Healthy Dessert Ideas

Dessert can be decadent, but it can be a healthy part of a balanced diet as well. Healthy can taste great too! There’s no need to deprive yourself or your kids from eating a delicious meal-ender. These tasty treats will have the kids bragging at school or daycare the next day! Next time you want to prepare a nutritious and delicious dessert, try out one of the following amazingly great ideas.

Dessert Parfaits

Parfaits often contain high-fat puddings and a wallop of whipped cream, but this healthier version is just as satisfying and much better for you. By using high-protein Greek yogurt as the base, you’ll save calories and get a big boost of muscle-building protein. To prepare, take a tall, clear glass and layer scoops of Greek yogurt with chopped fruit of any kind, and a drizzle of honey. Repeat the process until you reach the top of the glass. Top with a sprinkle of cinnamon or a bit of crunchy granola. It’s so simple and simply scrumptious!

Fruit Dippers

Fondue is a fun, chocolate dessert, but all that rich chocolate, along with fattening dippers like donut sticks and pound cake is much too heavy for an after-dinner delight. Make the dessert more healthful by slicing some firm bananas, apples, pears, and melon and serve with a low-fat dipping sauce. You can make a simple sauce by combining low-fat or fat-free vanilla yogurt, a dash of maple or other pancake syrup, and a touch of brown sugar. Another sauce option is a mix of nut butter with honey. Kids love to dip and the fruit options will get your little ones noshing on something great for them. Experiment with different fruits and sweet sauces every evening!

Sweet Cottage Cheese Bowls

In place of ice cream, give each child a small bowl of low-fat cottage cheese with a variety of topping options. Lots of kids love cottage cheese with pineapple, but there are many other ways to sweeten up this high-protein snack. A dash of chocolate sauce goes a long way and makes for a great treat. Honey or jam sweeten up the cheese too. A handful of your kid’s favorite breakfast cereal or crushed graham crackers add a crunchy texture to the mix. Raisins or other dried fruit are also a favorite. Try a variety of toppings and mix-ins for a new dessert adventure every time you serve sweet cottage cheese bowls. These can be used as a quick breakfast option too.

Frozen Bananas

Did you know when you freeze bananas they taste just like a creamy fruit ice pop? Simply cut a peeled banana in half and stick a wooden popsicle stick in each half to make a pop. Freeze the pops on wax paper in the freezer for at least 3 hours. Take out the pops and serve with a bowl of low-fat chocolate or caramel sauce and separate bowls of chopped nuts, shredded coconut, crushed low-fat cookies, and crushed cereal. The kids can dip the pops into the sauce then into one (or more) of the toppings. For the minimalist child, the pop alone is a creamy confection. You can freeze and store pre-dipped bananas too for an after-school snack. Yum!

What are your favorite healthy dessert options for the family? For more information like this, please visit All My Children.

By: Melissa A. Kay