Does anyone NOT like Halo Top? Can you taste the stevia?

lightenup2016
lightenup2016 Posts: 1,055 Member
edited November 17 in Food and Nutrition
I'm not the biggest ice cream fan, but I go through phases. I am picky about it when I do have it. Lately we've been hitting a nearby ice cream shop which I love, but it's of course a bit of a calorie bomb.

I've heard so much about Halo Top--is it really that awesome, or is it just that the calories are so low? I saw that it has stevia, and I really don't like any of the alternative sugars. Is the stevia taste obvious?

Thanks!
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Replies

  • kingleahnidas
    kingleahnidas Posts: 280 Member
    For me, the problem with halo top is not the stevia (i take stevia in my coffee) but the CONSISTENCY. It tastes like chalk. If you let it melt for a little bit, it is better and creamier. But don't eat it straight from the freezer if you don't like eating chalk.
  • lightenup2016
    lightenup2016 Posts: 1,055 Member
    I don't like eating chalk, lol. That's what I mean about picky--consistency is also a big thing for me with ice cream. Thx!
  • pinuplove
    pinuplove Posts: 12,871 Member
    edited April 2017
    I wasn't a fan. I don't know if it's the stevia, the sugar alcohol, the consistency, or a combination all of the above... I'd rather save calories for the real thing. That said, I'm not one who is looking for a way to replace ice cream every day or multiple days a week. It's an occasional thing for me. Otherwise I might make more of an effort to embrace the Halo Top!
  • macgurlnet
    macgurlnet Posts: 1,946 Member
    I've had the birthday cake and the mint chip. They were pretty good taste for the calories. If I want lower calorie frozen stuff, though, I try to go for frozen yogurt. Still really yummy, but lower calorie and generally no weird aftertaste.

    ~Lyssa
  • seanjenni
    seanjenni Posts: 373 Member
    I love Halo Top, but you do have to let it sit out a bit or stick it in the microwave for 20 seconds. It even suggests that on the carton. Then it is creamy and delicious!
  • __TMac__
    __TMac__ Posts: 1,669 Member
    pinuplove wrote: »
    I wasn't a fan. I don't know if it's the stevia, the sugar alcohol, the consistency, or a combination all of the above... I'd rather save calories for the real thing. That said, I'm not one who is looking for a way to replace ice cream every day or multiple days a week. It's an occasional thing for me. Otherwise I might make more of an effort to embrace the Halo Top!

    Yeah, this. It's a consistency issue. And I don't want sweets very often. Now, if someone would invent a good low-cal cheese... :)
  • kayeroze
    kayeroze Posts: 146 Member
    Enlightened (you can find it at Sprouts) tastes great cold, very creamy texture. I haven't had Halo Top yet, but out of low cal icecreams, I would avoid Artic Zone because it tastes like frozen whey powder.
  • LenGray
    LenGray Posts: 867 Member
    I haven't tried it personally (too expensive where I live) I usually just eat some frozen yogurt or a semi-frozen smoothie if I want a sweet, frozen treat :)
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    kingleahnidas wrote: »
    For me, the problem with halo top is not the stevia (i take stevia in my coffee) but the CONSISTENCY. It tastes like chalk. If you let it melt for a little bit, it is better and creamier. But don't eat it straight from the freezer if you don't like eating chalk.

    You're supposed to let it melt a little.

    I had two pints that had that aftertaste, otherwise not at all.
  • fitoverfortymom
    fitoverfortymom Posts: 3,452 Member
    Some flavors are better than others. I Ike mint chip, but cookies and cream by has a chemical taste to me.
  • JamieCroyle
    JamieCroyle Posts: 109 Member
    My favorite was Birthday cake I didn't care for Lemon cake or Pistachio . My next trip I going to pick -up Vanilla Bean to try. What did everyone think of Vanilla Bean ? What other kinds of Halo top Ice cream have you tried ?
  • PaulaWallaDingDong
    PaulaWallaDingDong Posts: 4,645 Member
    edited April 2017
    The texture is definitely a little different from regular ice cream, but I wouldn't say it's like eating chalk. There's a hint if "grainyness" to it. I don't know what stevia tastes like, but I love Mint Chip Halo Top.

    I tried the mint chip Enlightened. Didn't care for it at all.
  • onward1
    onward1 Posts: 386 Member
    I never even heard of it until I read a thread about it here 2 days ago. I looked for it and found some. I picked the chocolate and just finished off the whole carton. Yeah, I know. :o It was good, really good, and the whole thing was only 240 calories! It totally fit into my days macros, the only thing, for me, is I wish the sodium was lower. But, yeah, I knew that whole carton was mine, told the kids to stay away. The Ben and Jerry's if for them. It's all or nothing when it comes to ice cream, so I don't bother, because really, 1/2 cup serving just isn't going to do it....now I can really have ice cream and not bother with measuring.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I haven't tried it...don't intend to. I don't eat ice cream all that often so when I do, I want what I want.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    I do not like the taste of stevia, and i couldn't detect it in Halo top. It honestly tastes like regular ice cream to me.

    I've only tried chocolate, vanilla and birthday cake, as these are the only flavours my store carries. The birthday cake tasted just like the regular vanilla, but with a few sprinkles mixed through...
  • Wynterbourne
    Wynterbourne Posts: 2,235 Member
    Regarding it having a chalky texture...

