Mr. Softee Anyone?

As the temperature rises, so does the urge for something refreshing … like Mr. Softee. I love it even more than Pinkberry or real ice cream.  It seems I can’t escape those Mr. Softee trucks – they are all over the city!  Ok, so they can no longer play their little tunes (thanks to Mayor Bloomberg and his noise control), however I know exactly where all the trucks are within a few blocks  of my apartment or office. So the question is … can Mr. Softee fit into your eating plan?

Calorie confusion in Mr. Softee
Check out the pic on the right for the calories in various items. The NYC Mr. Softee trucks are now mandated to list the calories. You’ll see that a small cone has between 190-270 calories. I did a search on calories in Mr. Softee and found other sites such as the Daily Plate list the calories as 371 and fat as 22. I’m not sure where these numbers came from. I had contacted Mr. Softee management a year or two ago and they told me a small cone was 170 calories.  So to be on the safe side, I would recommmend you use ~ 200 calories as the amount for small cone (not one that is heaping with ice cream!)

Damage control tips for Mr. Softee
1. Change your mentality – just because the weather is heating up, it doesn’t give you the green light to indulge in ice cream!

2. We often crave watery food like ice cream in warm weather. So when you think you are craving ice cream, it might really water that your body wants. So make sure you are always hydrated.

3. Since visual cues often trigger urges to eat, try to avoid the areas where Mr. Softee trucks are parked.

4. Allow yourself a Mr. Softee treats one occasion, but not everyday. I might suggest twice a week.  I often suggest my clients plan an afternoon snack each day for approximately 125-200 calories. So your occasional Mr.Softee treat could fit in.

5. When you order your Mr. Softee, stick to a small cone. The calories start adding up when you add the chocolate dip, nuts. Even worse, check out the calories for sundaes, banana boats, etc.