Fridge Finds

Low-Cal Coolers

By Charlotte on June 15, 2011 6:49 AM

Bob and I practically live in our backyard this time of year. We enjoy "gardening" (he digs holes for my perennials, runs drip lines from the sprinkler heads and kills weeds; I supervise), lunching on the patio and relaxing in the pool.   

But with Texas temperatures already nearing 100 degrees, we can't stay outside long without some help. That's when low-calorie coolers like these refreshing fridge finds really come in handy. They're all new and better-for-you.

Zero-Calorie Honest Ade

Honest Tea's new Classic Lemonade is a delicious USDA-certified organic, no-calorie thirst quencher without any caffeine. That's great news for boomers like me who must shun such stimulants to have any hope of sleeping or keeping anything approaching a normal blood pressure.

Just the thing for a long, hot summer, Honest Ade combines the refreshing tartness of fresh lemons with naturally sweet, FDA-approved stevia (a leafy plant native to South America) extract so you get natural sweetness without any calories. We're talking 0 grams of sugar and 0 calories per 8-fluid-ounce serving!

Besides delivering real lemon flavor, this swimsuit friendly cooler comes in a 16.9-ounce, big-gulp bottle that is fully recyclable and BPA-free and phthalates-free. Right now, you can find it for $1.79 at many stores in New England and the Mid-Atlantic. Later this year, it should reach the West and East coasts.

Zero-Calorie Zevia

Speaking of zero-calorie options, all-natural Zevia now has five, summer-right new flavors: Grape, Mountain Zevia, Grapefruit Citrus, Caffeine-Free Cola and Cream Soda. The top-selling carbonated beverage in natural products stores nationwide, Zevia has no sugar, calories or artificial sweeteners. Like Honest Ade, all Zevia flavors are sweetened with natural stevia so they don't affect blood glucose levels. Plus they're vegan, Kosher and gluten-free.

As Bob and Cole will tell you, I'm normally a die-hard Caffeine-Free Diet Coke drinker. (One per day is my limit.) So given the chance to try one of Zevia's new flavors, I naturally went for the zero-calorie Caffeine-Free Cola, especially since all natural spells more peace-of-mind for a breast cancer-survivor like me. Luckily, this healthy alternative didn't disappoint. I got the cola flavor I craved and knowing it didn't have caffeine or artificial sweeteners made the experience all the sweeter.   

Dreyer's 50-Calorie Antioxidant Fruit Bars

Perfect for beating the heat, Dreyer's Antioxidant Fruit Bars taste like sorbet-on-a-stick. They're that good.

I love serving Dreyer's ice cream products like Dibs and these all-natural, popsicle-shaped treats when we have lunch outdoors. They're super easy, fat free and come in three tart and tangy flavors: Pomegranate, Acai Blueberry and new Goji White Grape (yum!). Made with real fruit juice, these 50-calorie fruit ices are also a good source of Vitamin C.

In addition to offering refreshing, all-natural goodness, Dreyer's packages its products in 100% recycled paperboard. And the brand partners with the Fruit Tree Planting Foundation to plant public orchards in neighborhoods across the country.

Dreyer's new Goji White Grape flavor Fruit Bar

 

Dreyer's Antioxidant Fruit Bars (marketed as Edy's Fruit Bars in the Midwest and East) come in a new, three-flavor variety pack available at grocery stores nationwide for $4.39.

 

We'd like to thank all brands in this post for providing free samples for review and testing.

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