Healthier Ice Cream Truck Options

On a hot day, ice cream always tastes good. But what exactly are you eating to cool down? Could there be a better option out there?

Matt Bean, brand editor at Men's Health magazine, shared some of the least healthy icy treats from the ice cream truck, and some healthier options that will still cool you off and taste great, on "The Early Show." Men's Health calls the comparisons, "Eat this, not that!"

No. 5: Worst Popsicle
Popsicle Creamsicle Bar
110 calories
2 g fat (1 g saturated)
13 g sugars

This isn't such a bad option, as far as frozen treats are concerned. It's only 100 calories, which makes it preferable to pretty much every other "Worst" on this list. But why choose the Creamsicle when you can cut almost two-thirds of the calories by opting for the patriotically colored Firecracker popsicle, instead? Red, white, and blue never looked so good.

Benefits: Cut half the sugar, two-thirds of the calories. Make a swap like this every day, and you'll save 525 calories a week. That's about eight pounds of weight loss in a year.

Eat This Instead!
Popsicle Firecracker Jr. pops
35 calories
0 g fat
7 g sugar

No. 4: Worst Packaged Ice Cream Cone
Nestlé Triple Chocolate King Size
350 calories
16 g fat (10 g saturated)
32 g sugar

When choosing from the Nestle Drumstick line of treats, pass on anything but a Lil' version of the original drumstick-all other iterations will cost you well over 200 calories. The Lil' Drums Cones come with the same great taste of the original version without ruining your child's appetite for dinner.

Benefits: Cut 220 calories, 10g fat, 6g saturated, and 22g sugars. A swap like this each day will save you 1,540 calories a week - that's 23 pounds of weight loss a year! (a pound of weight loss a week is 500 calories a day, or 3,500 calories a week.)

Eat This Instead!
Nestlé Lil' Drums Cone Vanilla with Chocolatey Swirls
130 calories
6 g fat (4 g saturated)
10 g sugar

No. 3: Worst Frozen Candy Bar
Snickers Ice Cream Minis (4 pieces)
370 calories
23 g fat (13 g saturated)
30 g sugar

Beware of any "mini" versions of your favorite foods. As with sliders and regular-sized burgers, a "serving" of the smaller Snickers ice cream bars is actually worse for you than the original. There are twice as many calories and grams of sugar in the minis as in the regular Snickers Ice Cream Bar!

Benefits: Save 190 calories, 12 g fat (7 g saturated), and 15 g sugars. A swap like this every day will save you 1,330 calories a week - that's 20 pounds of weight loss in a year!

Eat This Instead!
Snickers Ice Cream Bar (original)
180 calories
11 g fat (6 g saturated)
15 g sugars

No. 2: Worst Ice Cream
Chocolate Ice Cream in a bowl (about 4 oz)
250 calories

Eat This Instead!
Mister Softee Chocolate Ice Cream Cone (about 4 oz)
190 calories

It's always a better option to choose soft serve over regular ice cream. This swap will save you 60 calories. That's 420 calories saved a week, or about six pounds in a year.

No. 1: Worst Ice Cream Bar
Good Humor Candy Center Crunch Bar
300 calories
21 g fat (17 g saturated)
21 g sugar

What's baffling about this ice cream bar is that it's made from low-fat, artificially flavored ice cream -- and yet still packs as many calories as a McDonald's Cheeseburger, as much sugar as seven Rainbow popsicles, and as much saturated fat as 17 strips of Oscar Mayer bacon! The Good Humor line of ice cream bars isn't all bad news, though stick with the Cookies & Cream Bar for a tasty treat with only a fraction of the calories, sugar, and saturated fat.

Benefits: Save 210 calories, 19.5 g fat (16 g saturated), and 11 g sugars. Make this swap every day, and you'll save 1,470 calories in a week. That's about 22 pounds of weight loss a year!

Eat This Instead!
Good Humor Cookies & Cream Bar
90 calories
1.5 g fat (1 g saturated)
10 g sugar