    It says right on the container not to eat it straight out of the freezer. You are supposed to let it thaw for a few minutes. It doesn't have a chalky consistency if you follow the instructions. At least the flavors I've tried weren't chalky when allowed to soften as instructed. :smiley:

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  • Mamii912
    Mamii912 Posts: 6 Member
    I've had Halo Top and could not taste the stevia. My favorite is the mint chip. I'm an ice cream lover and honestly while it does taste a bit different for 240 calories and protein you can't beat it. Definitely recommend!
  • officials
    officials Posts: 33 Member
    I didn't taste any of these problems! It tastes like
    ice cream to me and I usually microwave for about 10-20 seconds it to make it soft, sometimes I'll put pb2 and banana in it (depending on the flavor of the ice cream).
  • MalkinMagic71
    MalkinMagic71 Posts: 1,433 Member
    kingleahnidas wrote: »
    For me, the problem with halo top is not the stevia (i take stevia in my coffee) but the CONSISTENCY. It tastes like chalk. If you let it melt for a little bit, it is better and creamier. But don't eat it straight from the freezer if you don't like eating chalk.

    You gotta let it sit out of the freezer for like 5 to 7 minutes. It even says so on the container. Makes a huge difference in consistency.
  • alittlelife14
    alittlelife14 Posts: 339 Member
    After letting it sit for a small bit, it tastes very good to me. I had a couple random batches of Birthday Cake that came very soft to begin with, and also had this weird peanut buttery after taste that was confusing. Kind of made me take a break from it for a while since it tasted so odd.
  • pinuplove
    pinuplove Posts: 12,871 Member
    I let it sit out. I even microwaved it 30 seconds like some people here recommended. Nope, still didn't feel like ice cream. I'll save my calories for Ben & Jerry's! But I know I'm in the minority around MFP :smile:
  • brittyn3
    brittyn3 Posts: 481 Member
    It depends on the flavor I think. We had a random 80 degree day here in Chicago. I bought a few pints. By time I got home, after having stopped at the bank first, they were starting to melt. They actually lost volume because of that... ? I'm assuming it's whipped with air? But I thought the flavors I got tasted different after that. I'm almost turned off of it, but I'll give it another shot. Lemon cake - is like my favorite thing in life... I need to love it.
  • MikeD0326
    MikeD0326 Posts: 130 Member
    I dislike Stevia and I didn't detect it in the Halo Top. You need to let it sit and get soft before eating it. I also stir it up really well and try to get it closer to the consistency of a harder soft serve - that helps with the consistency issue. I have only had the Mint Chip, which I love. It's super low in calories (60 per 1/4 container) and has a good amount of protein. Overall, while it's not like real ice cream, it's good and I like it as a substitute.
  • rdmitch
    rdmitch Posts: 278 Member
    Like I mentioned in a different thread, it's not bad for the low calories it contains and in my opinion
    it's better than nothing. I have to add a tablespoon of Hershey's syrup to it to make it seem like REAL
    ice cream. No harm I just take a little smaller serving and the added syrup is surprisingly low in calories
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,724 Member
    edited April 2017
    Wow, I ate mine straight out the freezer and didn't think it was anything special. Maybe I could try again. But I also like icecream with bits and things in it. For instance I like DQ blizzards.

    But man. I thought the directions for icecream were "open container and eat". Only in 2017 :D
  • Chef_Barbell
    Chef_Barbell Posts: 6,644 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    I haven't tried it...don't intend to. I don't eat ice cream all that often so when I do, I want what I want.

    This for me too. Plus it's pricey for fake ice cream.
  • karahm78
    karahm78 Posts: 505 Member
    JaneiR36 wrote: »
    Wow, I ate mine straight out the freezer and didn't think it was anything special. Maybe I could try again. But I also like icecream with bits and things in it. For instance I like DQ blizzards.

    But man. I thought the directions for icecream were "open container and eat". Only in 2017 :D

    If you like flavors with bits in it the cookie dough, red velvet, and peanut butter cup Halo Top has those. Yummy!
  • VegasFit
    VegasFit Posts: 1,232 Member
    I like Halo Top and Enlightened. It's an expensive endeavor to figure out which flavors you will like as everyone is different. Not a fan of Artic Zero at all. It's right on the packaging to let it sit for awhile before you eat it. The price stops me from buying it like I used too. If I can catch it on sale I will.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,600 Member
    I don't care for it, but it's not the stevia, nor does it taste chalky or bad to me, or have a bad texture. It's just oddly unsatisfying for reasons I can't quite identify. It's just not worth even its low calories. I tried it a couple of times, and recently threw out the last of a carton that been sitting in my freezer for weeks.

    I'd rather have a smaller amount of something like Edy's slow-churned - it registers more like regular ice cream, to me. Or, even budget for the occasional serving of real gelato.

    But lots of people here on MFP love Halo Top - this thread is the most negative I've read about it.
  • rsb1023
    rsb1023 Posts: 32 Member
    I've tried the lemon, birthday cake, salted caramel & vanilla bean. None of them taste like real ice-cream. I'll just stick to smaller portions of real ice-cream.
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