Sir, There’s no disputing that the likes of Halo Top, Breyers and Oppo have found a clever niche by creating a lower-calorie ice cream that allows you to eat bigger portions ‘guilt-free’.
I’m also aware that nothing stands still and that a healthy agenda is the primary call to arms in these increasingly ‘obese millennial’ times.
And yet, as much as I marvel at the mental gymnastics needed to make this category a reality - it’s seriously clever - part of me deplores a fast food mindset that suggests eating more of something is always the end goal.
Shouldn’t there simply be foods and drinks that we acknowledge aren’t as good for us as others, and as such need to be consumed in moderation? Would a beer purist ever choose an ‘alcohol-free’ beer out of choice? A croissant not made with real butter would feel a little half-hearted, as would chocolate deprived of cacao.
Call me old school, but to my way of thinking real ice cream contains milk and cream. If I was an ice cream producer I’d want to make such a stunning ice cream that even a small portion of it felt as, if not more, satisfying than a Machiavellian alternative packed with clever ingredients of which I could guzzle an entire bucket.
Isn’t the real secret to mankind’s long-term healthier aspirations all about fostering a mindset that recognises that less can often be more vs a big 500ml tub of OK?
Ian Hills, founder, Purple Pilchard
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