Frozen Treats - Yummy!

Even when I am watching what I eat, I am like a child and I like to end my day with a sweet treat (or sometimes have it in the middle of the afternoon). Some days, I make s'mores in my microwave, but in the midst of summer, there is nothing that satisfies a sweet tooth like a frozen treat.

One thing that I have noticed, now that I am more calorie aware is how many options there are out there that are either better for you options or at least are portion controlled options - both of which help me stay in control. I recently had the opportunity to try a variety of ice cream and frozen treats.

As I was making my choice at the grocery store, the first thing that I noted was the variety of options. Take for example the Klondike Bars. There are the standard Bars that I associate with the commercials (hearing the "What would you do, for a Klondike Bar" tune in my head), there are Choco Tacos, Ice Cream Sandwiches, Sugar Free and 100 calorie options - amongst others. I selected the 100 calorie Ice Cream Sandwiches. There is just something about the flavor of an ice cream sandwich that I love. They were always a favorite treat of mine as a child and I still love them. The best part - even at 100 calories they are a satisfying portion. They meet my need for a sweet, cool and creamy treat and I even get to have more than a couple of bites!

Next I decided to try the new Magnum bars. As I perused the line, I noticed that they were made with Belgian Chocolate, how could I go wrong. The flavor selection had my mouth watering. There are several varieties available - they have everything from Double Caramel, to Dark Chocolate, to Mint, to Mochaccino - they all sounded amazing to me. Trying to maintain my calorie conscience approach to stocking my freezer, I decided to try the Mini Pleasures. Described as 'all the pleasure in a smaller serving', they are available in classic and almond. Not a big nut fan, I went with the classic.

Now, technically a serving is 2 bars and is 300 calories, but I know that I can allow myself to enjoy just one bar and enjoy the luxury feel of the silky, vanilla bean ice cream covered in Belgian Milk Chocolate for only 150 calories. That is a treat worth reserving calories for!

Lastly, I picked up a box of Rainbow Popsicles. Personally, I would have been easily swayed by the Jolly Rancher or the Sour Patch Kids varieties, but my assistant liked the idea of Rainbow. This is the perfect treat for the whole family. With a variety of flavors in one box and only 45 calories per serving - it is a great way to cool down on a warm afternoon.

Now, some may say, why aren't the other ones a good treat for the whole family - trust me, they would be, I'm really just being selfish and don't want to share if i can keep those indulgences all to myself!

What is your favorite frozen treat?

No compensation was received for this post. I received some coupons for free products from Unilever so that my family and I could experience the varieties of frozen treats. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family.

Weight Watchers Ice Cream Review

When I am watching what I eat, the one thing that I struggle with is treats. I work hard (at work and at home) and I deserve a treat sometimes. It can be hard to find treats that I don't feel guilty about, or don't make me feel like I am throwing in the towel. Treats come in many forms - but certainly to me there are some characteristic traits to treats - they can be creamy, they can be chocolaty, they can be caramelly. Imagine my surprise when I found out that the new ice cream treats from Weight Watchers met many of these traits and were low enough in calories (& PointsPlus Values) that I didn't have to feel guilty.

Sometimes, we all need a treat, and nothing fulfills that craving better than ice cream! Weight Watchers Ice Cream has great options for snacking and treating yourself wisely during the hectic back-to-school season. Grab a Weight Watchers Snack Size Ice Cream Sandwich for the road - it's the perfect size to satisfy your desire for something cool, sweet and creamy. For a great snack, try a creamy Weight Watchers Strawberry Smoothie Bar or a refreshing Weight Watchers Strawberry Fruit Bar. Both are great for the entire family as they are made with real fruit. And for a treat at the end of the day, indulge in a Weight Watchers Dark Chocolate Dulcé de Leché dessert bar. You cannot go wrong!

Weight Watchers Snack Size Ice Cream Sandwiches - Two brand new flavors of Weight Watchers Ice Cream, low fat Vanilla Bean and Dutch Chocolate, have just 80 calories each. The variety pack includes four sandwiches of both flavors with a PointsPlus® value of 2 per sandwich.

Weight Watchers Dark Chocolate Dulcé de Leché Dessert Bars - A highly indulgent ice cream bar featuring low fat dulcé de leché ice cream with a caramel swirl dipped in dark chocolate. Each bar has a PointsPlus value of 3 per bar and 120 calories.

Weight Watchers Strawberry Fruit Bar - A healthier snack option for adults and kids, this bar is made with real fruit and is an excellent source of vitamin C. Plus, this delightfully fruity bar has 15 percent fewer calories and 30 percent less sugar than other national leading brands of fruit bars. Each has 70 calories and a PointsPlus value of 2 per bar.

