As the weather heats up, many of us indulge in the Australian mid-afternoon habit of reaching for an icy treat.
If you’ve visited the freezer section of your local supermarket recently, you might have noticed a growing array of ice-blocks and ice-creams that satisfy different types of dietary requirements.
From low-sugar to low-calorie treats and high-protein varieties, the range of options is now wider than ever. What suits you best largely depends on your personal preferences and dietary goals.
When choosing the best dessert option, the main question to ask is whether you’re seeking out a healthier option, or something more indulgent? If it’s a special occasion dessert, you can’t go past real ice-cream . To be officially classed as “ice-cream”, the base needs to be cream and/or milk with no less than 10 per cent milk fat, which gives true ice-cream its rich taste and texture.
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Products with only a handful of ingredients are likely less processed and better quality, while more processed options often add extra sugars, flavours and additives. On the other hand, if calorie control is top of mind, the guidelines are slightly different.
If you’re reaching for desserts or snacks more frequently, look for products that contain fewer than 100 calories per serve, and less than 10g of added sugars.
Shorter ingredient lists usually suggest better quality products, as do options with a whole food base, and as few additives, colours and flavours as possible. In saying that, when you have a dessert that has as few as 50-60 calories per serve, any additives are present in very small quantities, which is pretty insignificant in the grand scheme of things.
True ice-cream must contain at least 10 per cent milk fat, which means your favourite creamy dessert may actually be ice confectionary. There are only a handful of real ice-creams in supermarkets, and they usually cost much more than ice confectionaries.
Bulla Creamy Classics Vanilla Ice Cream
An Australian brand, this real ice-cream is lower in fat and sugars than other ice-cream options, whilst maintaining a rich, creamy texture.
Coles Irresistible Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
With less fat and sugar than most other real ice-cream options, and sold at a much lower price point, this is one of the best ice-cream options in supermarkets.
Not ice-cream, but not frozen yoghurt or fruit desserts, there are a wide range of dessert ice-blocks, with more decadent options offering up to 300 calories per serve. There’s also a growing range of mini, lighter varieties, which means you can enjoy your dessert, minus too many extra calories or added sugars.
Streets Solero Mini Dessert Sticks – Exotic and Berry Bliss
A low-calorie option that has a dairy base and 22 per cent fruit all for just 55 calories and just over a teaspoon of sugar, making it a perfect sweet treat that won’t derail your diet.
With a dairy base, fewer than 100 calories per serve and less than 10g of sugar, these tasty dessert sticks feel extremely indulgent without blowing the calorie budget.
Made with a base of water, sugar and occasionally fruit, ice blocks are generally low in total calories, but can contain up to 5 teaspoons of sugars per serve as well as added colours, so it’s worth checking ingredient lists to find the lighter options.
Peters Frosty Fruits Tropical 50% Less Sugar
One of the growing options that uses a sweetener (stevia) to help lower the overall sugar content. This is a great option for kids, has a 39 per cent juice base, just 70 calories and only 7g of total sugars per serve.
With a 36 per cent fruit base, 58 calories per stick and less than 10g of sugars per serve, this is a good option with a low total calorie load and fruit base, though the ingredient list is relatively long.
Generally a better option nutritionally thanks to the dairy base, these products can also be found in a number of portion controlled options.
Twisted Healthy Treats Minis Frozen Yoghurt
Another locally produced product, these decently sized tubs have just 83 calories each, and are made with a dairy base. They also have the added benefits of yoghurt, with prebiotics to nourish the gut, and just 10g of sugars per serve.
Bulla Frozen Yoghurt Mini – Mango, Strawberry, Passionfruit and Wildberry
These portion-controlled Australian-made treats have a dairy base with just 45 calories and 6g of sugars, and no artificial colours or flavours.
Like most foods in the supermarket, there is a growing range of higher protein options in the freezer aisle. While they are heavily marketed for their protein content, they are typically ultra-processed. That means you are better off nutritionally to indulge in real ice-cream occasionally, or pick a lower calorie treat than you are to spend big on a dessert that offers a few grams of extra protein.
Twisted Healthy Treats Double Choc Fudge Protein Pint
Low in saturated fat and sugars thanks to the addition of the sweetener erythritol, this option offers a decent 10g of protein per serve, and has a dairy base.
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