You can put just about anything on ice cream, but the standard fare — toppings like hot fudge, whipped cream, peanuts, walnuts in syrup, crushed heath bar, caramel sauce – can add hundreds of calories and not much nutrition to your sundae or cone.

 Some common ice cream toppings:

• Smucker’s Spoonable Hot Fudge Topping, 2 tablespoons: 140 calories, 4g fat, 24g carbs, 2g protein
• Smucker’s Spoonable Pecans in Syrup Topping, 1 tablespoon: 170 calories, 10g fat, 20g carbs, 1g protein
• Regular Redi Whip, 2 tablespoons: 20 calories, 2g fat, 1g carbs
• Fat Free Redi Whip. 2 tablespoons, 5 calories, 0g fat, 1g carbs
• Cool Whip, extra creamy, 2 tablespoons:  32 calories
• Cool whip, light, 2 tbsp,16 calories
• Cool Whip, fat-free:  2 tbsp, 15 calories, 43.5g carbs, 0 protein
• Regular M&M’s, 10 pieces: 103 calories, 5.2g fat, 12.1g carbs, 1.9g protein
• Peanut M&M’s, about 16 pieces:  200 calories, 10.15g fat, 23.48g carbs, 3.72g protein
• Peanuts, one ounce: 160 calories, 14g fat, 5g carbs, 7g protein
• Rainbow Sprinkles (Mr. Sprinkles), 1 teaspoon: 20 calories, 0.5g fat, 3g carbs, 0g protein
• Chocolate Sprinkles (jimmies), 1 tablespoon:  35 calories, 0g fat, 6g carbs, 0g protein
• Smucker’s Spoonable Light Hot Fudge Topping, Fat Free, 2 tablespoons:  90 calories, 23g carbs, 2g protein
• 10 mini marshmallows:  22 calories, 0 fat, 5.7g carbs, .1g protein
• 18 gummi bears: 140 calories, 0 fat, 43.5g carbs, 0 protein

Think Outside The Box For Lower Calorie, but Still Delicious, Toppings

The world is your oyster in terms of toppings, so why not think about fruit, cereal, or a crushed up 100-calorie pack of anything? Here are some suggestions:

• Smucker’s Spoonable Pineapple Topping, 2 tablespoons: 100 calories, 0g fat
• 1 mini box of raisins (0.5 ounces):  42 calories, 0.1g fat, 11.1g carbs, 0.4g protein
• One medium banana: 105 calories, 0 fat, 27g carbs, 1g protein
• One cup strawberry halves: 49 calories, 0.5g fat, 11.7g carbs, 1g protein
• Sugar-free Jello pudding:  60 calories
• One cup Froot Loops:  118 calories, 0.6g fat, 26.7g carbs, 1.4g protein
• One cup blueberries:  83 calories, 0.5g fat, 21g carbs, 1.1g protein
• Crushed pretzel sticks, 1 ounce:  110 calories, 1g fat, 23g carbs, 3g protein

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The post If You Consider Toppings an Ice Cream Essential, Check These Out appeared first on Eat Out Eat Well.

Toppings Can Add A Mountain Of Calories

The problem is, of course, that the standard fare:  toppings like hot fudge, whipped cream, peanuts, walnuts in syrup, crushed heath bar, caramel sauce – can add hundreds of calories and not much nutrition to your sundae or cone.  It’s likely that nutrition is not your first thought when visions of ice cream dance in your head, but calories (and perhaps nutrition) might be.

To save calories, the first thing you can do is to order a small serving of ice cream instead of a medium or large (or one scoop instead of two or three).  Even if you indulge in your favorite full-fat flavor, you’ll save as many as 550 calories with a 5-ounce size instead of a 12-ounce.

