Sweet Snacks That Are Good for You
Tips for eating sugary foods in a healthy way, plus six delicious healthy treats to try
We’ve all been there: That sweet craving hits, and you can’t get it out of your mind. It’s normal to like sweets; our bodies are actually programmed to crave them because they release feel-good chemicals, like dopamine, in the brain. But you can treat yourself without overdoing it on sugar. We have some tips to help you strike the right balance, plus ideas for easy-to-make sweet snacks that are good for you.
6 Healthy Sweets to Try
Maple-roasted pear: Cut a pear in half lengthwise; scoop out the core from each half. Microwave 1 teaspoon butter and 1 teaspoon maple syrup and combine. Brush pear halves with the mixture. Bake at 400° F, cut side down, 25 minutes or until soft. Top each half with 1 teaspoon chopped walnuts.
’Cannoli’-stuffed strawberries: Core 4 or 5 large strawberries. Mix ¼ cup whole-milk ricotta, ⅛ teaspoon vanilla or almond extract, 2 teaspoons confectioner’s sugar, and 1 tablespoon mini or regular chocolate chips. Fill the berries with the mixture.
Chocolate nut clusters: Mix ½ cup 2 percent plain Greek yogurt, 3 tablespoons chopped dates, 2 tablespoons chopped peanuts, and 1 tablespoon peanut butter. Spoon small dollops onto a cookie sheet and freeze until firm. Melt ½ cup dark chocolate chips with 1 teaspoon coconut oil in the microwave in 30-second increments, stirring until smooth. Dip the clusters in the melted chocolate. Freeze again until the chocolate hardens.
Chocolate pumpkin truffle bars: Combine 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips with 1 tablespoon coconut oil. Microwave in 30-second increments until chocolate is melted. Stir in 1 cup canned pumpkin and mix until smooth. Spread evenly in an 8x8-inch baking dish. Refrigerate until firm, then cut into squares.
Chocolate-dipped fruit: Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper. Prepare fruit, such as strawberries (shown at top), pineapple, orange slices, banana slices, kiwi slices, dried figs, or dried apricots. Melt ½ cup dark chocolate chips with 1 teaspoon coconut oil in the microwave in 30-second increments, stirring until smooth. Dip fruit into melted chocolate and place each piece on the lined baking sheet. Refrigerate until chocolate hardens.
Editor’s Note: This article also appeared in the November 2024 issue of Consumer Reports On Health.
