The Journey: Halo Top vs. Arctic Zero Ice Cream

You might not know this about Weight Watchers, but you can eat pretty much anything you desire…in moderation.  I have a huge sweet tooth and absolutely love anything that might have chocolate or sugar in it, so I jumped at the idea of trying out 2 different brands of “light” ice cream.  And they are very different.  You will learn below about Halo Top vs. Arctic Zero ice cream.

One night, I was on Connect asking other Weight Watcher members why Halo Top was trending and what it was.  People were freaking out if they found this at their local store, and I couldn’t understand why this might be relevant.  I mean, it’s just ice cream…what’s the big deal.

And can it really taste like people say it tastes?  They compared it to another brand of ice cream called Arctic Zero.  So, I decided I would try both (this sort of happened on accident, when I couldn’t find Halo Top) and compare them.

Halo Top

Oh where to begin.  First of all, this stuff is freaking delicious and I’ve only tried 2 flavors.  I can see why everyone on Connect was freaking out about it.  It’s also pretty difficult to find.  I tried 3 different Kroger stores and only found vanilla bean and chocolate at the last Kroger I looked at.  Ironically, it’s only been found at the Kroger we used to shop at.

What I found truly interesting is that this stuff is considered “light” (only 2 SmartPoints for 1/2 cup), but it tastes just like Breyers vanilla bean.  It’s creamy and silky and the flavors are fantastic (it contains eggs, dairy and cream).  I don’t know how they do it, but this stuff is so addicting and amazing.  I really can’t say much more than go out and buy yourself some of this ice cream…it’s too good to be true…really.

Halo Top recently introduced new flavors, like Pistachio, Cookies and Cream, Sea Salt Caramel, Black Cherry and Red Velvet to name a few.  The calorie content, and thus the SmartPoint values of these new flavors could be more than 2 SmartPoints for 1/2 cup, so be aware of that when you try a new flavor.

I had a bite of my husband’s Cookies and Cream, and it was DELICIOUS.  I also tried Pistachio and it’s wonderful as well.  If you try the lower calorie flavors or one of their new flavors, you will not be disappointed.

Arctic Zero

I have only tried the salted caramel flavor and it was very carameley.  I’m not a huge fan of caramel except a little bit here and there.  I don’t know what I was expecting (I only bought Arctic Zero because the first Kroger I went to was out of Halo Top), but this didn’t quite have the consistency I was hoping for.  It is more like sorbet, not really ice cream.  And there is a reason for that.

Arctic Zero is dairy free (it is only 1 SmartPoint for 1/2 cup).  That means no eggs, milk, cream…nothing to give it that creamy taste like ice cream.  Knowing that going in helped with my disappointment factor, but I wanted more…I wanted that the creaminess that comes with ice cream, and this just wasn’t going to satisfy that.  I mean, it didn’t have dairy in it, so clearly it can’t satisfy a craving that doesn’t exist in this product.

A photo posted by Dash Of Herbs (@dashofherbs) on Jun 22, 2016 at 6:51pm PDT

The verdict

Halo Top wins this contest, hands down.  I don’t know how they did it, but they created a healthier ice cream that tastes like ice cream.  It’s perfect for when you need just a little bit to satisfy that craving you have.  I like the vanilla bean and topping it with berries, like above.  There is nothing wrong with Arctic Zero, but when it comes down to a taste test, Halo Top wins the fight.

Now, go try to find some for your July 4th celebrations!

Goals and Accomplishments:

You might have heard the term non-scale victory before.  Maybe you haven’t.  Weight Watchers members consider non-scale victories almost as important as victories on the scale, and I couldn’t agree more.  These non-scale victories help to give you more confidence, motivation to continue on, and the knowledge of knowing your hard work and dedication are working.  Tracking actually does work, folks.

One huge accomplishment for me this week happened while I was in my closet one morning.  I was getting ready for work and saw a really pretty green top hanging from the top rack of the closet.  This top (a size Medium from Banana Republic) hasn’t fit me for years.  Yes, years.

Well, wouldn’t you know that I tried it on and it fit.  It was a bit snug in a few places, but it looked good.  And the jeans I wore with this green top were also too tight just a few months ago.  It’s these small victories that really keep me going because I know that this is working.

The planning, cooking, meal planning and exercising is working.  And this is proof.  I don’t think this green top would have fit over my  boobs a few months ago, and here we are, wearing it to work and feeling so confident in it.

A photo posted by Dash Of Herbs (@dashofherbs) on Jun 29, 2016 at 12:55pm PDT

Weekly Update:

• Starting Weight on May 31, 2016 – 191 lbs
• Current Weight on June 27, 2016 – 178.2 lbs
• Total Weight Loss:  13.8 lbs

Meals Cooked:

• Terragon Shrimp with Parmesan Risotto (so freaking amazing…one of my all time favorite meals)
• Low-Fat Lemon Pancakes (fantastic and only 1g of fat)
• Sun-Dried Tomato Turkey Burgers
• Coconut Chicken Curry – haven’t made these yet.