 Calories In Some Common Ice Cream Toppings

• Smucker’s Spoonable Hot Fudge Topping:  2tbsp, 140 calories, 4g fat, 24g carbs, 2g protein
• Smucker’s Spoonable Ice Cream Topping Pecans in Syrup Topping:  1tbsp, 170 calories, 10g fat, 20g carbs, 1g protein
• Regular Redi Whip:  2tbsp, 20 calories, 2g fat, 1g carbs
• Cool Whip, extra creamy:  2tbsp, 32 calories
• Regular M&M’s:  10 pieces,103 calories, 5.2g fat, 12.1g carbs, 1.9g protein
• Peanut M&M’s:  about 16 pieces, 200 calories, 10.15g fat, 23.48g carbs, 3.72g protein
• Peanuts (1oz): 160 calories, 14g fat, 5g carbs, 7g protein

Some Standbys That Are Lower In Calories

• Rainbow Sprinkles (Mr. Sprinkles):  1 tsp, 20 calories, 0.5g fat, 3g carbs, 0g protein
• Chocolate Sprinkles (jimmies):  1 tbsp, 35 calories, 0g fat, 6g carbs, 0g protein
• Smucker’s Spoonable Ice Cream Topping, Light Hot Fudge, Fat Free:  2 tbs, 90 calories, 23g carbs, 2g protein
• 10 mini marshmallows:  22 calories, 0 fat, 5.7g carbs, .1g protein
• 18 gummi bears: 140 calories, 0 fat, 43.5g carbs, 0 protein

Think Outside The Box For Lower Calorie Choices

If the world is your oyster in terms of toppings, why not think about fruit, cereal, or a crushed up 100-calorie pack of anything? Here are some other suggestions:

• Smucker’s Spoonable Pineapple Topping:  2 tbsp, 100 calories, 0g fat
• Regular Redi Whip:  2 tbsp, 20 calories, 2g fat, 1g carbs
• Fat Free Redi Whip:  2 tbsp, 5 calories, 0g fat, 1g carbs
• Cool whip, light:  2 tbsp, 16 calories
• Cool Whip, fat-free:  2 tbsp, 15 calories, 43.5g carbs, 0 protein
• 1 mini box of raisins (.5 oz):  42 calories, 0.1g fat, 11.1g carbs, 0.4g protein
• One medium banana: 105 calories, 0 fat, 27g carbs, 1g protein
• One cup strawberry halves: 49 calories, 0.5g fat, 11.7g carbs, 1g protein
• Sugar-free Jello pudding:  60 calories
• One cup Froot Loops:  118 calories, 0.6g fat, 26.7g carbs, 1.4g protein
• One cup blueberries:  83 calories, 0.5g fat, 21g carbs, 1.1g protein
• Crushed pretzel sticks, 1 oz:  110 calories, 1g fat, 23g carbs, 3g protein

Just so you know:

• Sugar cone (Baskin-Robbins):  45 calories
• Cake or wafer cone (Baskin-Robbins):  25 calories
• Waffle cone (Baskin-Robbins):  160 calories

The post Try These For Some Lower Calorie Alternatives To Top Your Ice Cream appeared first on Eat Out Eat Well.

Ice cream can be topped with just about anything can be made with just about anything and I freely admit that for me, the best part is choosing what goes on top of ice cream, not the ice cream itself.

So Many Choices

You can put just about anything on ice cream  — and most likely — someone, somewhere in the world has chosen some pretty random and unique toppings to put on their plain old vanilla or some esoteric flavor that they love.

Toppings Can Add A Mountain Of Calories

The problem is, of course, that the standard fare:  toppings like hot fudge, whipped cream, peanuts, walnuts in syrup, crushed heath bar, caramel sauce – can all add hundreds of calories and not much nutrition to your sundae or cone.  It is likely that nutrition is not your first thought when visions of ice cream dance in your head, but calories (and perhaps nutrition) might be.

