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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 recognize from nature,” says Kristin Koskinen, R.D.N. 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 fiber 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 vending machine? “Make your snacks purposeful and don’t graze, as that might turn your healthy snack into a meal,” says Sarah Pflugradt, R.D., author of You Get One Body.
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 Liz Wyosnick, a Seattle-based R.D. and owner of the private practice Equilibriyum.
Remember your macros: “A healthy snack is basically like a miniature meal,” says Beth Auguste, a Philadelphia-based registered dietitian and women’s fitness specialist. 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 fiber, 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.
Consider your calorie count: Depending on your lifestyle and size, a reasonable calorie range for snacks is around 200 to 300 calories. A simple rule of thumb: 100 calories will sustain you for about 1 hour, says Wyosnick.
Minimize added sugars: Research links added sugars (a.k.a. sugars not naturally found in food) to weight gain, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease—which is why the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) recommends you limit your intake to less than 10 percent of your daily calories (or no more than 6 added teaspoons per day). If you’re reaching for a pre-packaged snack, look out for sneaky sugars on the ingredients label like organic cane juice, corn sweetener, corn syrup, fructose, lactose, maltose, molasses, and malt syrup.
Tame your sweet tooth: Sugar can be addictive as more sweet-tasting foods might fuel cravings for more, per a recent review in Frontiers and Psychology. In light of this, try to balance your intake of sweet treats with some savory snacks, too, suggests Wyosnick.
Next time your sweet tooth calls, reach for a wholesome snack that’s naturally sweet and satiating. Here, 30 healthy options that fit the bill:
1
Dark chocolate and almonds
If you’re craving chocolate, there’s no need to avoid the candy aisle. Just opt for a bar that’s at least 70 percent dark chocolate, which is rich in antioxidant phytonutrients called flavonoids that may help improve your heart health and support weight loss, per a recent article in the Journal of Nutritional Science.
Hu Kitchen and Lily’s Dark Chocolate check off all the boxes, says Tamar Samuels, R.D., owner of All Great Nutrition. Break off a piece and enjoy it with a handful of almonds, a great source of plant-based protein, vitamin E, calcium, and magnesium for a satisfying, healthy snack.
RELATED: 13 Healthiest Dark Chocolate Bars You Can Eat
2
Greek yogurt parfait
For a quick and nutritious treat you can enjoy just about anywhere, reach for a Mason jar and layer in your favorite granola, Greek yogurt with a swirl of honey, and chunks of kiwi, suggests Koskinen.
Fun fact: A single kiwi fruit provides over 100% of your daily value of vitamin C, which helps support a strong immune system.
RELATED: 14 Foods With More Vitamin C Than an Orange
3
Peanut butter chocolate chip energy bites
Next time you’re craving chocolate chip cookie dough, reach for the perfect 190-calorie bite of carbs, protein, and healthy fats, suggests Danielle Allen, a Massachusetts-based registered dietitian.
To make a batch of 12 energy bites, mix together ⅔ cup of peanut butter (or your nut butter of choice), ½ cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips, 1 cup of old-fashioned oats, ½ cup of ground flax seeds, and 2 tablespoons of honey. Refrigerate them for about 15 to 30 minutes, roll them up, and they’re good for up to a week in the fridge.
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4
Sliced apple with cheese
Sometimes, simple is best. Slice an apple and serve it with your favorite cheese for a satisfyingly sweet and savory bite, suggests Koskinen. Don’t bother peeling the apple, either—much of its filling fiber is found in the peel.
RELATED: 15 High-Fiber, Low-Carb Foods Dietitians Want You to Eat More Of
5
Figs with goat cheese
Another classic but slightly more luxurious combo: figs with goat cheese. Wash and slice fresh figs, cut them in half, smear them with goat cheese, and drizzle with honey.
6
Chia pudding
Tiny little powerhouses, chia seeds are packed with fiber and provide some protein as well. A favorite 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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7
Avocado chocolate mousse
Made with heavy cream, 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 fiber 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.
8
Trail mix
In the healthy snacks department, trail mix often gets a bad rep as it can be high in calories, especially if you’re grazing on a mix with yogurt-covered nuts and seeds or candy. However, if you stick to a small handful with fruits, nuts, and seeds, trail mix can make for a satiating, salty-sweet snack.
To make your own, mix together ¾ cup each of roasted almonds and peanuts, ½ cup each of raw sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, unsweetened dried cranberries, and semi-sweet chocolate chips, 1 cup of plain popcorn, ¼ teaspoon of sea salt, ½ teaspoon of cinnamon, and a pinch of nutmeg, suggests Allen.
9
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 Samuels.
