Are you trying to lose weight or just cut back on junk food and you’re looking for healthy ways to satisfy your sweet tooth? You’re in luck; I’ve found 20 yummy and healthier alternatives that you can easily swap as alternatives to sugary sweets and fattening desserts! These substitutes taste great and are much more wholesome for you than their junk food counterparts so let’s make over your pantry and make this summer our healthiest ever!
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1. Yogurt
Yogurt comes in a bunch of different varieties and is definitely a healthy way to satisfy your sweet tooth! I know yogurt is nothing new but there are tons of flavors that I bet you haven’t tried yet! Yoplait has tons of yogurts in dessert flavors that taste awesome and Chobani has some exotic fruit-on-the-bottom flavors that are amazing! If you’re bored of regular yogurt, try a different variety and add fresh fruit and granola to amp up the flavor!
2. Pudding
This junk food alternative will take you back to your younger days! I love buying pudding packs and eating them when I crave something really chocolaty! Individual pudding or jello packs come in all sorts of flavors and are low in calories plus, if you’re trying to cut down on sugar, there are usually sugar-free varieties as well. Pack one of these babies for work and don’t ever get tempted by the office vending machine again!
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3. Trail Mix
Trail mix is a healthy way to satisfy a sweet tooth and satisfy those cravings for something crunchy! Make your own trail mix to cut down on preservatives and added sugar and tote these along when you’re running errands or at school and need a quick boost of energy! I love the salty and sweet combination of trail mix and they can last in your bag or car all day!
4. Hot Cocoa
Hot chocolate is a great healthy swap for junk food. Drinking something sweet, warm and chocolaty just makes you feel good inside! You can always opt for no sugar added hot cocoa and use skim milk or another low fat milk and add some mini marshmallows for an added treat! If it’s super-hot, try making chocolate milk and use low fat milk, yum! To make hot cocoa extra special, hunt down some low fat whipped cream to top it off. Some brands have less than 20 calories per serving, so worth it!
5. Dessert Gum
Another one of the easy and healthy ways to satisfy a sweet tooth is to chew some dessert-flavored gum! If you’re at work or school and have a craving for something sinfully sweet but really don’t want to splurge on something that’ll undo your entire morning workout, try chewing on some fruit or dessert flavored gum! It’s not exactly the same as eating cake, but many times I crave something like that, I’m just bored or tired and forget about it after a few minutes anyway! Extra has rad flavors like mint chocolate chip and key lime pie!
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6. Sorbet
Sorbet is an amazing junk food alternative for those hot summer nights! If you’re craving something for dessert and want something cold other than ice cream, sorbet is a perfect swap! Sorbet is very light-in every meaning of the word and totally refreshing! It also comes in so many different flavors you won’t be easily bored with it. The cool and fruity flavors totally cleanse the palate and won’t have you feeling weighed down like a bowl of ice cream can!
7. Cereal
Why not try a common breakfast food for dessert as a healthy swap for junk food? If you want something sweet and crispy, try having a cup of cereal with almond milk. I love almond milk because it’s super low in cals but tastes creamy and you could have Cheerios, Special K Chocolaty Delight or another low sugar cereal as a delicious and quick fix for a sugar craving!
8. Flavored Coffee
Having a cup of coffee with flavored creamer is one of my favorite healthy ways to satisfy a sweet tooth! I know coffee isn’t exactly a health food, but if I get a “gourmet” flavored creamer, it tastes just like a dessert and there is way less fat and sugar than if I would’ve had a full-blown dessert. If you like your coffee black, get some flavored syrup to add to your java and the flavor combinations are endless!
9. Yogurt Drops
Yogurt drops are an easy DIY junk food alternative that’s healthy and cheap. All you need is yogurt, a tray, a non-stick liner and an icing gun or Ziploc bag for piping. You just fill the icing gun or plastic bag with yogurt, snip one of the ends off of the plastic bag and pipe drops of yogurt onto the liner and tray and freeze for at least 30 minutes or until frozen. Pop them in your mouth for a cold and tasty treat any time of the day!
10. Truwhip
Truwhip is an amazing healthy swap for junk food! It’s just like Cool Whip minus the trans-fat, high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oils! It’s also 70% organic, 100% natural, low in calories and to-die-for delicious! Pair some of this whipped topping with fresh fruit for an awesome mid-day snack or dessert! You can also use this in recipes with other desserts like pies and pastries to make a healthier version!
