We Asked a Registered Dietitian for Her Favorite Frozen Summer Desserts and She Named These 3
I live in a small apartment in a big city, which means I have a relatively small refrigerator-freezer compared to most Americans. Because my freezer is the size of a lunch box (I may be exaggerating, but not by much), I’m selective about what I put in it. I mainly use it as storage for prepped ingredients and leftovers, which doesn’t leave much extra room for anything else — except for my three favorite frozen desserts.
I’m a registered dietitian, but also a human with taste buds, so I only buy delicious things. Now when people hear that I’m a registered dietitian, they immediately say, “oh gosh, you must eat so well.” What does that even mean?
I typically respond with “yes” and supply an answer with my interpretation of the question, adding “I only eat food that tastes good.” My response is often met with a surprised look. Still I explain that, yes, nutrition is important, but so is flavor and all of the things that come with enjoying the food you eat. It’s why I love most food, but especially dessert.
My three favorite frozen desserts are also family favorites. They’re all different, but equally as satisfying and come in relatively small packaging, which (bonus!) means they’ll fit in my already-stuffed freezer. Let’s take a look.
1. Bubbies Matcha Green Tea Mochi
Mochi is a perfectly portioned, handheld dessert that’s fun to eat. The chewy rice flour exterior is reminiscent of a smashed marshmallow but without all of the sugar, and the ice cream interior provides a creamy, delicious contrast. My family has tried almost every flavor of Bubbies, and the mildly sweet, beautifully sage-green matcha is our favorite.
Buy: Bubbies Matcha Green Tea Mochi, $2.99 (on sale!) for 6 mochi at Amazon
2. GoodPop Assorted Junior Pops
After playing outside in the hot summer sun, my mom would pull a box of popsicles from the freezer and let my brother and I each choose one. I usually went for cherry, which was cloyingly sweet and always made my hands sticky. So naturally, I loved it.
GoodPops are reminiscent of those childhood popsicles, but without the added sweetness and stickiness. The pops are made with 100% fruit juice, and even with no sugar added, are delicious. Do they count as a serving of fruit? No, but they’re a more nourishing, yet still tasty, alternative to other popsicles.
Buy: GoodPop Assorted Junior Pops, $3.13 (on sale!) for 6 pops at Amazon
3. Häagen-Dazs Chocolate Ice Cream
Yes, you read that right, a registered dietitian keeps ice cream in her freezer. No, it’s not low-fat or dairy-free; it’s the classic stuff, made from cream and egg yolks. It’s ultra-creamy and straight-up luscious, which is perfect for me because when I want ice cream, I want deliciously rich ice cream.
Häagen-Dazs is so good that I only need a small portion to feel satisfied. The chocolate flavor is tasty, but I’ve tried many of the other flavors and have been impressed. The vanilla just bested 10 other brands in The Kitchn’s recent taste test (and even chefs can’t get enough of the “tried-and-true” classic).
Buy: Häagen-Dazs Chocolate Ice Cream, $4.29 for 14 ounces at Target
What frozen desserts are you buying this summer? Tell us about it in the comments below.