Weight Watchers Strawberry Smoothie Bar - A blend of low-fat strawberry frozen yogurt and real strawberries. This bar is a good source of vitamin C and has the creamy goodness of a smoothie with just 60 calories and a PointsPlus value of 2 per bar.

We recently had the opportunity to check out some of the new Weight Watchers Ice Cream treats. I was excited to see a selection of ice cream treats that I could enjoy without too much guilt. I liked that they were all only 2-3 PointsPlus Values - I can usually leave myself with a few PointsPlus Values for a snack at the end of my day and personally, I think that ice cream is a great way to use them (I'm not good at measuring 1/2 cup of ice cream - so these are easier too!).

The Strawberry Smoothie Bar is full of pieces of real strawberries and the yogurt gives the bar a nice creaminess. The Strawberry Fruit Bar is packed full of strawberry flavor. I enjoyed the snack size Ice Cream Sandwiches - although, I must say I prefer the vanilla to the chocolate (surprised me too - but I think I am a traditionalist and ice cream sandwiches were always vanilla). The Dark Chocolate Dulcé de Leché bars were a real treat - that thin but tasty layer of dark chocolate around that caramelly sweet inside.

Even the kids and my husband enjoyed the tasty treats. The portion sizes seem good for the items - I think they might be smaller than similar offerings, but if they are, I wouldn't say that they are much smaller. They are the right size to meet the need for a sweet treat, but not too big that I feel like I overdid it.

I like that these new ice cream treats from Weight Watchers provide me with a way to enjoy a sweet treat with my family, without the guilt. Flavorful and creamy, I can feel like I am indulging without feeling like I'm throwing in the towel.

No compensation was received for this post. I received product samples, coupons and information for the purposes of trying and sharing our experience through MomSelect. All opinions expressed are mine or those of my family.

Zhu-niverse Ice Cream Party

What will they think of next? The group behind ZhuZhu pets sure have my children hooked. When the party box arrived a couple of weeks ago, my daughter was so excited to see more ZhuZhu Pets, an ice cream parlor and an ice cream truck. She was ready to open it all up and start playing. When I told her she would have to wait for the party, she started asking daily, when will we have a party?

Finally (from my daughter's perspective), this past weekend we hosted a Zhu-niverse Ice Cream Party. Okay, I guess maybe we didn't technically host since we weren't at our house, but we brought the party with us! I had planned to host at our house, , but things got busy and my daughter couldn't wait, so since we were off to a party with my nieces and nephew, we decided this would be a good time to have a Zhu-niverse Ice Cream Party.

The newest ZhuZhu Pets (at least that I know of, seems that they are always coming up with something new) are very colorful - I would describe the ones that we received as bright pastels - I know, it seems a bit like an oxymoron, but they came in pink, purple, blue and green. They were light shades like pastels, but very vivid colors at the same time. My son was quickly drawn to blue (it was the most "boy" color in the set) and my daughter, of course, liked them all. She eventually selected the pink one as the one that she would claim after the party.

The ice cream parlor came with many accessories, including a picnic table, "tubs" that looked like a variety of ice cream flavors, an ice cream scoop, sundaes, shakes and scoops of ice cream. It has an awning and serving window on one side and a slide open "Zhu-m" up window on the other side (that was bad, wasn't it?). I will say that if you have younger kids, this is one item where the accessories will need to be stored out of the way.

The hit of the party though was the ice cream truck. My video doesn't capture the sound but you can see the truck driving along with the ZhuZhu Pet wearing his ice cream driver hat. The kids kept wanting to be the next to drive the ice cream truck. They loved the music it played, sounds just like you would expect the ice cream truck to sound. They would stop the truck to push the button. When they did, sometimes the hamster would keep trying to push it along and other times, it would simply back out of the truck and go on it's merry way.


My kids are enamored with ZhuZhu Pets. As they continue to evolve, they are still very much intrigued by the toy and very excited to play with them when we get new ZhuZhus or accessories.

These new bright color one's were definitely more appealing to my daughter and nieces than to my son and nephew. When we wrapped up the party, we left two of them with my nieces to play with. We already have a "horde" of hamsters (although in trying to find the name for a group of hamsters, I learned that they don't usually live in groups - which made me think, do you still find hamsters in the wild?) at home anyways.

