1 Dietitian Says to "Enjoy Every Bite!" of Ice Cream — But Gave These Low-Cal Alternatives

Popping fruit in the freezer is a simple way to enjoy naturally-sweet treats. Chelsey said that frozen grapes are her go-to on a hot day, and Lori pointed out that berries and bananas, too, are great frozen.

Before freezing your fruit, you can add a layer of chocolate or yoghurt for extra flavour. Lori specifically suggests Greek yoghurt to cover berries. You can check out Chelsey's instructions for putting together chocolate-covered fruit here (note: it's pretty self-explanatory, but you should definitely pop them in the freezer as opposed to the fridge for a more refreshing treat). Plus, Trader Joe's sells chocolate-covered strawberries and bananas in its freezer sections.

Chelsey is all for "nice cream," which is bananas blended into a creamy consistency. "It's perfect for individuals with dairy allergies or those being cautious of their added sugar intake," she said. Her favourites are chocolate "nice cream" made with frozen bananas, milk, cocoa powder, and chocolate chips; s'mores banana ice cream; and cherry chocolate banana ice cream, which all look and sound delicious!

Lori said that blending frozen fruit with your favourite unsweetened yoghurt can be a healthier alternative to ice cream. For instance, the mint berry frozen yoghurt recipe featured in her free diabetes-friendly dessert guide has four ingredients: mint leaves, frozen mixed berries, low-fat plain Greek yoghurt, and vanilla extract. You can also check out these three recipes: frozen yoghurt cups, 30-calorie frozen yoghurt cupcakes, and coffee-mocha frozen yoghurt. Yasso sells a lot of great Greek-yoghurt-based treats, too.

As Chelsey said earlier, enjoy the real thing if you want to. But, you can still make adjustments to lower the calories and sugar. For example, she told us, "if you're looking to make a slightly healthier cone, limit your toppings because those can easily add up and cause a sugar crash." Plus, store-bought options do exist like Frönen, which is a dairy-free, paleo-friendly ice cream with five or fewer ingredients (banana is actually included in all of its flavours).

Lori pointed out that homemade ice cream can acts as a better alternative to store-bought ice cream "since it can be made without any preservatives and stabilizers or unnecessary ingredients. Additionally, the sugar can be reduced to help lower the calories and glycemic impact." (Check out this homemade ice cream recipe you whip up in a bag!) And, Lori said, creating smaller portion sizes is another way to make a healthier choice.