If a craving for something sweet typically means devouring a candy bar, sleeve-full of cookies, or a tubful of ice cream, “healthy sweet snacks” might sound like an oxymoron. The good news: You can indulge in the sweeter things in life without totally abandoning your healthy-ish lifestyle.
Rather than reaching for highly-processed, sugar-loaded foods every time you crave something sweet, update your snacks arsenal. “A sweet, healthy snack is one with ingredients we can recognise from nature,” says dietitian Kristin Koskinen. That means fresh, frozen, or dried fruit, dark chocolate, smoothies, and treats made with whole foods like nuts, seeds, dates, and coconut, she says. Make this tweak, and you’re not only cutting down on the not-so-healthy stuff (additives, preservatives, and added sugars), but you’re also nourishing your body with vitamins and minerals, filling fibre and protein, and healthy fats, which will help quell hunger pangs until your next meal.
How to choose a healthy sweet snack: Check in with yourself: Are you actually hungry or just in the mood to visit the office snack stash? “Make your snacks purposeful and don’t graze, as that might turn your healthy snack into a meal,” says dietitian Sarah Pflugradt.
Schedule in sweet snacks: Ideally, snacks bridge the gap between meals, keeping your blood sugar in check and your energy and mood up all day long. If you know there’s going to be over four hours between meals (for most of us, that’s the lunch-to-dinner stretch), plan for a snack to avoid getting hangry or overeating in the evening, suggests dietitian Liz Wyosnick.
Remember your macros: “A healthy snack is basically like a miniature meal,” says dietitian Beth Auguste. That means for every 100 calories, there should be about 3 grams of fat, 8 to 10 grams of protein, and 8 to 10 grams of carbohydrates. Make sure to include some fibre, too (3 to 10 grams) to help slow your digestion and the release of sugar into your bloodstream. With this combination, you’ll have a steady supply of energy as opposed to the sugar spike and crash that comes with sweet snacks.
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1) Chia pudding
Tiny little powerhouses, chia seeds are packed with fibre and provide some protein as well. A favourite for meal preppers, chia pudding makes for a delicious sweet snack.
To make it, whisk together 1 cup of milk (any type!) and a swirl of honey, then mix in 2 tablespoons of chia seeds. Let it chill for about 20 minutes or soak overnight, then enjoy. Mix it up with different fruit and nut toppings, like mixed berries and walnuts or apricots and almonds.
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2) Avocado chocolate mousse
Made with whipped cream, and a load of added sugar, traditional chocolate mousse is sure to weigh you down and spike your blood sugar, says Wyosnick.
Your fix: Make avocado chocolate mousse with 1 avocado (which is high in fibre and heart-healthy fats), ¼ cup of honey, ¼ cup of unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 tablespoons of unsweetened almond milk, a teaspoon of vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Top it off with fresh berries and a sprinkle of nuts.
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3) Coconut cashew energy bites
For another no-bake goodie, throw together these coconut cashew energy bites from All Great Nutrition. With shredded coconut, creamy and nutrient-dense cashew butter, chocolate chips, a swirl of maple syrup, vanilla extract, and cinnamon, this sweet snack is delicious and filling. To boost the protein content, add in a ¼ cup of vanilla or chocolate protein powder, suggests dietitian Tamar Samuels.
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4) Stuffed dates
High in natural sugars, dried dates taste like nature’s caramel, says dietitian Kristina Cooke. For a decadent treat, remove the pit of the date and stuff it with a teaspoon of nut or seed butter. As dried dates are super sugary, stick to one to two dates per snack, suggests Cooke.
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5) Fruit-topped rice cakes
Rice cakes are, arguably, pretty boring. But here’s how to make them beautiful and delicious: Top 2 rice cakes with a mix of ¼ cup ricotta and 1 teaspoon of apricot preserves. Top that with ½ a cup of apple slices and ½ cup of blueberries.
“With the fibre in the fruit plus the fat in ricotta, you’re sure to be satiated,” says dietitian Julie Cunningham.
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6) Baked apples
Rather than loading up apple crumble, keep it simple with baked apples. Set your oven to 190°C, then quarter and core an apple. Toss the pieces in 1 teaspoon of coconut oil and a dash of cinnamon, then bake for 30 minutes.
For an added crunch and filling healthy fats, top it with a sprinkle of walnuts, suggests dietitian Micah Siva.
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7) Chocolate almond raspberry smoothie
This chocolatey-sweet smoothie provides 45% of the calcium you need per day in one pour. What to do: Blend together 1 cup of unsweetened chocolate almond milk, ½ a banana, ½ a cup of raspberries (fresh or frozen is fine), 1 tablespoon of almond butter, 1 tablespoon of chia seeds, and a handful of ice cubes. Garnish with some cinnamon, and you’re good to go, says dietitian Bonnie Taub-Dix.
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