As readers may remember, I tried making my own ice cream two years ago.
It just didn’t make the cut. I knew I was going to have to eat store-bought ice cream. The problem is all that sugar and fat.
Last week my son asked if I knew about Halo Top, the relatively new, healthier ice cream. I went out and bought a pint of Vanilla Bean for $5.77 at Ralphs. After heating it up in the microwave for 30 seconds, it was great.
Here is why it is called healthy: Vanilla Bean has 240 calories per pint — Total Carbs (56 grams/pint), Saturated Fat (4 grams/pint), Sugar 16 grams (mostly stevia and erythritol), Fiber (20 grams/pint), and Protein (24 grams/pint). You can eat a pint of Halo Top and get fewer calories than ½ cup of Haagen Daz.
There are Halo Top critics who say a half-cup serving of Halo Top weighs just 66 grams. A half-cup of Haagen Daz weighs 102 grams. Therefore, with Halo Top you are getting one-third less product – a lot of air per serving – thus, the reason for the low calorie count per serving.
I decided I just have to try all 17 flavors of Halo Top. I am more than halfway there. Here are the flavors I have tried and my ratings.
- Vanilla bean: It’s delicious. Very vanilla.
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough: It’s delicious – especially the cookie dough.
- Birthday cake: It’s delicious. Sweet colored sprinkles.
- Sea Salt Caramel: It’s delicious – especially the caramel.
- Lemon Cake: I’m not a lemon cake guy. Not so great.
- Pistachio: There’s no pistachio taste.
- Strawberry: Where’s the strawberry taste?
- Mint Chip: I don’t like mint. Where are the chocolate chips?
- Chocolate: It’s not chocolaty enough.
- Smores: Very disappointing – no marshmallows or chocolate taste.
Here are the flavors I haven’t tried: Chocolate Almond Crunch, Chocolate Mocha Chip, Red Velvet, Oatmeal Cookie, Cookies and Cream, Black Cherry, and Peanut Butter Cup.
I give thanks to Halo Top’s founder. He started by freezing Greek yogurt, and he decided to keep the high-protein, low-sugar of the yogurt in his ice creams.
Even if there are only four flavors I like, I expect to buy and eat pints of those healthier ice creams with some regularity – say, at least every Saturday night.
Mr. Ebsen may be contacted at robertebsen51@gmail.com
