Summer is an insanely busy time of year. With all of summer’s activities monopolizing your time, eating healthy often gets put on the back burner. Additionally, delicious frozen confections are around every corner to help provide some relief from all of the heat and humidity. Often, these treats are very high in calories. However, when equipped with some easy strategies, it’s easy to stick to your healthy eating plan while indulging your sweet tooth throughout the summer. You can still revel in all the festivities without feeling deprived.

Frozen Grapes

Simply rinse your favorite variety of grapes and freeze in a plastic bag. Once frozen, pop them out and enjoy them on their own or tossed into some plain, nonfat yogurt. The sweet taste in grapes intensifies when you freeze them, and they're an easy, on-the-go snack.

Fresh Fruit Popsicles

Place a variety of fresh or frozen pieces of your favorite fruits into a blender. Add a little water, and if you prefer, some honey, sugar, or stevia, and blend well. Next, pour the fruity mixture into empty ice cube trays. Place a popsicle stick into each cube. Freeze for approximately two hours or until they are frozen throughout and then enjoy.

Light Ice Cream with Fruit

Opt for light ice cream to slash about half of the calories and fat. It still has a creamy texture and yummy taste that you won’t get from most fat-free ice creams, but it is healthier than full-fat versions. Since serving sizes of any type of ice cream--full-fat or light--are ridiculously small (usually 1/2 cup), bulk up your bowl with some cut-up fresh fruit. Opt for seasonal fruit from a local farmer for best flavor and nutrition content. Or, thaw some frozen fruit (berries work really well for this) and save the thawed liquid -- you can drizzle that over the top of your ice cream along with the fruit itself. Adding fruit helps stretch the ice cream, adds natural sweetness, and doesn’t contribute any additional fat.

Fruit Kabobs

On a skewer, add your favorite seasonal summer fruits. Drizzle with about a teaspoon of chocolate syrup or honey and enjoy.

Grilled Peaches or Pineapple

Spray a skillet with nonstick cooking spray and heat to medium-high heat. Grill a sliced peach or pineapple chunks and place in a bowl with about 1/4 cup of light vanilla ice cream. Sprinkle on a dash of cinnamon for a scrumptious snack that’s low in calories.

Fruit Cube Seltzer

In an empty ice cube tray, pour your favorite 100% fruit juice (I recommend pineapple juice) and freeze until frozen solid. Then, pop a few into a glass and fill it with seltzer water for a sweet, refreshing treat. So yummy!

Arctic Zero

I usually refrain from recommending specific brand-name products, but this is one exception. It’s called Arctic Zero. This delicious, insanely low-calorie frozen treat is unbelievably tasty. There are several flavors you can choose from. It includes ingredients such as whey protein concentrate, monk fruit concentrate (a natural sweetener that is 150 times sweeter than sugar), sea salt, organic cane sugar, fiber, plant-based natural flavors, and plant-based stabilizers. It has only 35 calories per serving. In fact, even if you ate the entire pint (4 servings per pint), that’s still only 140 calories! Visit their website for more information about where to purchase their products.

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