If you're anything like me, you have a biiiiig sweet tooth. I try to eat healthily, but sometimes I just hear sugar calling my name. That's why Enlightened ice cream is my (and will soon be your) sweet tooth savior.
First, some background
I've eaten Enlightened for a few years now and love it. So much so that I decided to reach out to the company and ask for its help in writing this article. A representative agreed to send me its most popular, outrageous, and her personal favorite flavors. She also offered to send me Cloud10 bars and Bada Bean Bada Boom snacks (more on those later.) With ice cream in hand, I decided to begin this sweet, sweet food journey.
Vanilla Bean
I’ll start with good ol' Vanilla Bean. I was really nervous about such a plain flavor not being creamy (most low-calorie ice creams aren’t) and having nowhere to hide that, but I was very wrong. Enlightened’s vanilla ice cream has a nice, strong vanilla flavor and a good ice-to-cream balance. By this, I mean that it isn’t as icy as other brands’ products. Compared to Enlightened’s other flavors, it isn’t my favorite, but vanilla never is. Overall, I was quite impressed.
Movie Night
Let’s talk about Movie Night. I asked to be sent the most outrageous flavors and this one did not disappoint. A buttery-flavored ice cream with caramel swirl and chocolate chunks sounds quite odd, but somehow it works. Enlightened was able to encapsulate the salty butter popcorn flavor and balance it with sweet chocolate and caramel for a pint that tastes like a night at the theater without the added calories.
Monkey Business
This is a non-dairy flavor, which I truly appreciate (being semi-lactose intolerant,) but I wasn’t too excited to try this pint. I really don’t like banana, and that’s exactly what this is; banana ice cream with chocolate chunks and peanut butter swirl. There was no way I could make an unbiased review, so I handed the spoon over to my sister. She absolutely loved it, especially the peanut butter swirl that was abundant throughout. After her reaction, I figured I’d brave a bite and found that I really didn’t mind it. The banana flavor wasn’t fake—it tasted like real bananas—and the chocolate and peanut butter added nice touches.
Brownies and Cookie Dough
I had tried this flavor previous to this testing, and I was so excited to have it again. The chocolate ice cream base is rich, creamy, and indulgent. Mixed in are plenty of cookie dough and brownie chunks, so you never have to go too many bites without one. The best part about it, though, is that the entire pint is only 400 calories! This is definitely my favorite out of all of Enlightened’s flavors.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
The chocolate chip cookie dough flavor is a good one for anyone who likes chunks but not chocolate ice cream. Unlike Brownies and Cookie Dough, this pint has its pieces of dough surrounded by vanilla ice cream. I've always been a fan of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream, and Enlightened's version did not disappoint. I was pleasantly surprised by the copious amount of cookie dough. Enlightened does this flavor so right!
Sea Salt Caramel
This Enlightened pint was good, but not my favorite. It had a nice bit of caramel swirl mixed throughout. If you want a more simple ice cream that isn't just vanilla, I would recommend this. I tried to spice it up and put it on a waffle, and the warmth really highlighted the caramel flavor. This flavor would also be really good on top of baked apples come fall!
Snickerdoodle
Another flavor that I would recommend as topping is Snickerdoodle. It has a nice cinnamon sugar flavor and essence but no chunks of cookie. While that may seem a bit disappointing, I feel that it's important to point out that this pint has only 70 calories per serving, so you really just sacrifice cookie bits for a low-calorie dessert option. If you really can't go without the true snickerdoodle cookie, pile this pint in between two and make the ultimate ice cream sandwich.
Chocolate Peanut Butter
I saved one of the best flavors for last. If you haven't caught on yet, I'm a sucker for chocolate ice cream with goodies mixed in, and that's exactly what this flavor is! This pint holds rich chocolate ice cream with an even richer peanut butter swirl. It's absolutely addictive, but don't worry. Even if you eat the entire pint it's only 400 calories!
Ice Cream Bars
I tried the new Vanilla Dark Chocolate Almond and Vanilla Milk Chocolate ice cream bars, and all I can say is WOW! The vanilla flavor was nice and strong, and there was no shortage of chocolate coating on either flavor. These bars really did go for a dip. Well done, Enlightened.
Good (For You) Snacks
In conclusion, Enlightened Ice Cream just does it better than other brands, both "regular" and "light." None of the flavors tasted diet-y or more like a protein shake than an ice cream, which is a huge win on Enlightened's part. I'd also like to note that the Cloud10 bars I was sent tasted just like any other rice crispy treat but had so much more protein (15 grams!) My favorite was the original, but you really can't go wrong with any of them. Also, the Bada Bean Bada Boom roasted broad beans are now my favorite snack. Each individual pack is only 100 calories and contains a really good amount of food. You're not getting skimped on the amount here! Go out and buy the Sweet Sriracha today. You will not be disappointed. Finally, I'd like to thank Enlightened for sending me its products and allowing me to test them. It's been an amazingly tasty experience! Check them out here.