11. Frozen Grapes
Snacking on frozen grapes is totally a healthy way to satisfy a sweet tooth on those long hot days! Grab a bunch of seedless grapes and throw them in the freezer and whenever you feel like having a cool treat, pop a couple in your mouth for an icy delight! If your work has a freezer, take these with you to work and they’ll revitalize you during the hot afternoon slumps! Grapes aren’t the only fruit that taste great frozen, experiment with your favorite fruit!
12. Fudgesicles
The next time you get a chocolate craving, try having a fudgesicle or fudge popsicle as a healthy swap for junk food instead. You can find the no sugar added type at most grocery stores and one fudge popsicle has 40 calories but tastes like double the number of calories! You could even have 2 in one day for less than 100 calories and not feel guilty for overdoing it on the chocolate-now that’s the kind of dessert I like!
13. Fruit and Chocolate Kabobs
You can get really creative with this recipe as one of the healthy ways to satisfy a sweet tooth! Grab some fruit and skewers and drizzle some melted dark or milk chocolate on top for a sweet and slightly tart indulgence! Feel free to mix different fruits and if you’re not a chocolate fan, dip fruit in yogurt or a nut butter for a healthy snack or dessert!
14. Smoothie
Homemade smoothies are great as a meal or as one of the many healthy ways to satisfy your sweet tooth! If you have any frozen or fresh fruit, add that along with almond milk, kefir or water, ice cubes, whey protein and blend into a delectable and refreshing meal on-the-go or afternoon delight! I love that smoothies can be really nutritious yet taste so good and really satisfy you!
15. PB2
If you’re a peanut butter fanatic like me, PB2 is a low calorie alternative and healthy way to satisfy your sweet tooth when you’re craving something with peanut butter! PB2 is powdered peanut butter that has 85% of the calories taken out without any unhealthy preservatives or chemicals added to it. Doesn’t it sound like a dream come true? It gets even better, it comes in chocolate flavor too so you can have your PB & chocolate fix without all the calories and fat! All you do is add water to the powder and presto, spread on fruit or whole wheat bread!
16. Skinny Cow Snacks
Skinny Cow snacks are definitely one of my go-to healthy ways to satisfy your sweet tooth! If you haven’t discovered this incredible brand of treats yet, run to the grocery store! Skinny Cow has low calorie and low fat ice cream bars, cones and sandwiches as well as candy. Honestly, the candy bars are like eating any other candy bar minus all the cals and fat! Obviously this isn’t a health food but if your taste buds are screaming for chocolate, this is a must!
17. Homemade Popsicles
To me popsicles equal summer and this homemade version of the classic summer treat is a great healthy swap for junk food! Get some popsicle molds or use plastic cups and fill with cut up and drained fruit, fruit juice. Make sure there aren’t any air pockets and pack in the fruit and juice before you put it in the freezer and stick popsicle sticks in. These frozen delicacies are sure to please everyone in the household and you can make all different flavor combos!
18. Almonds and Dark Chocolate
Grabbing some plain roasted almonds with a couple of dark chocolate squares (at least 70% cacao for less sugar) is a quick and easy junk food alternative that will give you an energy boost! This is a great swap for a candy bar. Almonds are rich in monounsaturated fat, fiber, vitamin E and are great for your ticker! Dark chocolate is milk chocolate’s fitter family member with fewer calories, sugar and has antioxidants and it helps lower blood pressure!
19. Baked Apples
If you like warm desserts that are like comfort food, baked apples are the ideal healthy swap for junk food for you! Baking apples sprinkled with cinnamon, nutmeg and adding some chopped nuts, granola or oats is a decadent yet healthy way to satisfy a sweet tooth. Core an apple and add your desired toppings and pop in the oven for 15 minutes at 350 degrees for a hot and cozy dessert!
20. Light Kettle Corn
I love the sweet and salty flavor combo of kettle corn and popping a bag of the lighter version is one of the effortless and healthy ways to satisfy your sweet tooth. You can try out a pre-made version from Trader Joe’s or Jolly Time or get all Miss DIY and tweak a recipe for kettle corn available online. Kettle corn will really satisfy those sweet, salty and crunchy cravings all in one shot!
As you can see, there are tons of healthy ways to satisfy your sweet tooth while feeling good about your choice! Get creative with fruits and veggies and always read labels of items you buy to ensure you’re getting all the nutritional benefits without any of the added preservatives and trans fats! I hope this list of healthy ways to satisfy your sweet tooth has given you some snack and dessert ideas!
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