I Scream, You Scream...

...We ALL scream for ice cream!

Most of the time my screaming for ice cream has been due to the shock of how many points I just consumed...

But oh, how delicious it was!

Case and Point: A JCW'S Grasshopper MINI milkshake...It was like 16 smartpoints for 1/2 of it...NOT counting the Oreo on top

So, ice cream has been a RARE indulgence because I LOVE it so much and WILL CONSUME the WHOLE THING which, in turn, consumes my weekly points and dips me into the negatives...Boo hoo.

What's an ice cream lover to do, other than make ice cream a rare occasion and choose her joys wisely??

Well, you be nosy, reach out, and go hunting in the vastness we call...The Freezer Section.

I've been hearing a LOT of talk about Halo Top Ice Cream and Arctic Zero Ice Cream.

And, duh, of course I've tried both. And yes, of course, I'll give you my opinion on both...

NOTE: The following post is all my personal opinion, take my suggestions and thoughts as you will!

Here's the break down...

ARCTIC ZERO ICE CREAM

I've tried one flavor with Arctic Zero (Maple Vanilla) and it was the first brand of specialty, low calorie ice cream that I've tried. A friend hit it's taste right on the head: "If any of you have been disappointed or hurt by the flavor of Arctic Zero's dirty water..."

After some thinking, she is totally right. Don't try the Maple Vanilla first...I repeat, DON'T DO IT. I eventually threw it away because I couldn't bring myself to waste a point on it again.

Camille's Quick Tip: If it's NOT GOOD...Don't Eat it! And remember, with ANYTHING that you eat, if you find yourself saying (even once or even in the slightest) "this is not so good" or "I'm not sure this is worth it" Stop eating it, step away or throw away. Don't waste your points on something you don't LOVE.

Now, with all that being said, I've decided to give Arctic Zero another shot. I've heard that the chunky flavors are good and that the Cookie Shake tastes just like an Oreo cookie. But for fear of being disappointed again, I decided to give the Chunky Brownie Blast a try.

I have not yet opened it, but I'm hoping this will be as good as others have declared. If you are wanting to get out there and try any of the flavors, which I totally encourage you to do...Lots of people love Arctic Zero! I found LOTS of people love the Maple Vanilla (hence the reason why I tried that flavor first). We all have to try new things or else we will never know! The smartpoint count is really low, totally depending on the flavor. For my Brownie Blast it is 3 smartpoints for 1/2 cup. The smartpoint value per serving drew me to this ice cream brand in the first place, but I'm totally about food NEEDING to taste good and Vanilla Maple does NOT.

So, here's hoping the Brownie will be better. I ALMOST tried the Banana Pudding, but remember my rule of thumb...NEVER try ANYTHING banana flavored FIRST! So Brownie it is!

ARCTIC ZERO ICE CREAM

• Where to Buy:
• Smith's
• Harmon's
• Walmart
• Whole Food's

• Location within the Store:
• Smith's- This can be found in the health food section, as well as the regular ice cream section where you find the gelato's a specialty ice creams. If you don't find a flavor you want to try in the health food section, go over to the specialty ice creams near the gelato an there will be a few more flavors.
• Harmon's- It's located in the health food section
• Walmart- a little after or before (Depending on which way you enter the aisle) the regular ice cream...Near Ben & Jerry's
• Whole Food's- in your specialty section/health section of ice cream flavors 

• Flavors:
• There are A TON of flavors, both Creamy Pints and Chunky Pints...Please see link above to search out the flavors!

• Smartpoints per 1/2 cup:
• I'd have to do some digging, but the smartpoint value ranges anywhere from 1sp to 3 sp. The creamier ice creams I've found to be 1-2 smartpoints and the chunkier ice creams I've found to be 3 smartpoints. Get out your handy dandy scanner or calculator for exact smartpoint value

HALO TOP ICE CREAM

Halo Top Ice Cream. Write this down on your shopping list...Now!! H-A-L-O T-O-P That's right, TRUST ME on this one! I heard a LOT about Halo Top ice cream, and the same friend who resonated with me on the dirty water said this stuff was DELICIOUS! So I trusted her again, and...she was right! I'm telling you, this ice cream is the bomb. So fresh and so flavorful, but most important, SO MUCH LIKE REAL ICE CREAM without ANY of the guilt.

I truly feel like angel's should be singing as you look at this picture...

I mean, it literally has a golden halo...and I don't know HOW my camera did it...but the picture itself has a golden glow!

I had a WHOLE CUP of ice cream last night for ONLY 4 smartpoints! Do you know HOW LONG it has been since I have had a WHOLE CUP of ice cream without groaning at the smartpoint count?! When I had my first bite of the Mint Chip...I needed a moment. It was THAT good. When I found it at our local Smith's Grocery Store, I stocked up! I bought 2 Lemon Cake and 2 Mint Chip. When you find them in the store...Harmon's and Smith's is the only place I've found so far...STOCK UP because they sell out FAST. I am IN LOVE with the Mint Chip, and the Lemon Cake is DELICIOUS with Trader Joe's Cinnamon Graham Crackers (yes, I'm totally making a ice cream sandwich with this stuff on Saturday). I've looked into Skinny Cow and I've liked them before, but the smartpoint count was not worth it to me. Halo Top totally is! My husband tried to take my bowl from me! Last night I had 1/2 c of Lemon Cake for 2 sp and 1/2 c of Mint Chip for 2 sp with 2 cinnamon graham crackers because I couldn't help myself. The ice cream fit into my daily smartpoint balance, and the graham crackers were taken care of by my FitPoints. So a DELICIOUS and SATISFYING dessert for only 7 smartpoints!!

The way I went about purchasing the ice cream, because if it wasn't going to be good..why waste my money on a flavor that I deemed "ok" (reflection on the hurt I received from my horrible purchase with Arctic Zero), I searched ALL OVER for anywhere that sold it. I found Harmon's and the only flavor they had left was Strawberry. I LOVE strawberry ice cream...but it was the only flavor left, so my eyebrow went up and decided to wait. With shoulders slumped, I ran to Smith's to get some other groceries and LOW AND BEHOLD I found 1 flavor: Lemon Cake. I bought it, because I really wanted to try that flavor and saw that Mint Chip would soon be available. First thing Monday morning? Went back to Smith's and purchased 2 Mint Chips and 1 more Lemon Cake because the stuff is THAT GOOD!!

HALO TOP ICE CREAM

• Where to Buy: (will add more to list if I discover other locations)
• Smith's 
• Harmon's
• Kroger

• Location within the Store:
• Smith's- Health Food Freezer Section
• Harmon's-In their freezer section with all of the lactose free, gluten free, soy based ice creams. I found it kind of in between regular, rich ice cream
• Kroger- we don't have on close in the valley, but the website says to check your health food refrigerated section

• Flavors: (Birthday Cake and Strawberry are my next 2 flavors to try!)
• Vanilla Bean
• Chocolate
• Lemon Cake
• Strawberry
• Mint Chip
• Chocolate Mocha Chip
• Birthday Cake

• Smartpoints per 1/2 cup:
• All flavors carry a smartpoint value of 2

Get to your local Smith's, Walmart, Harmon's where ever...and go hunting in the freezer jungle! Try something new for a change and be adventurous!

Much love and happy hunting,

Camille