Best Healthy Ice Cream Alternatives

Refreshing, frozen treats can be especially satisfying during the summer months, providing some sweet relief during the hottest days of the year. While these treats can occasionally run a little high in extra fat and sugar, many may be healthier for you than you think.

The good news is that options for health-friendly ice cream at the grocery store are steadily on the rise, as consumers have started to shy away from high-fat ice cream bars. Single-serve individually wrapped treats also mean the portion control is done for you, leading to less over-indulging.

While making your own popsicles may still be the best way to avoid extra sugars and artificial flavors, here are a few of our favorite (and not so favorite) store-bought ice cream alternatives that we highlighted in one of our recent “Love it, Like It, Hate it” segments:

LOVE IT!

ProYo Protein Push-Up Pops

• Push-up pop meets protein shake with these high protein frozen “smoothie” tubes
• Chocolate, Vanilla Bean, Blueberry Pomegranate and Banana Vanilla, found locally at The Fresh Market
• Ingredients include: skim milk, whole milk, whey protein concentrate, stevia and cane sugar
• 140 calories, 1 gram sat fat, 17 grams carb, 14 grams sugar (milk sugar + added sugar), 20 grams protein

Mad Minis Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches

• Ingredients include: milk, cream, sugar, wheat flour, milk powder, which make up a relatively simple ingredient list
• 60 calories, 1 gram saturated fat, 8 grams carb, 5 grams sugar, 1 gram protein

LIKE IT!

Whole Foods Greek Yogurt Bars

• Ingredients include: organic nonfat milk, cultured Greek yogurt, cane sugar, fruit, cream
• 90 calories, 0 saturated fat, 15 grams carbs, 12 grams sugar, 4 grams protein

Weight Watcher’s Snack Size Chocolate Fudge Bars

• Ingredients include: skim milk, milk, sugar, corn syrup
• 45 calories, 0 saturated fat, 11 grams carb, 7 grams sugar, 2 grams protein

HATE IT!

Skinny Cow Ice Cream Sandwiches | Regular + No Sugar Added

• “Regular” ingredients include: milk, corn syrup, sugar, cream, wheat flour, cane sugar, palm oil
• 170 calories, 2.5 grams saturated fat, 29 grams carb, 15 grams sugar, 4 grams protein
• “No Sugar Added” Ingredients: milk, sorbitol, sucralose, acesulfame potassium, wheat flour, maltitol
• 150 calories, 1 gram saturated fat, 28 grams carb, 5 grams sugar, 4 grams protein
• “No sugar added” version only shaves 20 calories, but adds a blend of two artificial sweeteners plus sorbitol and maltitol, two sugar alcohols with potential for GI upset

Dove Ice Cream Bars|Haagen-Dazs Ice Cream Bars

• Ingredients include: cream, milk, sugar, egg yolks, with a “chocolate and vegetable oil coating”
• As much as 310 calories – 13 grams saturated fat – 21 grams carbs – 18 grams sugar
• More calories than a McDonald’s Cheeseburger and nearly 3x the saturated fat

For more details on this topic, see Molly’s full Get the Skinny Segment on WGNO’s Good Morning New Orleans.