I can easily get behind protein-infused and low-calorie snacks, but when a protein-packed, low-calorie ice cream hit the market a few years back, I felt like God specifically made Halo Top for me. The chances that I was born to see the invention of an ice cream with 240 calories for the entire pint feels a little too much like destiny for it to be simply a coincidence. I feel so strongly for Halo Top, that I would write a non-sponsored article about how much I love it. In an age ruled by capitalism and market forces, that’s deep.
Now, I’ve had low-calorie ice creams before, and none of them quite rank up to the caliber of Halo Top. Most low-calorie ice creams are pretty water-y, with little flavor, and when you do have a flavor, there’s not much satisfaction that comes to eating the ice cream itself. Brands that I have encountered with this issue include Arctic Zero.
When I want ice cream, I want ice cream. Just like any other self-satisfying being, sometimes nothing but Ben & Jerry’s will cut it. However, when I want something on the lighter side, Halo Top is always serving creamy, delicious flavors that satisfy my craving without making me feel like I am indulging in binge behaviors. I feel like I can eat the whole pint, and often times, I do eat the whole pint in one sitting.
With that said, I have indulged in many of the Halo Top flavors. With an exception of three of four flavors, I have a pretty definitive list of my favorite go-to Halo Top ice cream flavors.
So without further ado, here are my 5 best Halo Top flavors.
5. Mochi Green Tea
This is a little bit of a niche flavor. I used to hate green tea flavors, but I’ve developed a more refined palette over the years. This ice cream ranks mostly because of the mochi dough chunks in the ice cream. I love mochi, and if you’ve never tried it, you need to. Mochi ice cream is pounded sticky rice with an ice cream filling, and it is amazing.
4. Lemon Cake
The lemon flavor in this ice cream is not subtle at all, but it’s sweet and it even has a cake-y flavor to it. I think that might be because of the protein powder present in the ice cream itself, but trust me, it just works as an end result. This ice cream is light and refreshing, but also sweet and decadent. I don’t know how an ice cream can achieve all of those adjectives at once, but this one does.
3. Oatmeal Cookie
This flavor surprised me. I don’t normally have cravings for oatmeal cookies, but I grabbed this flavor more out of curiosity one day. I’m so glad that I did. This ice cream is a staple in my fridge. I never get tired of it. It has an amazing cinnamon taste to it, and the oatmeal pieces in the ice cream just add to its charm. This ice cream is like my basic comfort food. It’s just so satisfying. Really, it deserves to be my #1.
2. Vanilla Bean
It’s hard to not rank one of the basic flavors. Halo Top is great with the basic flavors. In fact, over all, the basic flavors are not only the least caloric, but they are also the most well-made out of all the flavors, in my opinion. Chocolate is just as good as vanilla bean, but I prefer vanilla to chocolate, so I always reach for this flavor first. Vanilla bean is everything you would expect out of a vanilla flavored ice cream. However, at 240 calories a pint, this flavor continues to amaze me. Therefore, it is always one of my first recommendations to people.
1. Pancakes & Waffles
I can’t explain to anyone how much excitement I felt when I saw this flavor on the shelf. Pancakes and waffles in an ice cream is the most ingenious idea I’ve heard of this year. I have many food obsessions, but few top my maple syrup obsession. Guys, my mom gives me pure maple syrup as a Christmas gift last year. I love maple syrup. I’m sure other people have different impressions of this ice cream, but this was just the embodiment of maple syrup ice cream to me. It’s warm and sweet and over-the-top in all the right ways.