I scream for portion control

It’s great to see ice cream companies serving up lighter options, like Edy’s Slow Churned varieties - around 100-150 calories per half cup (4 oz.) serving and 3 or 4 grams of fat. The Yogurt Blends contain live and active cultures, and the Sugar Free flavors save around 10 grams of sugar per serving.

Just make sure you’re dishing up one serving. In a 2006 study, nutritionists at Cornell University held an ice cream social to see how bowl and serving scoop size influenced people’s consumption. The guests, mostly nutrition experts, were randomly given 17 or 32 oz bowls, and 2 or 3 oz scoops and served themselves. The bowls were weighed, and guests were asked to estimate their portions. Although the nutritionists were better at judging their portions than the average American, it didn’t stop those who were given larger bowls from serving themselves over 30 percent more ice cream (read the article here). So if you’re not getting around 16 servings from a half gallon carton or four from a pint, you’re in trouble.

To keep portions in check this summer, we’re loving this mod ice cream scoop from Cuisipro. It measures out one 3.75 oz serving, so there’s no danger of scooping out an overly ample serving after a bad day at work.

Or, opt for an ice cream bar or sandwich - there’s a reason the treats from Weight Watchers and Skinny Cow are so popular. I love Nestle Minis, which weigh in at 90 calories, 2.5 grams of fat, and 7 grams of sugar.