I’m obsessed with cookie dough Blizzards from Dairy Queen. The creamy ice cream and the sweet crunch of cookie dough holds the key to my heart. Sadly, however, a large cup of this delicious concoction is 1340 calories. Many other Dairy Queen desserts stack up similarly to this blizzard in terms of nutrition.
Since I want my pant size to stay the same, I searched for healthy Dairy Queen menu items—a combination of the lowest calorie, fat, and sugar content. Here are some “healthier” alternatives that will keep any sweet tooth satisfied without going overboard on calories or sugar.
#SpoonTip: All caloric information was pulled from Dairy Queen’s nutrition guide.
Chocolate Sundae
A creamy pool of hot fudge complements the refreshing vanilla soft serve perfectly. This treat contains only 300 calories in a small serving size. While that number may seem high, it’s still less than half the calories in most small Blizzards on the menu. This is definitely a healthy Dairy Queen menu item, all things considered.
Dilly Bar
Imagine a Klondike bar on a stick, but with only 220 calories per bar. Since this bar comes in only one size, it’s easy to limit yourself to just one serving.
#SpoonTip: Dairy Queen sells several prepackaged bars. The Vanilla Orange Bar and Fudge Bar are both sugar- and fat-free.
Light Smoothies
Searching for something fruity and refreshing? Instead of the sugary, calorie-laden Lemonade Chillers or Arctic Rushes, order a light smoothie. The regular smoothies contain more sugar than Blizzards. The Sunshine Orange light smoothie contains just 140 calories and some Vitamin C. Did I mention the light smoothies are all fat-free? Score.
Soft Serve Sprinkle Cone
Ah, the classic vanilla cone with sprinkles. Dairy Queen’s soft soft serve contains 5 percent butterfat, so you’ll taste the richness, but a kid-sized cone contains a mere 170 calories. Add some texture (and aesthetic) by asking for sprinkles. Bonus: The addition of sprinkles won’t greatly increase calories or fat content.
Grilled Chicken BLT Salad
In the mood for something savory? This Grilled Chicken BLT Salad has both cheese and bacon on it, but has a healthier grilled chicken and a lettuce base. This salad packs in 35g of protein for only 270 calories. Yes, that means you still have room for dessert.
Dieting and enjoying some Dairy Queen are definitely not mutually exclusive. Dairy Queen even offers supplement boosts like antioxidants, protein, and Vitamin C to replace your post-workout shake with a milkshake (shh, I won’t tell). But really, go ahead and treat yourself with these healthy Dairy Queen items.