10 Healthy Ice Cream Brands (Delicious Without The Calories!)

We all love ice cream. But ice cream is a pretty forbidden love. Whether you are trying to watch your fat and calorie intake, or are sensitive to dairy or gluten, there are a lot of reasons many ice creams may be off-limits.

Luckily for us, there are plenty of alternatives and healthy ice cream brands that have popped up in recent years. Whether plant-based, gluten-free, free of soy, keto-friendly or more, these healthy ice cream choices can fill your craving and not derail your diet.

RELATED: How To Enjoy Delicious Indulgences Without Killing Your Entire Diet

1. Halo Top Pops

Halo Top may literally wear a halo. It has a bit of a cult following because it’s low in calories, carbs, and sugar, tastes delicious, and comes in amazing flavors. Their latest release, Halo Top Pops, are snackable mini ice cream pops that come in four delicious flavor options and contain 50-60 calories per pop. Even better, these mini ice cream pops are portion-controlled and packed six to a box so they are perfect for snacking and sharing.

(Halo Top, $48/4 boxes, $68/8 boxes)

2. Enlightened Ice Cream

This ice cream is super addictive. But feel free to feed the addiction because it’s high in protein and low in sugar. All flavors in this line are high in plant-based protein and fiber, and low in calories and fat.

(Ice Cream Source, $5.99/pint)

3. Chilly Cow Light Ice Cream

Crafted for people who are fed up with “healthy” dessert options that never taste as good as the real thing, Chilly Cow ditched the milk protein concentrate nonsense other lower-calorie products in the freezer aisle use, and instead uses ultra-filtered milk. Chilly Cow has 55 percent fewer calories, 70 percent less fat, and 60 percent less sugar than regular ice cream.

(Chilly Cow, varies by location)

4. Nightfood Ice Cream

Nightfood Ice Cream was developed by a team of leading sleep and nutrition experts to satisfy unhealthy nightly cravings in a better, healthier, more sleep-friendly way, containing sleep-supporting minerals, enzymes, and amino acids. Each pint of Nightfood features trademarked CraveMonster packaging, and is infused with sleep-supporting minerals, enzymes, and amino acids. Nightfood Ice Cream is a 2019 Product of the Year winner.

(Check for rates and reviews, Amazon)

5. eCreamery New Dairy Free Treats

New creations from eCreamery New Dairy Free treats from eCreamery peanutbutter with crushed nutter butter cookie bites, finished with peanut butterswirlsNew Double Cookies and Cream dairy free dessert

(eCreamery, $49.99/4 pints)

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6. Reveri Plant-Based Ice Cream

Reveri is crafted from whole fruits and vegetables, and delivers the sweet taste and rich mouthfeel of super-premium ice cream, yet contains no dairy, added sugar, sweeteners, or fats, and averages only 82 calories for a 4-ounce serving. It is also gluten- and GMO-free. 

(Healthy Goodness, $59.94/6 pints)

7. Swell High Protein Ice Cream

Swell is a revolutionary high-protein blend that combines delicious taste, powerful nutrition, clean ingredients, and a touch of delight. It’s gluten-free with 120 calories per serving, 10g of protein per serving, and is low in fat and sugar.

(Healthy Goodness, $51.54/6 pints)

8. Luna & Larry's Coconut Bliss

These dairy-free frozen desserts are certified organic, gluten-free and soy-free. And the Dark Chocolate Sandwich, in particular, is made with hemp seed chocolate chip cookies and dark chocolate. How delicious!

(Healthy Goodness, $52.74/6 pints)

9. Beckon Ice Cream

Beckon uses simple ingredients with a clean label, so you won’t find any of the gums, artificial stabilizers, or corn syrup found in many other ice creams. To cater to lactose intolerant customers, Beckon keeps all the ingredients that are found in normal ice cream, including the milk. But they include a lactase enzyme to make it lactose-free. (The ice cream still contains dairy but no lactose.)

(Beckon Ice Cream, $45/5 pints)

10. Peekaboo Organic Ice Cream

Peekaboo starts with delicious organic ice cream and mixes in vegetables that you can’t see or taste. It’s the best way to indulge in ice cream and feel good about it. For example, a pint of Mint Chocolate Chip (the most popular flavor) has 2 cups of hidden spinach. That's much better than digging into another sad salad.

(Peekaboo Ice Cream, $12/pint)

RELATED: 10 Mouthwatering Dessert Hummus Recipes

Aly Walansky is a NY-based lifestyles writer. Her work appears in dozens of digital and print publications regularly. Visit her on Twitter or email her at alywalansky@gmail.com.