Diet Ice Cream Float Recipes
Hot off the retro press: August 2022 • Freshly updated August 2025
Who says ‘diet’ has to be boring?
Grab your favorite tray and serve up a refreshing summer treat!
Yes, I said diet! All you need is one can of A&W Zero Sugar Root Beer (or 7UP Zero Sugar) and a scoop of Breyers Carb Smart Vanilla Ice Cream.
The result? A fizzy, creamy float that tastes surprisingly close to the full-sugar, nostalgic dessert floats we all grew up with just a little lighter on the calories.
This version is much lower in calories, sugar and carbohydrates.
This article contains affiliate links, As an Amazon Associates affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This is at no additional cost to you.
The Ice Cream Float a Fun Sip of History
The humble ice cream float has been bubbling up smiles since the late 19th century.
Legend has it that in 1874, Robert McCay Green, a soda shop owner in Philadelphia, ran out of ice for his drinks during a fair.
Thinking quick, he added a scoop of vanilla ice cream to the flavored soda water instead and the first “float” was born.
By the 1920s, ice cream sodas and floats were the most ordered treat at American drugstore counters.
Chill your favorite float glass ahead….
6 Easy Diet float Combos to Try:
Root Beer + Vanilla
The diet root beer float recipe never fails A&W Zero Sugar Root Beer with Breyers Carb Smart Vanilla Ice Cream. Pure nostalgia, lighter on sugar.
Lemon-Lime + Sherbet
Pour 7UP Zero Sugar over a scoop of sugar free lemon or orange sherbet for a citrusy, soda fountain throwback.
Cola + Chocolate
Zero Sugar Coca Cola meets Carb Smart Chocolate Ice Cream for a fizzy twist on a chocolate soda.
Cherry Cola + Vanilla
Diet Cherry Cola topped with vanilla ice cream sweet, bubbly, and very retro diner-style.
Ginger Ale + Pineapple
A fun mid-century combo! Zero sugar ginger ale with a scoop of pineapple ice cream or frozen yogurt for a tropical float.
Cherry 7up + Vanilla low carb ice cream
The carb smart ice cream float! Zero sugar Cherry 7 Up then add a scoop of vanilla carb smart ice cream.
Retro Takeaway
The diet version keeps the creamy, fizzy magic while cutting nearly half the calories and almost all of the sugar. This is my fun head-to-head comparison.
🍺 Classic Root Beer Float (Regular Soda + Vanilla Ice Cream)
Ingredients:
12 oz regular root beer (about 150 calories)
2 scoops regular vanilla ice cream (~270 calories for 1 cup)
Total Calories: ~420 calories
Sugar: ~70g (from soda + ice cream)
🥤 Diet Root Beer Float (Zero Sugar + Carb Smart Ice Cream)
Ingredients:
12 oz A&W Zero Sugar Root Beer (0 calories, 0g sugar)
2 scoops Breyers Carb Smart Vanilla (~120 calories for ½ cup, ~240 calories for 1 cup)
Total Calories: ~240 calories
Sugar: ~6–8g (naturally occurring milk sugars in the ice cream)
✨ Calorie Savings: ~180 calories per float
✨ Sugar Savings: ~60+ grams of sugar saved
Diet Root Beer Float Recipe
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 1 serving
Ingredients
1 can A&W Zero Sugar Root Beer (or 7UP Zero Sugar)
2 scoops Breyers Carb Smart Vanilla Ice Cream (or your favorite low-carb/low-sugar brand)
Sugar free Whipped cream (optional topping)
Maraschino cherry (optional garnish)
Instructions
Chill your favorite float glass ahead of time for the best frosty experience.
Place 2 scoops of ice cream into the bottom of the glass.
Slowly pour the root beer (or lemon-lime soda) over the ice cream, letting it fizz and foam.
Top with whipped cream and a cherry if desired.
Serve immediately with a straw and long spoon.
Enjoy these 6 original Vintage By The Bite Recipes
Back in the early 1900s, a root beer float was often called a “Black Cow.” The name is said to have come from a Colorado soda shop owner who mixed root beer with ice cream on a whim and the creamy swirl reminded him of a cow grazing in a moonlit field. The name stuck for decades at soda fountains!
Retro Shopping
Available on Amazon: Diet Stewats Root Beer
Diet Stewart’s Root Beer can also be used
I’ll even order a diet root beer float when I go to an A&W restaurant.
Closing Words
These fizzy favorites are the perfect way to indulge in something sweet without breaking your calorie count.
A diet float still delivers all the creamy, nostalgic flavor of the classic summer treat just a little lighter and a somewhat healthier version.
It’s a vintage dessert with a diet twist, so the next time your sweet tooth is calling, whip up a diet float and enjoy a refreshing sip of retro goodness, guilt-free.
💌 This recipe is part of the Vintage by the Bite collection where 1940s–1960s recipes live on in today’s kitchens.
From fizzy drinks to Sunday suppers, we’re preserving the past one bite at a time. - Shelly
