The Latest Craze: Self Serve Frozen Yogurt

[Updated 9/16; 8:20pm] So what's the big deal about self serve froyo?  Up until yesterday, I would have said "Nothing."  While I was in Philadelphia this past summer, I had tried a self serve froyo place, Sweet Ending, and I thought, "eh, what's all the hype about?" I didn't care for the Sweet Ending froyo at all and thought it had a really weird aftertaste. Ergo, when I got home from Philadelphia and saw that there was a new self serve froyo place in downtown Newburyport (Orange Leaf), I wasn't all that excited. I figured it's just another overpriced fad. 

After weeks of hearing how great this place is and how it's worth the long lines, I finally decided to go see what the hoopla was all about.  I must say that Orange Leaf lived up to the hype!  The frozen yogurt at Orange Leaf is really delicious. It almost makes you wonder how I can be low fat.  (Yes, I know - a Seineld moment.)

How does a self serve froyo place work?  If you've never been to one, it's quite easy. You get your container (small or large), pick the flavor(s) of froyo you want, add your toppings, have it weighed at the register, and pay for your luscious dessert.  Mostly, if you're careful, this snack can be a fairly low calorie option... unless you lose your mind and take a huge portion and put a ton of toppings on it.  Then it goes from a low calorie snack to a hearty meal.

Here's the concoction I came up with last night: three small dollops of froyo (brownie batter, wedding cake and peanut butter), a light sprinkling of crumbled oreo cookies, a couple of strawberries and a light drizzle of peanut butter sauce - topped with a little whipped topping.  Oh my!  So delicious!  At $.49/ounce, if you're not careful, it can add up quickly.  The total cost of my creation was $4.35. 

If you're in Newburyport and are looking for a yummy, relatively healthy dessert/snack, head to Market Square and try the frozen yogurt at Orange Leaf.  I swear you will love it! Of course, Orange Leaf does have locations other than here in Newburyport, but why anyone would want to be anywhere else is beyond my comprehension. My only complaint about Orange Leaf is that I wish they had smaller sized containers. The "small" container is still pretty big so you end up filling it far more than you should.  Therefore, you should remember to be very careful with your serving size -- or bring a friend with you and share.