Here’s the nutrition in some common ice cream toppings:

• Smucker’s Spoonable Hot Fudge Topping:  2tbsp, 140 calories, 4g fat, 24g carbs, 2g protein
• Smucker’s Spoonable Ice Cream Topping Pecans in Syrup Topping:  1tbsp, 170 calories, 10g fat, 20g carbs, 1g protein
• Regular Redi Whip:  2tbsp, 20 calories, 2g fat, 1g carbs
• Cool Whip, extra creamy:  2tbsp, 32 calories
• Regular M&M’s:  10 pieces,103 calories, 5.2g fat, 12.1g carbs, 1.9g protein
• Peanut M&M’s:  about 16 pieces, 200 calories, 10.15g fat, 23.48g carbs, 3.72g protein
• Peanuts (1oz): 160 calories, 14g fat, 5g carbs, 7g protein

Some Stand-bys That Are Lower In Calories

• Rainbow Sprinkles (Mr. Sprinkles):  1 tsp, 20 calories, 0.5g fat, 3g carbs, 0g protein
• Chocolate Sprinkles (jimmies):  1 tbsp, 35 calories, 0g fat, 6g carbs, 0g protein
• Smucker’s Spoonable Ice Cream Topping, Light Hot Fudge, Fat Free:  2 tbs, 90 calories, 23g carbs, 2g protein
• 10 mini marshmallows:  22 calories, 0 fat, 5.7g carbs, .1g protein
• 18 gummi bears: 140 calories, 0 fat, 43.5g carbs, 0 protein

Think Outside The Box For Lower Calorie Choices

If the world is your oyster in terms of toppings, why not think about fruit, cereal, or a crushed up 100 calorie pack of anything?

Here are some other suggestions:

• Smucker’s Spoonable Pineapple Topping:  2 tbsp, 100 calories, 0g fat
• Regular Redi Whip:  2 tbsp, 20 calories, 2g fat, 1g carbs
• Fat Free Redi Whip:  2 tbsp, 5 calories, 0g fat, 1g carbs
• Cool whip, light:  2 tbsp, 16 calories
• Cool Whip, fat-free:  2 tbsp, 15 calories, 43.5g carbs, 0 protein
• 1 mini box of raisins (.5 oz):  42 calories, 0.1g fat, 11.1g carbs, 0.4g protein
• One medium banana: 105 calories, 0 fat, 27g carbs, 1g protein
• One cup strawberry halves: 49 calories, 0.5g fat, 11.7g carbs, 1g protein
• Sugar-free Jello pudding:  60 calories
• One cup Froot Loops:  118 calories, 0.6g fat, 26.7g carbs, 1.4g protein
• One cup blueberries:  83 calories, 0.5g fat, 21g carbs, 1.1g protein
• Crushed pretzel sticks, 1 oz:  110 calories, 1g fat, 23g carbs, 3g protein

The post Some Lower Calorie Alternatives If You Like Your Ice Cream With Toppings Rather Than Naked appeared first on Eat Out Eat Well.

Sometimes there’s nothing better than an ice cream sundae. Sundaes can be made with just about anything and I freely admit that my favorite part is the stuff you put on top of ice cream, not the ice cream itself.

So Many Choices

You can put just about anything on ice cream.  Perhaps broccoli or smoked salmon isn’t your choice, but somebody, somewhere in the world, has probably gotten very creative with ice cream toppings.

Toppings Can Add A Mountain Of Calories

The standard fare:  toppings like hot fudge, whipped cream, peanuts, walnuts in syrup, crushed heath bar, caramel sauce – can all add hundreds of calories to your sundae.  For instance:

• Smucker’s Spoonable Hot Fudge Topping:  2tbsp, 140 calories, 4g fat, 24g carbs, 2g protein

• Smucker’s Spoonable Ice Cream Topping Pecans in Syrup Topping:  1tbsp, 170 calories, 10g fat, 20g carbs, 1g protein

• Regular Redi Whip:  2tbsp, 20 calories, 2g fat, 1g carbs

• Cool Whip, extra creamy:  2tbsp, 32 calories

• Regular M&M’s:  10 pieces,103 calories, 5.2g fat, 12.1g carbs, 1.9g protein

• Peanut M&M’s:  about 16 pieces, 200 calories, 10.15g fat, 23.48g carbs, 3.72g protein

