grams saturated fat), 10 milligrams sodium, 15 grams carbohydrates (0 grams fiber, 10 grams sugar, 9 grams added sugar), 1 gram protein
- Gluten-free
- Kosher
What's great about mochi is that it has built-in portion control. And what we love about Bubbies is that it also has vegan offerings.
You can choose between the two vegan flavors currently available, Chocolate and Strawberry — both are decadent and the perfect solution for any sweet craving.
Buy it: Instacart.com; Price: $5.26 (6-pack)
10. Diana’s Dark Chocolate Banana Babies
Per serving: 130 calories, 6 grams fat (3.5 grams saturated fat), 15 milligrams sodium, 18 grams carbohydrates (1 gram fiber, 14 grams sugar, 3 grams added sugar), 2 grams protein
- Gluten-free
Sure, you could make your own chocolate-dipped bananas at home but why would you when you could just buy Diana's Bananas?
Each pop is a half-banana dipped in chocolate and served on a stick. These are a naturally good source of vitamin C and potassium thanks to the banana. We like the Milk Chocolate flavor, too, and it is about the same nutrition-wise.
Buy it: Instacart.com; Price: $3.99 (5-pack)
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