As the days heat up throughout summer, the desire for ice cream tends to increase along with it! While refreshing, ice cream can do a number on your weight if you have a few too many ice cream cones or sundaes. You don’t have to sacrifice nutrition for a refreshing summertime treat, though. There are a number of alternatives to ice cream that are healthier for you that you can enjoy as the temperatures go up, that your figure will thank you for!

Healthier Popsicles

Most dollar stores have plastic popsicle molds that you can use to make your own popsicles. Fill with 100% juice for a healthier alternative to freeze pops. Juice still contains sugar, but it’s of the natural variety and therefore on the healthier side. You can also squeeze juice from your fresh watermelons, oranges and pineapples to create juice popsicles.

Fruit Dips and Fruit

Fresh fruit is extremely refreshing on a hot summer’s day, all by itself.  For some variety, or if entertaining friends by the pool- adding a fruit dip makes fruit more fun!  Instead of chips and dip for parties and gatherings, cut up a nice variety of fruit and make a fruit dip to enjoy. Here is a simple recipe for a dip that goes well with just about any fruit:

Mix 1/3 cup part-skim Ricotta cheese with 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 teaspoon shredded orange peel and 1 tablespoon of orange juice in the blender until smooth. Stir the cheese mixture into a half cup of low-fat or fat free vanilla yogurt and put in the fridge, covered, for up to twenty four hours before eating. Serve dip with fresh fruit of your choice! Dip is enough for two full servings.

Smoothies

Instead of ice cream milkshakes, try making smoothies! They’re thick like a milkshake, cool, and tasty. You can come up with your own smoothie recipe, from almost any fruit and yogurt, but if you like lemonade in the summer time, you’ll love this lemonade smoothie:

Add 1 cup of lemonade, 1 and a half cups of fresh or frozen raspberries and 1 cup of low fat or fat free lemon yogurt to a blender and blend. Add two cups of ice and blend until desired thickness, pour into glass, insert straw and enjoy (preferably by the pool!)

Snowcones/Slushies

Crush ice in a blender and add your favorite juice or fruit punch for an instant snowcone or slush treat. You could use fresh fruit in a blender to create the flavoring instead of fruit juice, and add seltzer for a little fizz. Very refreshing and simple to make.



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