Our Test Kitchen Tried 9 Healthy Ice Cream Brands. Here’s Our Favorite.
Updated: Jan. 10, 2020Every editorial product is independently selected, though we may be compensated or receive an affiliate commission if you buy something through our links.
We taste-tested 9 healthy ice cream varieties to find the best guilt-free sweet treat.
We all mean to eat healthily, but actually doing it can be tough when you feel like you’re sacrificing foods you love. To help you make smart—and delicious—choices, we’ve compiled a list of healthy ice cream options that made the cut in our blind taste test.
Looking for the real deal? See which brand won our taste test for plain vanilla ice cream.
Finding the Best Healthy Ice Cream
Eating ice cream for work? That’s what we call a good day! To find the best low-calorie ice cream, we rounded up nine of the top brands available, and to make testing fair, we chose vanilla flavors from each. Our team blindly tested the products, and we evaluated the ice cream on things like:
- Flavor
- Texture
- Aftertaste
- Nutritional value
Creating a healthier version of ice cream is no easy task, as the main ingredients in this sweet treat are heavy cream, whole-fat milk, and sugar. You can swap in lower-fat dairy or cut back on sugar, but you’ll immediately notice a change in the ice cream’s consistency and taste. Many brands swap in alternative sweeteners—such as Halo Top, which uses sugar alcohol as the main ingredient.
As we searched for the best healthy ice cream, we took all these factors into account. We wanted to find a creamy, smooth variety that didn’t leave a strange taste in our mouth. Basically, we wanted a healthy ice cream that tastes as good as the real thing—and we found it!
The Best Healthy Ice Cream: Halo Top
For a healthy vanilla ice cream, your best bet is Halo Top Vanilla Bean. This might not come as much of a shock, seeing that Halo Top has surpassed other big-name brands to become the best-selling ice cream pint in the country. Each pint contains 280 calories and 20 grams of protein.
Our testers said this ice cream was the best dupe for regular vanilla, with a sweet taste and creamy texture. It wasn’t nearly as grainy or icy as other brands we tested, and while the vanilla flavor was on the lighter side, it was still pleasant with flecks of vanilla bean in each bite.
$4 for a pint; available at retailers nationwide.
More Ice Cream Brands to Try
Breyers Delights Vanilla Bean
Our runner-up was Breyers Delights, a low-fat ice cream, which has similar nutritional value to Halo Top. Each pint of this ice cream boasts 260 calories and 20 grams of protein. Like Halo Top, the brand uses sugar alcohol in place of traditional sweeteners.
In our testing, we found Breyers Delights to be creamy with a similar mouthfeel to regular ice cream. Many of our taste testers also liked that there were visible flecks of vanilla bean in each scoop. However, some tasters remarked that it had an odd aftertaste.
Prices vary; available at retailers nationwide.
Arctic Zero Vanilla Bean
Rounding out our top three picks for healthy ice cream is Arctic Zero Vanilla Bean. Unlike the other products, Arctic Zero doesn’t use sugar alcohol, so it may be a good option for those who are sensitive to this ingredient.
Each pint of this healthy ice cream has just 280 calories, but there are only 8 grams of protein per pint and the sugar content is higher than most at 36 grams per container. Our testers found Arctic Zero to be super sweet and almost cake-like in flavor, but it has an icy texture that reminded them more of frozen yogurt than ice cream.
Prices vary; available at retailers nationwide.
How to Serve Healthy Ice Cream
The tricky thing about healthy ice cream is that if you want to dress it up with topping—like hot sauce or caramel—the treat crosses back over into “unhealthy” territory.
Luckily, there are some healthy ice cream toppings that you can use to dress up a sundae without feeling bad, including:
- Fresh fruit
- Shredded coconut
- Nuts
- Granola
- Crushed pretzels
When you’re looking for a treat, don’t hesitate to use healthy ice creams to lighten up the calorie load in desserts like milkshakes or ice cream cookie sandwiches. The sky is really the limit here! Check out this collection of recipes that call for vanilla ice cream.
Cherry and Chocolate Ice Cream Pie
Cherry and chocolate is a classic combination. Give this Black Forest pairing a new life by blending it with tasty vanilla ice cream and popping it in a pie crust. Not sure which brand of ice cream to buy? Check out the brands our editors and the Taste of Home Test Kitchen recommend.
