TIP/TRICK How to control ice cream portion sizes

Lizi1308
Lizi1308 Posts: 9 Member
edited November 22 in Food and Nutrition
I don't know about you guys, but ice cream is definitely my weak spot. I've learned that if I do buy ice cream, putting it on a cake cone (~20cals) helps me to only eat a serving instead of going overboard in a bowl.

Anyone else have a food tip or trick?
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Replies

  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    I'm not sure I have any tips since I've always had only one serving of ice cream, but with other foods I have problems with I buy just one serving.

    Maybe doing something extravagant with your ice cream like using fancy toppings (had a brulee topped ice cream once it was amazing) and buying the most delicious ice cream you can find (helps if it's not cheap, too). I know when I have really high quality chocolate I tend to savor it slowly because I don't want to pay that much for the most amazing flavors only to inhale them mindlessly. I like to make the experience worth the calories, and because it's expensive these kinds of foods become special, not something I eat every day or even every week.

    Another way if you wish to eat it more often is to "stretch it", making it feel larger than it is. Maybe make a float or something with a diet drink you like or layer/mix with meringue, berries, rice krispies..etc. Basically add volume to your portion with lower calorie items.

    If you wish to enjoy just the ice cream without the trickery, you have no choice but to weigh your portion and eat that. Repeat until you are used to this portion.
  • VeryKatie
    VeryKatie Posts: 5,961 Member
    malibu927 wrote: »
    Weigh out 1-2 servings and eat it

    Ice cream sold here doesn't have weight listed. Only volume - which is super hard to measure unless you want to melt the ice cream first.

    I just stick to 1.5 scoops and approximate from there.. but if I eat more I explode so I don't have that problem lol.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    I either weigh out a portion or I buy a pint only and make sure I have enough calories left (or banked from other days) to allow me to eat the entire pint.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    VeryKatie wrote: »
    malibu927 wrote: »
    Weigh out 1-2 servings and eat it

    Ice cream sold here doesn't have weight listed. Only volume - which is super hard to measure unless you want to melt the ice cream first.

    I just stick to 1.5 scoops and approximate from there.. but if I eat more I explode so I don't have that problem lol.

    Here it does have recommended serving weight of 60 grams, so maybe go with that? Alternatively, just scoop out 150 calories or however many calories you wish to spend on ice cream by weight.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    malibu927 wrote: »
    Weigh out 1-2 servings and eat it

    This. Put it in a small cup or bowl too, seems like more.

    You can buy single serving B&J too, but that's usually not my favorite brand.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    I use the small bowls I have around for fancy dipping sauces so the portion size doesn't feel so tiny or I eat it right out of the pint while it's on the food scale.
  • northdog
    northdog Posts: 43 Member
    I use cones too. I really just like the bottom part of the cone that is soaked in ice cream the best anyway.
  • Aerona85
    Aerona85 Posts: 159 Member
    I basically used to eat ice cream for the cake cone! Haven’t had ice cream in ages (due to lactose, not because of calories) and I don’t really miss it. I do miss the cones though!
  • nowine4me
    nowine4me Posts: 3,985 Member
    If I buy a pint, I eat a pint. Which is fine sometimes. Ive found success with the Yasso or Enlightened bars. They are about 100 cals and enough to satisfy.
  • ktekc
    ktekc Posts: 879 Member
    Aerona85 wrote: »
    I basically used to eat ice cream for the cake cone! Haven’t had ice cream in ages (due to lactose, not because of calories) and I don’t really miss it. I do miss the cones though!

    i had a friend whos mom used to bake cupcakes in them and they were awesome with the frosting on top and sprinkles.
  • LiftHeavyThings27105
    LiftHeavyThings27105 Posts: 2,086 Member
    edited October 2017
    I am with the "eat the whole dang thing" group. But that is just how I approach things. I - gratefully - do not have an issue with ice cream. I just don't eat it (diary issues for me.....go me!) *BUT* were I able to eat ice cream, buy the pint, grab a spoon and make that bad boy disappear!
  • macchiatto
    macchiatto Posts: 2,890 Member
    I weigh it out and use a small bowl.
  • corinasue1143
    corinasue1143 Posts: 7,464 Member
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    malibu927 wrote: »
    Weigh out 1-2 servings and eat it

    This. Put it in a small cup or bowl too, seems like more.

    You can buy single serving B&J too, but that's usually not my favorite brand.

    I didn't even know Bartlesville & James made ice cream! Gotta get me some of that!
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  • mk2fit
    mk2fit Posts: 730 Member
    Buy Halo. I think the worst pint is 320 calories. Oatmeal cookie is really good and the whole damn pint is only 280 calories. Otherwise, you could become an ice creamaholic like someone already said...
  • Gisel2015
    Gisel2015 Posts: 4,186 Member
    Weigh 60 grams of not sugar added ice cream (any flavor) and 60 grams of Fage plain. Mix them together in a bowl, cover it and out it back in the freezer for few minutes. For me is delicious, and more feeling since the Fage increases the amount of protein. You can also top it with Brand cereal and/or fruit for more flavor and fiber.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    I have some small dishes and I weigh my portion of ice cream out.
  • flrancho
    flrancho Posts: 271 Member
    I serve my ice cream in a small dish called a ramekin. Enough room only for a very small serving.
  • Ainadan
    Ainadan Posts: 158 Member
    I have a small plastic dish that I got from the dollar store for 3 for $1. It is about the size of a cupcake liner and it makes me feel fancy. Or, I get a pint and mark the sides at each serving.
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
    composerclark wrote: »
    I like your ice cream trick/tip; it's basically a variant on the "use a smaller bowl or plate for your food" idea, which can work if one's previous approach to serving sizes was fill up the plate/bowl, and eat everything on the plate!

    My shared trick/tip is to leave a plastic measuring cup in the boxes of the breakfast cereals I eat the most, and use them to scoop out the desired portion size into my bowl. I had not realized that by filling my bowl with cereal, I was basically getting 1.5 to 2 times the portion sizes recommended on the cereal box nutritional information.

    You could get a measuring cup out of the cupboard every day and use that, but for whatever reason, I just wasn't doing that, whereas keeping inexpensive measuring cups in my cereal boxes ensures my portion sizes are measurable and consistent.

    Or... Put your bowl on the scale and weigh it, without needing lots of measuring cups.

    For icecream I just log and weigh - I rarely eat icecream on its own, tonight it's going in a bowl with sugar free jelly (jello), frozen berries and chocolate cereal.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    Our ice cream dishes are already portioned at half a cup, so a serving fills the whole thing, sometimes a bit over like it would in a waffle bowl.
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