I know what you’re thinking…Why the heck is a gym reviewing a junk food like an ice cream sandwich? If you’ve been following this blog for a while you should know that we follow a flexible dieting nutritional approach. That means when we focus on a specific amount of carbs, fats, and proteins, and we put less emphasis on how you get there. Why? Because science has shown time and time again that when it comes to body composition, your results are determined by calories and macros, and NOT the sources of those calories and macros. That means you can include foods considered by those not in the know to be “unhealthy” and still reach your goals. Enter the Skinny Cow Ice Cream Sandwich, a sweet treat expected to be a lower calorie option to a traditional ice cream sandwich. The question…how do they stack up to this American classic?

Macros vs. Taste

Compared to a Hood ice cream sandwich, the macros are actually a bit underwhelming on the Skinny Cow. The big savings is in the fat content: 3.5g for the Skinny Cow vs. 8g for the Hood. The Skinny Cow is heavier at 70g vs. 62 for the hood, so you do get a little more sandwich per macro. Other than that the nutrition info is about the same. The Skinny Cow boasts one more gram of protein, and equal carbs.

When it comes to taste, I prefer the Skinny Cow. The texture of the ice cream feels more “real” to me compared to the semi-soft-serve ice cream found in a traditional ice cream sandwich. This surprises me because the Skinny Cow ice cream is actually made with skim milk, where the Hood with regular milk. Being that the macros weren’t a grand slam on the Skinny Cow, I thought I’d do a blind taste test with some of the gym members, and opinions on taste were split 50/50. About half the people who tried the two brands could tell a distinct difference, but what’s worth noting is that even those who preferred the Hood did admit that the Skinny Cow was quite good.

A Better Option?

An ice cream sandwich probably isn’t something you’ll be fitting into your macros every day, but on occasion, the Skinny Cow seems like a decent option. But is there something better out there? As people wake up to the power of flexibile dieting, and the importance of a high protein diet, we see more and more companies adding “macro friendly” products to the market. With that in mind, what’s your favorite sweet treat that you like to occasionally incorporate in your nutrition plan on occasion? To see the reactions of our members eating the ice cream sandwiches, watch the video below!