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Low-Calorie Ice Cream Favorites

Posted by Lucy Baker, April 25, 2008 at 8:30 AM

Everyone—or everyone in New York, at least—has nutrition facts on the brain this week. The new city law forcing restaurants to post calorie counts has unwitting citizens balking at 480 calorie scones (Starbuck's), 1,590 calorie mango berry daiquiris (T.G.I. Friday's), and whopping 2,310 calorie Bloomin' Onions (Outback Steakhouse).

In an effort to prove that it is possible to savor, splurge, and indulge without sabotaging your waistline, I decided to share my top picks for low-calorie ice cream treats. Over the years I've become somewhat of a connoisseur. Because while it's important to me to fit into my skinny jeans, it's equally imperative not to skip dessert.

Häagen-Dazs Chocolate Sorbet
(1/2 cup: 130 calories, 0.5 grams of fat)
Hands down my number one favorite. The chocolate flavor is dark, complex, and, at times, almost bitter—definitely the real deal. Too often, reduced-calorie ice creams add sweeteners to make up for the lack of fat, which can lead to a saccharine-like taste. This sorbet is so smooth and creamy it's hard to believe that it’s dairy-free.

Elan Low-Fat Black Raspberry Frozen Yogurt
(1/2 cup: 130 calories, 2.5 grams of fat)
Unfortunately, élan frozen yogurt, a subsidiary of Brigham's Inc., is available only in New England. Whenever I go home to my parents' house I plow my way through at least a pint. Sweet, fruity Black Raspberry is my favorite flavor, especially when showered with chocolate sprinkles. Bordeaux Cherry Chip is pretty awesome, too.

Hood Ice Cream Sandwiches
(1 sandwich: 180 calories, 6 grams of fat)
There's no need to buy light versions of ice cream sandwiches. Don't get me wrong—I like Skinny Cow just fine (especially the cookies 'n cream)—but nothing is quite as satisfying as the kind I ate as a kid, on the sidewalk in the middle of summer. You know, the ones with the rectangular pieces of chocolate "bread" that you can peel back to reveal the jet-puffed vanilla beneath? At only 180 calories each, they're practically a health food.

Wendy's Junior Original Chocolate Frosty
(160 calories, 4 grams of fat)
Generally speaking, I'm a total snob when it comes to fast-food. I will make an exception to my "no drive-thru" rule, however, for a Wendy's Frosty. So thick you have to fight with your straw at first, they are everything a cheap chocolate milkshake should be: icy, creamy, and while not exactly fudgy, I do love that unique malted flavor.

That's my list. What low-cal frozen gems have you discovered? Here at Serious Eats we're curious to know about your favorite light ice creams!

About the author: Lucy Baker is a graduate student in the writing program at Sarah Lawrence College. Before returning to school to pursue an MFA, she was an assistant cookbook editor at HarperCollins. She lives in Brooklyn and is currently obsessed with all things fennel.

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Tags: ice cream, low-calorie