Even though it’s my personal philosophy that if you’re going to have a treat, it should be a really good, high-quality treat in a smaller-than-average portion, especially if you’re trying to lose pounds or maintain a certain number on the scale.
Of course, there are times when a tablespoon of chocolate chips just won’t do and purchasing an entire pint of premium ice cream for just a few bites is more dangerous then it’s worth. For those times, I have a few go-to sweets to tide me over until I’m ready to go for a bigger splurge.
Starbucks VIA Ready Brew: Starbucks Coffee Company releases a lot of new products each year, from baked goods to new brews but my favorite, by far, is their line of instant coffee, introduced in 2024. The latest addition to the on-the-go lineup is sweetened with cane sugar and natural flavors: Caramel, Vanilla or Mocha. At 60 calories per serving, there are no sticky syrups or freaky ingredients that you can’t pronounce. It’s the perfect thing to take the edge off a pastry craving on a busy morning.
Whole Foods Frozen Fruit Bars: It might be winter, but cold weather never has (and probably never well) stopped me from craving ice cream after dinner. If you’re trying to cut down on your calorie intake before the holiday party invitations start rolling in, try one of Whole Foods’ lime frozen fruit bars for a taste that’s both sweet enough to satisfy and tart enough that you won’t want more than one. The best part? Unlike most frozen fruit desserts, these have no high-fructose corn syrup or artificial dyes.
Extra Dessert Delights: Chewing gum to prevent cravings in between meals is one of the oldest diet tricks in the book. Though chewing gum will never replace your favorite sweets, Extra’s latest sugar-free gum comes close with three dessert-inspire flavors: Mint Chocolate Chip, Key Lime Pie and Strawberry Shortcake. Each stick has five calories, which we can all agree is way less than the average slice of key lime pie.
Deep Chocolate VitaMuffins: Dieting might seem like a daunting task for a choco-holic, but Vitalicious has plenty of 100-calorie muffins, muffin tops and brownies that taste great and won’t derail your diet. Are they as good as homemade brownies? Maybe not, but in a pinch, they’ll kick your chocolate craving without a side of guilt.