• Peanuts (1oz): 160 calories, 14g fat, 5g carbs, 7g protein

Some Stand-bys Are Lower In Calories

• Rainbow Sprinkles (Mr. Sprinkles):  1 tsp, 20 calories, 0.5g fat, 3g carbs, 0g protein

• Chocolate Sprinkles (jimmies):  1 tbsp, 35 calories, 0g fat, 6g carbs, 0g protein

• Smucker’s Spoonable Ice Cream Topping, Light Hot Fudge, Fat Free:  2 tbs, 90 calories, 23g carbs, 2g protein

• 10 mini marshmallows:  22 calories, 0 fat, 5.7g carbs, .1g protein

• 18 gummi bears: 140 calories, 0 fat, 43.5g carbs, 0 protein

Think Outside The Box For Lower Calorie Choices

The world is your oyster in terms of toppings.  Why not fruit, cereal, or a crushed up 100 calorie pack of anything? Here are some other suggestions:

• Smucker’s Spoonable Pineapple Topping:  2 tbsp, 100 calories, 0g fat

• Regular Redi Whip:  2 tbsp, 20 calories, 2g fat, 1g carbs

• Fat Free Redi Whip:  2 tbsp, 5 calories, 0g fat, 1g carbs

• Cool whip, light:  2 tbsp, 16 calories

• Cool Whip, fat-free:  2 tbsp, 15 calories, 43.5g carbs, 0 protein

• 1 mini box of raisins (.5 oz):  42 calories, 0.1g fat, 11.1g carbs, 0.4g protein

• One medium banana: 105 calories, 0 fat, 27g carbs, 1g protein

• One cup strawberry halves: 49 calories, 0.5g fat, 11.7g carbs, 1g protein

• Sugar-free Jello pudding:  60 calories

• One cup Froot Loops:  118 calories, 0.6g fat, 26.7g carbs, 1.4g protein

• One cup blueberries:  83 calories,  0.5g fat, 21g carbs, 1.1g protein

• Crushed pretzel sticks, 1 oz:  110 calories, 1g fat, 23g carbs, 3g protein

The post How Many Calories Top Your Ice Cream Sundae? appeared first on Eat Out Eat Well.

You buy a candy bar at the gas station and eat it in the car

• You snag 3 tootsie rolls from the receptionist’s desk

• You grab a couple of samples of cheesecake at Costco

• You finish your child’s grilled cheese sandwich

• You taste the cookie batter and lick the bowl and beaters

• You finish the leftovers because there’s too small an amount to save

How many more can you add?

Calories Do Count

Obviously, the calories do count, it’s just that all too frequently we neglect to add them – remember them – or acknowledge them (that would mean having to admit that you ate that candy bar).

That’s why a food journal can help with weight management.  By writing down everything that you eat – not at the end of the day but when you eat it  – you’re forced to acknowledge all of the random food that you either mindfully or mindlessly pop into your mouth.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest uses frozen yogurt to illustrate how mindlessly adding toppings adds a whopping amount of calories to what might be thought of as a healthy food.

“Let’s say you start with just 200 to 300 calories’ worth of frozen yogurt. (That’s a medium or regular at places like Red Mango, Pinkberry, or TCBY.)

But then the toppings call out. Forget the chocolate chips (80 calories per scoop), the gummy bears (80), and the Oreo pieces (60). Even the ‘healthy’ toppings like granola (60 calories), nuts (100), and ‘yogurt’ chips (100) pile on the calories.”

Think about it:  when don’t your calories count?

The post Calories Don’t Count When . . . appeared first on Eat Out Eat Well.

I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream For Ice Cream

Sometimes there’s nothing better than a good old ice cream sundae.

As far as I’m concerned – and I’m far from an ice cream purist – my favorite thing is the stuff you can put on top of ice cream.  The mixture of the topping and the ice cream – or frozen yogurt – is what makes it!

