When I want Halo Top, I want it ASAP — brain freeze and all. So when a friend casually mentioned that you shouldn't eat the pints straight out of the freezer because they taste better if you let them rest first, I was dumbfounded.
Apparently, this tip has been on the packaging of Halo Top pints everywhere, but I certainly never bothered to read the fine print until someone pointed it out to me (major props to you if you're a fanatic who found this Halo Top Easter egg on your own):
"You might notice that your Halo Top sometimes freezes harder than the other guys — and that's a good thing! It's because we don't use artificial softeners and, of course, Halo Top's so low in sugar and fat. So give it a couple of minutes on the counter and see just how good a low-calorie, high-protein ice cream can be!"
A Halo Top spokesperson further explained the ice cream ~science~ to WomensHealthMag.com: Sugar and fat are what generally keep ice cream soft, but Halo Top doesn't have much of either. So that wait period between when you break out the HT and when you eat it is crucial for a soft, creamy scoop.
Just how long do you have to practice self-control before diving in if you want the peak Halo Top experience? The HT spokesperson tells WomensHealthMag.com that 15 minutes is ideal. So our editors decided to put this tip to the test with Blueberry Crumble, the newest flavor from the low-cal ice cream co.
You can see just how difficult it is to get a spoonful of Halo Top when it's straight out of the freezer (hand cramp alert!):
After a 15-minute wait period, it's much easier:
But of course an improved texture doesn't automatically equal better low-cal ice cream flavor. So we also taste-tested the pint pre- and post-wait period. Here were our thoughts on the flavor notes when the pint first came out of the freezer:
"Delicious, rich fruit flavor! Texture is very icy, though. I wish it were creamier."
"Icy, hard, tastes a little chemical-y."
"Tastes good, blueberry comes through, but texture is terrible—chalky and icy."
But after 15 minutes, everyone found that the smoother texture really helped make the taste that much better:
"Delicious! The texture is very creamy and the flavors came through much better."
"So much easier to scoop—and it feels creamier and tastier."
"Finally! So creamy and now you can taste the pie crumb bits. Worth the wait."
BRB, going to stock up on more Halo Top. Clearly, it's worth the wait.
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