trying to be healthy - what can I have for dessert?

[Peachyblush2025]

I'm trying to eat clean - have cut out all processed and sugary stuff. So far, I've done 4 days. I don't have much to look forward to, don't enjoy alcohol so I used to use desserts and all sorts of sugary treats to pick myself up.

Now I'm trying to eat healthier, there really isn't much to look forward to. I gave up meat several years ago and don't enjoy being vegetarian as much I enjoyed eating meat but I did still have dessert. Now...nothing.

Is there anything I can have for dessert or a treat that isn't fruit? I can't really do one or two squares of chocolate as I frequently ate several big bars a night. I suspect I may just have to make do with fruit but I thought I would just ask.

Desperately want to lose weight and also suspect I may be pre-diabetic. I have a good 2.5-3 stone to lose and I want this to the year I do it.

I'm pre-diabetic so have had to change my diet. I often have greek yogurt with defrosted frozen berries. I wouldn't have considered this a couple of years ago but almost crave it now when I know I'm having it for breakfast. Crave it even more with chopped nuts on top.

One other tip I've found helped OP. After my meal I brush my teeth straight away (rather than waiting until bedtime). I found if I still had the taste of my savoury meal in my mouth I craved wine. Now I brush my teeth and it's gone.

Would you have protein powder? I know it's ultra processed but porridge with a nice flavoured protein powder and berries tastes like a crumble and is very satiating. Or protein powder mixed into Greek or natural yogurt with berries.

I need something sweet so generally I have a smoothie bowl as dessert. I have 200g of frozen summer fruits, 250ml of almond milk and a scoop of protein powder blended and then topped with 50g of granola. Granola isn't the healthiest but you could use something else like nuts. I do it really thick so that it's like ice cream.

Well it's not "healthy" but I make flapjack (loaded with seeds), rye biscuits, loaf cake or short bread. I try to eat as little processed food as possible, but have a sweet tooth and my family like sweet treats too so I feel bad banning them from chocolate etc! So I usually have one of the above in the cupboards, I feel less guilty when it's home made and you eat a lot less of it vs a bought snack.

For a quick sugar fix I also recommend medjool dates, I tend to make myself a small plate of nuts and fruit slices in the pm with a date or 2, curbs my cravings.

@changecandles 😂

I grate the 2 squares over the yoghurt and fruit !

No that wouldn't put a smile on my face either 🤭

I like full fat Greek yogurt with ground flax seeds and a small drizzle of honey on top

I tend to go with fruit TBH. I like finishing my meals with a portion of tinned fruit.

I also snack on crudites, rice cakes or roasted seaweed if savoury is more your thing.

Frozen mango, maybe a bit of lime juice whizzed up in a blender is exactly like mango sorbet.

Greek yogurt and berries

Microwave mug cake https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/banana-bread-mug-cake/

Having read your posts I'd either:
Have some thing proper but lowish sugar once a week as a treat. Homemade fruit crumble with cream perhaps and have as much as you like, but when it's gone it's gone.
Or
Try to come up with something else after dinner that feels like a treat, go to a class, a walk, a phone call, nip to the pub for a soda water with your partner if you have one, read a good book etc.
I'm the same with sugary foods, in that there are some where I just can't stop.

I've recently lost over two stone (with mounjaro) but a big part of that was the cravings for sweet stuff disappeared.

However the odd occassions I do fancy a treat I've really got into Greek yoghurt with a sprinkling of chia seeds blueberries and a little bit of the 'nice and nobbly' nature's path granola - It has a teeny tiny bit of white chocolate in it but gives that lovely sweet hit and the high GI of the yoghurt and healthy benefits of the blueberries and the chia seeds means that I feel nourished and satisfied after eating it.