So Many Toppings

You can put just about anything on ice cream.  I’m not suggesting broccoli or smoked salmon, but my guess is that some inventive person, somewhere in the world, has incorporated flavors or put flavors on top of ice cream that we normally wouldn’t even dream of.

Toppings Can Add A Mountain Of Calories

The standard fare:  hot fudge, whipped cream, peanuts, walnuts in syrup, crushed heath bar, caramel sauce – can all add hundreds of calories to your sundae.  For instance:

• Smucker’s Spoonable Hot Fudge Topping:  2tbsp, 39g, 140 calories, 4g fat, 24g carbs, 2g protein

• Smucker’s Spoonable Ice Cream Topping Pecans in Syrup Topping:  1tbsp, 36g, 170 calories, 10g fat, 20g carbs, 1g protein

• Regular Redi Whip:  2tbsp, 20 calories, 2g fat, 1g carbs

• Cool Whip, extra creamy:  2tbsp, 32 calories

• Regular m&m’s:  10 pieces, 20g, 103 calories, 5.2g fat, 12.1g carbs, 1.9g protein

• Peanut m&m’s:  about 16 pieces, 38.8g, 200 calorie, 10.15g fat, 23.48g carbs, 3.72g protein

• Peanuts (1oz): 160 calories, 14g fat, 5g carbs, 7g protein

Some Stand-bys Are Lower In Calories

Some favorites are lower (not necessarily low) in calories, like:

• Rainbow Sprinkles (Mr. Sprinkles):  Serving Size: 1 tsp (4g); Calories: 20, Total Fat: 0.5g, Carbs: 3g, Protein: 0g

• Chocolate Sprinkles (jimmies):  Serving Size: 1 tbsp.; Calories: 35, Total Fat: 0g, Carbs: 6g, Protein: 0g

• Smucker’s Spoonable Ice Cream Topping Light Hot Fudge, Fat Free:  2 tablespoons (39g), 90 calories, 23g carbs, 2g protein

• 10 mini marshmallows:  22 calories, 0 fat, 5.7g carbs, .1g protein

• 18 gummi bears (40g): 140 calories, 0 fat, 43.5g carbs, 0 protein

Think Outside The Box For Lower Calorie Choices

The world is your oyster in terms of toppings.  Why not fruit, cereal, or an already counted for you, crushed up 100 calorie pack of anything? Here are some other suggestions:

• Smucker’s Spoonable Pineapple Topping:  2 tbsp, 40g, 100 calories, 0g fat

• Regular Redi Whip:  2tbsp, 20 calories, 2g fat, 1g carbs

• Fat Free Redi Whip:  2 tbsp, 5g, 5 calories, 0g fat, 1g carbs

• Cool whip, light:  2tbsp, 16 calories

• Cool Whip, fat-free:  2tbsp, 15 calories, 43.5g carbs, 0 protein

• 1 mini box of raisins (.5 oz):  42 calories, 0.1g fat, 11.1g carbs, 0.4g protein

• One medium banana: 105 calories, 0 fat, 27g carbs, 1g protein

• One cup strawberry halves: 49 calories, o.5g fat, 11.7g carbs, 1g protein

• Sugar-free Jello puddings:  60 calories

• One cup of Froot Loops:  118 calories, o.6g fat, 26.7g carbs, 1.4g protein

• One cup of blueberries:  83 calories,  0.5g fat, 21g carbs, 1.1g protein

• Crushed pretzel sticks, 1 oz:  110 calories, 1g fat, 23g carbs, 3g protein

SocialDieter Tip:

Get creative with your toppings.  You can have taste, nutrition, and caloric bargains if you think beyond the standard toppings (although sprinkles are a lot of bang for the caloric buck but low on the nutritional scale).  The other important thing is to watch the portion size of the ice cream or frozen yogurt under the wonderful topping(s) – and try low fat, sugar free, fat free, slow churned ice creams and frozen yogurts and the many wonderful flavors of sorbet.

The post Calorie Saving Ice Cream Toppings appeared first on Eat Out Eat Well.