The Best of the New Frozen Desserts

Our picks for light and luscious warm-weather treats

7 min read

A couple of years ago, I happily taste-tested various types of dairy products, including frozen desserts. Well, unless you've been in a cave for the past six months (or only shop the perimeter of your supermarket), you've probably noticed the explosion of new products in the ice cream aisle. So I figured it was time to take another look at "light" frozen desserts.

While comparing labels of these products, I noticed four new developments:

Because "net carbs" is the term du jour, many frozen desserts are suddenly loaded with fiber. Since dairy products don't naturally contain much fiber, it's being added. If you read the labels, you'll find ingredients such as guar gum, carob bean gum, etc.

Don't think just because you buy a frozen dessert labeled "low-carb" that you're getting a lower-calorie option. Most of the low-carb products I checked out were higher in calories than their lower-fat counterparts. Some even rivaled the high-fat standard -- Haagen Dazs Ice Cream Bars -- both in calories (around 300) and fat (around 20 grams).

That's right, folks, many of these low-carb frozen desserts have more than 10 grams per serving of one of the "bad" fats -- saturated fat. That's how much saturated fat you inhale when you eat a Whopper or a Big Mac! Klondike's Carb Smart Ice Cream Bar and Carb Solutions Mint Ice Cream have 11 grams of saturated fat per serving, while Atkins Endulge Peanut Butter and Chocolate bars contain 12 grams of saturated fat per bar and Keto Rt. 66 (Rocky Road) ice cream has 13 grams of saturated fat in just 1/2 cup!

Check the labels of the "no-sugar-added" products for sugar alcohols. Many advertise that they use the artificial sweetener Splenda. But some of them add sugar alcohols along with Splenda. The labels list the grams of sugar alcohol, so if you know how much it takes to give you gastric and/or intestinal issues, avoid products that cross this all-important line (or eat smaller servings).

These are the new "no-sugar-added" products I found in my supermarket that contain sugar alcohols (listed from highest in sugar alcohols to lowest):

  • Carb Solutions Mint Chip Ice Cream: 1/2 cup has 8 grams sugar alcohol.
  • Keto Forever Raspberry Bars: One bar has 5 grams sugar alcohol.
  • Silhouette Skinny Carb Bar (Chocolate Peanut Butter): One bar has 5 grams sugar alcohol.
  • Eskimo Pie Premium No Sugar Added Cookies & Cream: One bar has 5 grams sugar alcohol.
  • Keto Rt. 66 Ice Cream: 1/2 cup has 4 grams sugar alcohol.
  • Atkins Endulge Ice Cream bars: One bar has 3-4 grams sugar alcohol.
  • Klondike Carb Smart Vanilla Ice Cream sandwich: One sandwich has 3 grams sugar alcohol.
  • Klondike Carb Smart Ice Cream Bar: One bar has 2 grams sugar alcohol.
  • Outshine Fruit bars, no sugar added: One bar has 2 grams sugar alcohol.
  • Breyers Fruit Bars No Sugar Added: One bar has 2 grams sugar alcohol.
  • Frappuccino Caffe Vanilla Bars: One bar has 1 gram sugar alcohol.

Most of the new low-carb products make up for the loss of carbohydrates with added fat and saturated fat. So just know exactly what you are getting yourself into, especially if you have medical conditions where higher-fat food can be problematic (irritable bowel syndrome, acid reflux, etc.)

Here are some of the new low-carb items I found, along with their calorie and fat totals (listed in order from highest in fat grams to lowest):