Ice Cream Kolachkes
These sweet pastries have Polish and Czech roots and can also be spelled "kolaches." They are usually filled with poppy seeds, nuts, jam or a mashed fruit mixture. The ice cream is a unique twist on traditional kolachkes, and it's simplest to use a square cookie cutter to cut the dough. —Diane Turner, Brunswick, Ohio
Giant Peanut Butter Ice Cream Sandwich
I created this giant peanut butter cookie cake for my husband, adding light and low-fat products to the cookie dough. It was so fantastic that I fixed it with conventional ingredients for guests. Since it can be made ahead of time and frozen, it cuts stress for busy hostesses. And really, who doesn't love peanut butter ice cream? —Joann Belack, Bradenton, Florida
Almost It's-It Ice Cream Sandwiches
You'll discover why the treat is so popular in San Francisco. It's snack heaven...ice cream, delicious oatmeal cookies and a touch of chocolate. Swap out the vanilla for your favorite flavor, such as chocolate, caramel or cherry. — Jacyn Siebert, San Francisco, California
Banana Split Supreme
This lovely and delightful dessert has the classic flavor of a banana split. It's a cool, creamy treat with no last-minute fuss since you just pull it from the freezer. It always solicits praise from our big family. -Marye Franzen, Gothenburg, Nebraska
S'mores Milk Shake
When cabin fever hits, we whip up a beverage that tastes like s’mores. Oven-toasted marshmallows and a blender make it happen. —Sarah McKenna, Centennial, Colorado
Grilled Peach Sundaes
These peaches with a hint of grill flavor are sweet and juicy. We serve them in a waffle bowl with ice cream. That’s jackpot at our house. —Nancy Dentler, Greensboro, North Carolina
Limoncello Cream Pie
After a big Christmas dinner, we love the cool refreshment of a frozen lemon pie. Limoncello brings a little sophistication to each smooth, creamy slice. —Jessie Grearson-Sapat, Falmouth, Maine
Spumoni Baked Alaska
For a refreshing end to a rich meal, try this freezer finale. Its intriguing interior and pretty color scheme are bound to garner oohs and aahs. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Lemon Meringue Floats
I actually dreamed of this float idea one night, and woke up knowing I needed to make it. Thank you, Mr. Sandman! —Cindy Reams, Philipsburg, Pennsylvania
Raspberry Ice Cream Delight
This gorgeous make-ahead dessert is a light, refreshing ending to a summer meal. I first made it for my aunt's 85th birthday dinner and everyone loved it! —Nancy Whitford, Edwards, New York
Snickerdoodle Ice Cream Sandwich Minis
My husband absolutely loves ice cream sandwiches and snickerdoodles, so I combined them into one fun treat. Here’s how we build this cool dessert. —Heather Pilon, Winslow, Maine
Pumpkin Gingersnap Ice Cream Pie
My family and I always try new desserts during the holidays. This one was a clear winner, so we now make it for all occasions! —Patricia Ness, La Mesa, California
Thin Mint Milk Shake
Save a sleeve of Girl Scout cookies for this creamy milkshake that's fun for kids and adults, too. —Shauna Sever, San Francisco, California
Italian Horn Cookies
My family has been making these delicate fruit-filled cookies for generations. They’re light and flaky, with the look of an elegant old-world pastry. —Gloria Siddiqui, Houston, Texas
Frozen Grasshopper Torte
I first made this minty cool torte for a ladies' meeting at our church. I’m still making it, and the compliments keep coming. —Elma Penner, Oak Bluff, Manitoba
Thick Strawberry Shakes
Cool off with a thick and rich treat that will remind you of a malt shoppe! Nothing can beat this strawberry shake recipe. —Kathryn Conrad, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Summer Celebration Ice Cream Cake
I wanted to make my youngest son an ice cream cake one year for his summer birthday, as he prefers ice cream to the traditional cake. He picked the flavors and I decided to try my favorite brownie recipe as a crust. It worked! —Krista Frank, Rhododendron, Oregon
Strawberry Cream Floats
When it starts warming up in Colorado, my kids ask for ice-cold treats. This rosy pink cream float is one of our household favorites. —Crystal Jo Bruns, Iliff, Colorado
Crunchy Ice Cream Delight
Four generations of home cooks have shared our crunchy ice cream bars. If you love almonds like my family does, double the butter and almonds and save half to sprinkle on top. —Angie Ricklefs, Sioux City, Iowa
Red, White and Blueberry Ice Cream Pie with Granola Crust
One of my favorite pies is creamy, crunchy and patriotic. Make squiggles with the sauces, or use them for a fun design. —Marina Delio, Santa Barbara, California
Spiced Pumpkin Coffee Shakes
The winter holidays are my favorite time of year, and this spiced pumpkin drink is one reason I love the season so much. If you don't have a coffee maker, it's OK to use instant coffee—just make it stronger. —Kathie Perez, East Peoria, IllinoisHow We Chose the Winners
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