These Frozen Yogurt Toppings Give The Most Bang For Your Buck

If you love a bargain and want to feel like you're beating the system, learn which frozen yogurt toppings give you the best value for your hard-earned dough — and which ones will weigh you down (and cost more). I did a little experiment to figure it out. The results are a bit obvious but can help you to stay in the "working range." There's nothing worse than being surprised by an $8 charge you thought would be under $5 because you added a half bar of Hershey's Cookies 'n' Creme. 

In my experiment, I weighed scoops of 21 toppings commonly found at frozen yogurt spots. The measurements aren't perfect by any means — but froyo, like life, is a balancing act. Here's how they measured up. Heavier toppings, which included cherries and boba, weighed around 2 ounces per scoop, with cherries tipping the scale at 2.2 ounces. Falling just under the 2-ounce mark, cookie dough, strawberries, Reese's, gummy bears, and jelly beans ranged from 1.8 ounces per scoop (cookie dough) to 1.6 ounces per scoop (jelly beans). Yogurt chips, candy corn, Skittles, and Swedish Fish all weighed the same at 1.4 ounces per scoop, with peanuts trailing at 1.2 ounces per scoop. 

Cheesecake, Oreo shavings, graham crackers, and walnuts weighed 1 ounce per scoop; chocolate cake, almonds, and smashed peanuts weighed 0.8 ounces per scoop. The lightest toppings I found in this experiment were coconut flakes (0.6 ounces), Froot Loops (0.6 ounces), and marshmallows (0.4 ounces). 

Throughout this experiment, I was reminded that cereal is similar to cotton candy: whipped, sugary air. Froot Loops, Lucky Charms marshmallows, and Frosted Flakes all fall under 0.6 ounces per scoop. Another light topping, coconut shavings, may come in clutch for people who love fruit but don't want the extra weight in their bowl. However, coconuts (like olives) are drupes — not a traditional fruit. Maybe that is why their shaved meat doesn't weigh as much as those of other fruits. If you like fruit — or fruity cereal — these toppings won't break the bank.

Other light toppings were surprising. When I told my sister about this experiment, she was quick to admonish cakes. As it turns out, they can be a bit airy, chalking up at only 0.8 ounces per scoop. Take that, sister! And feel free to take extra cake, too. 

If you want a punch of protein, peanuts (whole or smashed) are a relatively light topping choice. Look to the chopped peanuts (0.8 ounces/scoop) to save money before choosing Reese's chocolate (1.6 ounces). If you want to cut corners, avoid whole peanuts; they add 0.4 ounces/scoop compared to the chopped variety. However, for those topping minimalists, either option works just fine. 

One of the most popular toppings, cookie dough, is also one of the heaviest at 1.8 ounces per scoop. Unfortunately, it makes sense since those little nuggets have to expand into cookies! Likewise, most everyone agrees strawberries are bad for the froyo budget, which they are, but rarely balk at cherries, which are 0.6 ounces per scoop heavier. Boba holds almost no nutritional value, which is a tough sell for something weighing 2 ounces per scoop. Alas, the squishy little guys pack a big punch at 1.6 ounces per scoop. 

Depending on how loaded you enjoy making your concoctions, these toppings may be budget-breakers. However, if you want a little cookie dough, boba, strawberries, or heavier fruit toppings, you can supplement with lighter toppings to avoid making your bowl too heavy. Think about syrups and super-light toppings or how to combine a couple of ingredients to create something that feels more substantial and creative with fewer toppings. 

For instance, 1 scoop of cookie dough, 1 scoop of chocolate cake, and some caramel syrup can give you a decadent treat for under 3 ounces of topping weight. Coconut flakes, strawberries, and some chocolate sauce will only tip the scale at around 2 ½ ounces. Any frozen yogurt creation can be approached in a cost-effective, delicious way if you add some creativity!