  • Keto Rt. 66 (Rocky Road) Ice Cream: 1/2 cup has 270 calories, 21 g fat, 13 g saturated fat, 140 mg cholesterol.
  • Atkins Endulge Peanut Butter or Chocolate bars: One bar has 80 calories, 16 g fat, 12 g saturated fat, 30 mg cholesterol.
  • Skinny Carb Bar (Silhouette) Chocolate Peanut Butter: One bar has 150 calories, 11 g fat, 6 g saturated fat, 30 mg cholesterol.
  • Klondike Carb Smart Ice Cream Bar: One bar has 170 calories, 15 g fat, 11 g saturated fat, 15 mg cholesterol.
  • Keto Forever Raspberry Bars: One bar has 190 calories, 14 g fat, 9 g saturated fat, 11 mg cholesterol.
  • Carb Solutions Mint Chip Ice Cream: 1/2 cup has 150 calories, 11 g fat, 7 g saturated fat, 35 mg cholesterol.
  • Atkins Endulge Ice Cream Cups: 1/2 cup has 30 calories, 11 g fat, 6 g saturated fat, 40 mg cholesterol.
  • Klondike Carb Smart Vanilla Ice Cream Sandwich: One has 80 calories, 4.5 g fat, 2.5 g saturated fat, 10 mg cholesterol.

Now, for the new frozen dessert lineup (these are the products that I taste-tested along with my kids, husband, and the construction crew working on my new kitchen). The good news is that many of these products taste terrific. They're listed in order from lowest in calories to highest.

Taste: Pretty good. You don't notice the Splenda, either.

Totals are for one bar (45 g):
25 calories
0 g protein
5 g carbohydrate (2 g sugar, 2 g sugar alcohols)
0 g fat
0 g saturated fat
0 mg cholesterol
0 g fiber
0 mg sodium
(4% Daily Value for vitamin C)

Taste: Very good.

One bar (51 g):
30 calories
0 g protein
8 g carbohydrate (2 g sugar, 2 g sugar alcohols)
0 g fat
0 mg cholesterol
1 g fiber
0 mg sodium
(25% Daily Value for vitamin C)

Taste: Very good.

One bar (62 g):
90 calories
2 g protein
16 g carbohydrate (13 g sugar)
1 g fat
0.5 g saturated fat
0.5 g monounsaturated fat
0 g polyunsaturated fat
5 mg cholesterol
1 g fiber
40 mg sodium
(10% Daily Value for vitamin A, 6% DV for calcium)

Taste: Very good.

One bar (64 g):
90 calories
2 g protein
17 g carbohydrate (14 g sugar)
1.5 g fat
1 g saturated fat
0 g polyunsaturated fat
0.5 g monounsaturated fat
5 mg cholesterol
1 g fiber
50 mg sodium
(10% Daily Value for calcium)

Taste: Good.

One push-up (54 g):
100 calories
3 g protein
18 g carbohydrate (15 g sugar)
2 g fat
1 g saturated fat
5 mg cholesterol
0 g fiber
45 mg sodium

Taste: Very good.

One bar (80 g):
110 calories
4 g protein
20 g carbohydrate (5 g sugar, 1 g sugar alcohol)
1.5 g fat
1 g saturated fat
5 mg cholesterol
9 g fiber
45 mg sodium
(4% Daily Value for vitamin A and 10% for calcium)

Taste: OK, though there seemed to be an aftertaste.

One bar (52 g):
130 calories
3 g protein
15 g carbohydrate (3 g sugars, 5 g sugar alcohols)
8 g fat (3 g saturated fat)
5 mg cholesterol
3 g fiber
70 mg sodium
(4% Daily Value for vitamin A and 6% calcium)

Taste: They just tasted OK to me, but some WLC members rave about both the Mint and Chocolate Peanut Butter ones.

One sandwich:
130-140 calories (depending on the flavor)
5 g protein
23-28 g carbohydrate (15-24 g sugar)
2-2.5 g fat (0-1 g saturated fat)
0 mg cholesterol
2 g fiber
145 mg sodium

Taste: Very good.

One sandwich (64 g):
140 calories
2 g protein
27 g carbohydrate (17 g sugar)
3 g fat
1 g saturated fat
1 g polyunsaturated fat
1 g monounsaturated fat
5 mg cholesterol
Less than 1 g fiber
120 mg sodium
(2% Daily Value for vitamin A and calcium, 10% DV for iron)

Taste: Pretty good. The first few bites of the ice cream fall a little flat, but as you get into the cone part it gets better (even my kids liked them).

One cone:
170 calories
3 g protein
35 g carbohydrate (19 g sugar)
3 g fat
0.5 g saturated fat
0 mg cholesterol
3 g fiber
125 mg sodium
(10% Daily Value for calcium, and 4% for vitamin A)