Myself, I think it has been an interesting evolution. The first ZhuZhu Pets that we played with - they were the colors of hamsters, their habitat, although having "room" stickers to enhance them felt like hamster stuff complete with a hamster wheel and ball. The first ZhuZhus felt to me a little like a pet without the responsibilities of a pet. Somewhere in the middle we had the KungZhu Pets, which came with battle armor and were ready to fight. Now, here we are with these new brightly colored ZhuZhus that have an ice cream parlor. The good news is that the rooms/shops are all modular and can connect to build an extensive habitat for the hamsters (especially since most of our play space is carpeted, if it weren't for the habitat, they would only be able to play with them in my kitchen. Which, is where things like the ice cream truck have to be played with - a bit of a disconnect with the rest of the toy in the basement. Another challenge (one that make my husband says "enough!") is that when all of the pieces hook together to form an elaborate and complex habitat, it's not compact and if all the rooms are used, it can take up a lot of space on the floor.

They are still fun to watch as they wander around "free" on the floor.

No compensation was received for this post. Through MomSelect and MommyParties, I received the ZhuZhu Pets and Ice Cream Parlor and Truck, for the purpose of hosting a party and sharing the experience with my readers. All opinions expressed are my own and those of my family.

Baskin Robbins 31 cent Scoop Night

OOPS! I almost missed sharing this one in time!

Tomorrow night, you can head to your participating Baskin-Robbins locations to join in 31 cent scoop night.

Be A Hero at 31 cent Scoop Night
Wednesday, April 27th
5 pm - 10 pm
at Participating Baskin-Robbins nationwide

From the Baskin-Robbins website:

"Help your neighborhood raise money for YOUR local fire service organization during Baskin-Robbins 31 Cent Scoop Night. For the 5th annual event, Baskin-Robbins is partnering with National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. The Baskin-Robbins Community Foundation will donate $100,000 to the non-profit organization. Locally, Baskin-Robbins is providing an opportunity for firefighters and store owners to come together for an event of fun, smiles and fundraising for local fire service organizations.
On Wednesday, April 27th, 2011, Baskin-Robbins stores across the country will hold 31 Cent Scoop Night from 5-10 pm to honor America's firefighters. Baskin-Robbins will reduce prices of small ice cream scoops to 31 cents* and create an opportunity for customers to donate to local fire charities. Read more about the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation at www.firehero.org"

Free Cone Day - Today

Don't forget that if you live near a Ben & Jerry's, today is Free Cone Day. You can read more about it here.

Free Cone Day

Can you believe it? The Free Cone Day at Ben & Jerry's is just around the corner. Stop by your local (participating) Ben & Jerry's Scoop Shops on Tuesday, April 12th and enjoy a free cone. It's their way of saying Thank You.

Unfortunately (or fortunately I guess, considering I am trying to not indulge in treats too often), my nearest Scoop Shop is about an hour away. New this year, they have apps for the iPhone and Droid, to help you find your nearest Scoop Shop. Of course, you can look here to find a location near you.

Reminder - Free* Ice Cream Tonight

Reminder - Tonight, September 30th is the 9th Annual World’s Largest Ice Cream Social at Cold Stone Creamery.

From 5 to 8 p.m., you can stop by your local Cold Stone Creamery to get a free* 3-oz. Ice Cream Creation.

* A donation to the Make-A-Wish Foundation is suggested but not required.

World's Largest Ice Cream Social

Mark your calendars!

Cold Stone Creamery will be holding their annual World’s Largest Ice Cream Social on September 30, 2010 from 5 to 8 p.m. at participating locations around the country. Each person will receive a free 3-oz. cup of Kate’s Make-A-Wish Creation. Kate's creation is Caramel Apple Ice Cream with Chocolate Shavings, Graham Cracker Pie Crust and Apple Pie filling.

September is Make-A-Wish Month at Cold Stone Creamery. You can make a donation by purchasing a paper star for $1. According to their website, an estimated 85% of donations received in September will benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation.)

I'm not sure that our schedule will allow us to join in on the fun this year, but if it works for you, you can find more details here.

Free Ice Cream Sundaes

Tomorrow, you can head to your local Walmart to celebrate with a free Ice Cream Sundae.

Joy of Ice Cream
Dates: 5/22/2010 - 5/22/2010
Cool Off With Ice Cream
Get a free ice cream sundae at a Walmart near you.

Saturday, May 22, 2010
11:00AM - 4:00PM

Come have a free ice cream sundae with Breyers new and exclusive flavors, and Blue Bunny Premium Ice Cream and new All Natural Frozen Yogurt topped with Hershey's Chocolate Syrup, Reddi-wip, and Fresh Strawberries.

The offer is while supplies last. As always, I recommend confirming that your local store is participating. You can head here for more information and to find your closest participating location.

Free Ice Cream from Haagen Dazs

FREE Ice Cream, On May 18th at Haagen Dazs!