RELATED: 15 Delicious Protein Balls Recipes
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10
Dark chocolate-dipped frozen bananas
If you’ve got a hankering for something cool and sweet, try these. Peel bananas, insert popsicle sticks into them, and melt 70 percent cacao or greater chocolate chips in a double boiler. Dip, freeze, and enjoy.
An easier option: Simply slice the bananas into wheels and drizzle with chocolate. Paired with antioxidant-rich dark chocolate and filled with vitamins C and B-6, fiber, and potassium, frozen bananas make for a delicious and nutritious treat.
11
Ants on a log
High in protein, healthy fats, and antioxidants, the classic childhood snack is dietitian-approved. For a grown-up twist, fill each celery stick with your favorite nut or seed butter, then sprinkle in a few dark chocolate chips (to reap the most health benefits, remember to opt for 70% cacao or greater), says Koskinen.
12
Stuffed dates
High in natural sugars, dried dates taste like nature’s caramel, says Kristina Cooke, a private-practice registered dietitian specializing in diabetes and weight management. 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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13
Unicorn bark
This frozen treat will wow your whole household, especially if you’ve got a unicorn-lover under your roof. What to do: Prep ½ a cup of strawberries, mango, and blueberries in separate, microwave-safe bowls. Microwave each for about 1 minute. In a blender, separately blend each ½ cup of fruit with 1 cup of plain, 0% Greek yogurt and a pinch of stevia if you’d like.
On a lined baking sheet, add large dollops of each colored yogurt and use a spoon to swirl the colors together. Top with coconut flakes, freeze, break into pieces, and enjoy. With Greek yogurt and fruit as the base, unicorn bark provides protein, fiber, antioxidants, and nutrients like vitamin C to keep your skin healthy and glowing, says Cooke.
14
Raspberries and cottage cheese
If good ol’ cottage cheese seems like an un-fun diet food to you, prepare to become a fan. Simply mix together ½ cup of cottage cheese with 1 cup of raspberries and a drizzle of honey to sweeten it up.
“With 13 grams of protein in the cottage cheese and 8 grams of fiber in the raspberries, you’re sure to stay full on this snack,” says Pflugradt.
15
Chocolate protein smoothie
For a supercharged, workout-friendly snack, blend together a scoop of chocolate protein powder, a handful of strawberries and spinach (a vitamin C and iron-rich combo which increases iron absorption), and a tablespoon of flaxseeds or chia seeds (a great source of omega-3 fatty acids which support heart health).
Pro tip: To cut down on the chalkiness and give it a more milkshake-like consistency, use a frozen banana instead of ice, says Lee Cotton, R.D.N.
RELATED: 15 High-Protein Smoothies That Will Keep You Full
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16
Frozen grapes
If you can never seem to eat fresh fruit fast enough, this snack is for you. Wash and dry grapes, place them in an airtight container, and pop them into the freezer.
After they’ve frozen, serve them with your favorite nuts or seeds like almonds or pistachios for an added dose of filling healthy fats, suggests Koskinen.
17
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 fiber in the fruit plus the fat in ricotta, you’re sure to be satiated,” says Julie Cunningham, a registered dietitian and diabetes care and education specialist.
18
Sweet and savory jerky
If you’re craving something sweet and savory, you can’t go wrong with a sweet-flavored jerky, says Auguste. This handheld snack is easy to eat on the go with no prep or clean-up necessary, and it will give you the energy you need with a big protein boost. For a more natural, lower-sodium option, try the Epic Provisions Turkey Cranberry Sage Strips.
RELATED: 17 Best Snacks to Eat if You Have Diabetes
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19
Chocolate tahini toast
If you can’t say no to Nutella, try a chocolate tahini spread like this one from Soom Foods, suggests Auguste. With heart-healthy fats, half the saturated fat, a third of the sugar, and two times the protein, this spread makes for a great alternative. Spread it on whole grain toast for a sweet, well-balanced snack.
20
Frozen prunes
For another freezer-friendly pick, consider frozen prunes. “They’re my favorite healthy sweet snack—I keep a big bag of them in my freezer and take out 3 or 4 after lunch every day,” says Lauren Harris-Pincus, R.D., owner of Nutrition Starring You.
Famous for their fiber and sorbitol content (both of which are natural laxatives), prunes also deliver potassium, magnesium, vitamin K, and polyphenols, which can help support healthy bones.
Lauren Krouse
Lauren Krouse is a freelance writer who covers health, domestic violence, and self-advocacy. Her work appears in _Women’s Health, Men’s Health, Prevention, Self, HuffPost, and elsewhere. When she’s not writing, you can find her trying to meditate more, weightlifting, or walking in the woods with her partner and black lab.
