Dessert is meant to be enjoyed. To be lingered over. To be ordered and consumed with nary a thought of calories. But sometimes your craving for something sweet hits when you’re staring down an afternoon of meetings and a sugar crash is the last thing you need. In those moments, these better-for-you treats come in clutch.
We asked BA editors about the healthy desserts and sweets they keep stocked at home, in their freezers, and in the office snack stash. Some are lower in sugar, some pack a little extra protein or fiber, and many are made with whole-food ingredients, without artificial additives. None of them can replace an ooey, gooey chocolate chip cookie, but they’re all very good at satisfying your sweet tooth.
Better Sour
My love of gummy candy is well-documented. My college all-nighters were fueled by Sour Patch Kids; no trip to the movie theater is complete without a bag of Haribo; a stop at the Hudson News for Nerds Gummy Clusters is a pre-flight must. And, thanks to BA’s Pantry Awards, I have a new player in my starting lineup. Available in a range of tropical flavors, Better Sour candies are vegan, sweetened with cane sugar, and have no artificial flavors or colors. But honestly, that’s not why I eat them. I eat them because they taste great. —Abbey Stone, recs and reviews lead
Lexington Bakes
Berry Blackout Protein Cookies
Most protein cookies are…not good. They’re chalky and dense and feel like a brick in your gut. Lexington Bakes’ treats are different. Their fudgy texture reminds me of a Cosmic Brownie, but they have more protein than an egg
Gato Dates
Look, I know I could make some version of these at home, but Gato’s are that much better, whether from the impossibly fudgy Medjool dates they use, the top-notch nut butter (they use One Trick Pony in the peanut butter flavor, which I love the most), or the high-quality 70 percent dark chocolate. Oh, and don’t forget the sea salt. —Kate Kassin, editorial operations manager
Olipop Soda
Raspberry Sherbet Prebiotic Soda, Pack of 12
I’ve never been much of a sweet soda person, but I do love a sweet, fizzy drink every once in a while, which is why I always have an Olipop in the fridge. It scratches that soda itch without being quite as syrupy as a regular can of Coke, plus it has prebiotics and fiber that make me feel a little better about reaching for one. I’m currently obsessed with the new Raspberry Sherbet flavor, which somehow tastes exactly like sorbet—sweet, fruity, and very much giving melted sherbet in the best possible way. —F.K.
TruFrü Frozen Treats
White & Milk Chocolate Whole Raspberries
They’re the ultimate bite-sized treat. I love how they took a classic combo like chocolate and fruit and made it snackable. The cold temperature and the snap of the hardened chocolate really elevates the whole experience. For me, the raspberries with dark and white chocolate hit the perfect contrast of sweetness and acidity. —Cristina Correa, social media manager
Hu Dark Chocolate Bites
Dark Chocolate Bites, Cashew Butter Vanilla Bean
I rarely go a night without a sweet treat, and Hu bites are one of those freezer staples I keep going back to. The creamy cashew butter wrapped in dark chocolate is nostalgic of a Reese’s but only with the ingredients that we know and love. I recently sprinkled these in my bachelorette bags, and they were a huge hit. — Casey Hendricks, executive director of audience strategy
Meet The
Imagine cookie dough meets protein bar, in ball form, using only the best gluten- and refined sugar-free ingredients
Date Better Date Bark
Dark Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Date Bark
Just one bite of Date Better’s caramel-y, chewy peanut butter date bark sends me to outer space
Joyride Gummies
I picked up a bag of Joyride’s Sour Watermelon Wedges on a total whim in the checkout line at Target and was honestly shocked by how much I liked them. They’re sweet, sour, soft, and chewy in exactly the way I want a gummy to be, but with WAY less sugar than traditional candy. At just 50 calories per serving, they’ve become one of my favorite ways to satisfy a craving without demolishing an entire bag of regular gummies
Stellar Eats Instant Cups
Fudge Brownie Instant Treat in a Cup
In just 1-2 minutes and with the addition of water, I can take the Stellar Eats fudge brownie in a cup from mix to fudgey, nutty treat
Trader Joe’s Gone Bananas
Gone Bananas!
I literally can’t go to Trader Joe’s without putting these things in my cart. They’re the perfect size when you want something that’s a tad sweet without going overboard. I love how the frozen dark chocolate melts in my mouth, especially when it’s too hot to eat anything else. They also make frozen chocolate covered strawberries which, yeah, I guess you could make, but these are just so convenient
Alec’s Ice Cream Culture Cups
I was already a fan of Alec’s Ice Cream, made with A2 dairy, but then they made them into single servings and added a chocolate shell on top and I fell even more in love
Stock up on more staff faves
- The Best Healthy Snacks, According to BA Editors
- The Best Granola Brands, According to Highly Opinionated Editors
- The Best High-Protein Snacks, According to BA Editors
Source: www.bonappetit.com