The Haagen-Dazs® brand is celebrating a milestone birthday − and you’re invited to share in the fun as we all sing for ice cream. On Tuesday, May 18, 2010, Haagen-Dazs will celebrate 50 years as the first super premium ice cream with its annual Free Flavor Day. From 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in any participating Haagen-Dazs Shop across the country, ice cream lovers can wish the brand a “Happy Birthday” and enjoy a free scoop of one of three original all-natural ice cream flavors: Haagen-Dazs Chocolate, Coffee or Vanilla.

Of course, I won't get to participate, as there aren't any shops near me. You can (hopefully) find a location near you here! As always, I recommend calling ahead to confirm your location is participating.

31¢ Scoop Night - Baskin Robbins

Wednesday, April 28th from 5 pm to 10 pm, stop by your local Baskin Robbins for 31¢ scoop night. The night is to honor America's Firefighters and benefits the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation.

The Baskin Robbins Community Foundation is donating $100,000 to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation™ (NFFF). In addition, at some locations you will be able to make a donation to local fire charities.

You can learn more and find a location here. As always, it is probably a good idea to call ahead and confirm that your location is participating.

Free Cone Day

Don't forget: Mark your calendar for tomorrow, March 23rd, from noon to 8pm, when you can stop by participating Ben & Jerry Scoop Shops to celebrate the 32nd Annual Free Cone Day.

You can find details here. As always, I recommend calling ahead to see if your location is participating.

Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream Deals

Ben & Jerry's is proud of the accomplishment of Hannah Teter in winning a Silver Medal and they are celebrating tomorrow (March 3rd). Simply stop by your local participating Scoop Shop and say, "Way to go Hannah!" and you'll get a scoop of Hannah Teter's Maple Blondie for $1, while supplies last! In case you forgot, it's Maple Ice Cream with a Maple Caramel Swirl and Blonde Brownie Chunks. As always, I recommend checking with your location to find out if they are participating.

Want more ice cream?

Mark your calendar for March 23rd, from noon to 8pm, when you can stop by participating Scoop Shops to celebrate the 32nd Annual Free Cone Day.

More Free Ice Cream - Carvel 9/24

Well, on your way to the World's Largest Ice Cream Social at Cold Stone Creamery, you can stop by Carvel for a snack to hold you over.

On September 24th, from 3 - 7 pm, Carvel is having a customer appreciation event. During the customer appreciation event, they are giving away free Oreo Lil Rounders.

While you are there, be sure to pick up the 18pk of Oreo Lil Rounders with this $3 off coupon. The coupon is good through 9/30.

More details on the event are here. You can find Carvel locations here. As always, you may want to call ahead to confirm your location is participating.

World's Largest Ice Cream Social (8th annual!)

We took part in the World's Largest Ice Cream Social last year. When we went, surprisingly there wasn't really a line. It was actually my first, and only, visit to a Cold Stone Creamery.

I'm not sure that our schedule will allow us to join in on the fun this year, but if you have the opportunity, head out to your local Cold Stone Creamery on Thursday, September 24th between 5 and 8 to get a FREE 3 oz. Make-A-Wish® Creation™ with a donation to Make-A-Wish (it does say in the small print that 85% of donations in September will go to Make-A-Wish - doesn't say where the other 15% goes?). Donate and receive a 3 oz. sample of Jack’s Creation (sweet cream ice cream mixed with brownies and rainbow sprinkles topped with caramel) served out of a ready-to-love pan in a Like It™ Cup.

Free Pint of Starbucks Ice Cream

Wendi, over at the Freebie Blogger, has the scoop (hehe) on how to request a coupon for a free pint of Starbucks Ice Cream. You need to be on Facebook to participate. You can send the coupon to yourself or a friend. Promo runs through July 19th. Each sender can only send one coupon and each household can only receive one coupon.

Catching Up

Wow! What a few weeks I have had. I think I have been gone more than I have been home. I took a business trip this week and got stuck an extra night when my flight was cancelled. There is so much to catch up on around the house and on the blogosphere.

In case you haven't heard of these offers from Ben & Jerry's, check them out.

Ben & Jerry's is doing a Flipped Out tour, where you can try their new Flipped Out. Check for the event locations here.

On Mondays, Sundaes are Buy One Get One at Ben & Jerry's Scoop Shops. For more details, head here and here. You can find participating Scoop Shop locations here.

If you aren't fortunate to have either a Flipped Out Tour stop or a participating Scoop Shop, never fear. You can get a coupon for $1 / 2 pints here.

Free Ice Cream Day - June 6th

On Saturday, from 12 - 5pm, head to Friendly's for Free Ice Cream Day. They are giving away a free single scoop cone or dish.

It is limited to participating locations, so as always, call ahead to confirm participation.