Most frozen desserts are made from dairy products, such as milk and cream. Most varieties contain sugar, although some are made with other sweeteners. Artificial flavorings and colorings are also used in addition to or in replacement of natural ingredients.

The nutritional content of ice cream varies depending on the brand and flavor. Typically most desserts are high in calories, fat and sugar.

It is important to remember that a serving size is only half a cup, an amount that is hard to stick to. For example, one pint of ice cream contains four servings, and many people will eat the whole pint at one time. Put the pint down!

In addition to ice cream, there are many other bars, ice cream sandwiches, cups and fruit bars gracing the shelves of the ice cream aisle. The good thing about some of those items is that they are individual portions, which helps keep portion size in check.

The bad thing is that some of these are just as high - if not higher - in saturated fat than ice cream and some of them are more than one serving! There goes the portion help. For example, the Blue Bunny Personals Light Ice Cream Cups contain three-fourths of a cup while half cup is a serving.

The bottom line: Look for ice cream and novelties with less than 150 calories and 3 grams or less of saturated fat.

Good choices include:

• Fudge Bars


• Fudgsicle (no sugar added)


• Blue Bunny Sweet Freedom Fudge Lites


• Skinny Cow Minis, Low Fat Fudge, Skinny Cow Truffle


• Kroger or other store brand fudge bars


• Klondike 100 Calorie sandwich


• Skinny Cow No Sugar Added Sandwiches


• Healthy Choice or Weight Watchers Sandwiches


• Dreyer’s or Eddy’s Fruit Bars Snack Size


• Blue Bunny Sweet Freedom, Crème


• Dreyer’s or eddy’s Fruit Bars No Sugar Added


• Breyers Pure Fruit


• Whole Fruit Sugar Free


• Kroger Private Selection fruit bars


• Ciao Bella Sorbet Cup

The bottom line is: When you eat ice cream, do so in moderation and of course enjoy whichever variety you choose. If you choose lower calorie options, you can work them into your diet more often, but portions always matter!