It's not summer without ice cream. (Actually, it's not any time of the year to me without ice cream, but that's another blog.) It's also not summer without skimpier outfits and trips to the beach, so I try to have my cone, sundae, or single scoop without overdoing it. Here are some tasty ideas-and surprising facts-so you can indulge your ice cream jones, guilt free:
Note: One scoop is ½ cup and calorie counts for ice cream are estimates based on several popular brands.
1.) Order two flavors of gelato
For gelato and ice cream, most fruit flavors (like strawberry, raspberry, or pineapple) have 30 to 50 fewer calories than their chocolate or vanilla counterparts, so you can afford two scoops instead of one!
Try this: Order 1 scoop of fruity gelato like strawberry (180)
Top with 1 scoop of rich gelato like chocolate or pistachio (230)
Total calories: 410
Cool off with these 20 refreshing, fresh-fruit smoothies.
2.) Get a small version of the real thing
Don't be fooled by "light" ice cream-it refers to fat, not calories. In fact, a large serving of light soft-serve chocolate ice cream will set you back 444 calories! Enjoy a small portion with a topping instead.
Try this: Order a small (1 cup) soft-serve light chocolate-vanilla twist ice cream (243) on a plain cone (17)
Total calories: 260
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3.) Craving volume? Stick with sorbet
Choose sorbet and you'll get 3 scoops for your calorie budget! Just be aware that most sorbet contains high fructose corn syrup, so you don't want to order it too often.
Try this: 3 scoops of fruity sorbet (360)
Total calories: 360
4.) Skip the sprinkles-and go for the candy
It may be hard to believe, but ½ chopped Heath bar actually contains fewer calories than 2 tablespoons of sprinkles (120) !
Try this: Order 1 scoop of chocolate ice cream (260)
Top with half of a chopped-up Heath Bar (105)
Total calories: 365
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A 1-cup serving of frozen yogurt (220) still has 40 fewer calories than ½ cup of regular vanilla ice cream (260), saving you room for a cone and sprinkles.
Try this: Start with a 1-cup serving of low-fat or fat-free frozen yogurt (220) in a sugar cone (50) Roll the ice cream in 2 Tbsp rainbow or chocolate sprinkles (120)
Total calories: 390
6.) Eat peanut butter cup solo
Peanut butter ice cream adds 90 calories more than plain chocolate or vanilla. Skip the toppings to stay trim-it's rich enough without them, anyway.
Try this: 1 scoop peanut butter-flavored ice cream like Peanut Butter Cup or Chocolate Peanut Butter (350)
Total calories: 350
Save room for dessert with these yummy, lower-cal meals
Get More Lower Calorie Tips and Recipes from Prevention:
Best Ice Cream Treats For A Slimmer Summer
How To Cut 100 Calories Instantly
Try Prevention's 24-Hour Guide to Weight Loss
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