Alternative Sweets?
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vbcp861
Posts: 7 Member
Hey all!
Maintaining my weight at this point. But I have a huge sweet tooth. Any advice on specific sweet alternatives for chocolate or ice creams? I'm a person that loves rich flavors. But I'm looking for something to control that craving to help with splurging. (example, sometimes I keep 90% dark chocolate on hand).
Any suggestions is helpful!
Maintaining my weight at this point. But I have a huge sweet tooth. Any advice on specific sweet alternatives for chocolate or ice creams? I'm a person that loves rich flavors. But I'm looking for something to control that craving to help with splurging. (example, sometimes I keep 90% dark chocolate on hand).
Any suggestions is helpful!
2
Replies
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It depends on your ability to keep sweets in the house without overeating. I struggle with this, so I find something I like, but do not love. For chocolate I keep pudding cups in the fridge cause I'll only eat one. And every 2 or 3 weeks, I will buy a 2-pack of Chilly Cow Ice Cream, but don't buy more cause I'll eat it all.
Rather an experimental process for each of us. Wish you the best.4 -
For those who are able to stop at just the amount they intended to eat, then I would generally recommend budgeting calories for what you want. However, if you are not confident that you can stop with that amount, one thing I've been doing lately is tea with various flavored sugar free syrups. They're not going to taste the same as chocolate or ice cream, but they're nice.7
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I've been really into the Chocolate Hummus from Trader Joe's, if you have one in your area. Keep in mind that it's not going to taste like chocolate ice cream or a tub of chocolate icing. IMO it doesn't have a weird "hummus" taste either and is a good lightly sweet taste. I've tried it with an apple and raspberries because that's what I had on hand. I'm sure strawberries would be good too. I typically eat 2 servings (4 tablespoons) which is still only 100 calories. It also helps me get in a serving of fruit/makes the fruit a lot more interesting.
For ice cream, some of the Halo Top flavors are good but I found it wasn't great for me because I need to work on portion sizes. While I technically could fit in a whole pint into my calorie day, I don't need to be eating a whole pint of ice cream. For me that just leads to eating a whole pint of "real" ice cream later. I now prefer Chilly Cow because it comes in more reasonable servings and also tastes more like real ice cream.1 -
I like bakers chocolate, the 100% cocoa, but I know not everyone likes that.
Also, I've started eating plain Greek yogurt with cucumbers and in a weird way that seemed to help with my sweet tooth.
Also, it's hard to over indulge on fruit usually (not for everyone), so sometimes I'll keep fruit around since I'm less likely to grab it.3 -
swimmchick87 wrote: »I've been really into the Chocolate Hummus from Trader Joe's, if you have one in your area. Keep in mind that it's not going to taste like chocolate ice cream or a tub of chocolate icing. IMO it doesn't have a weird "hummus" taste either and is a good lightly sweet taste. I've tried it with an apple and raspberries because that's what I had on hand. I'm sure strawberries would be good too. I typically eat 2 servings (4 tablespoons) which is still only 100 calories. It also helps me get in a serving of fruit/makes the fruit a lot more interesting.
For ice cream, some of the Halo Top flavors are good but I found it wasn't great for me because I need to work on portion sizes. While I technically could fit in a whole pint into my calorie day, I don't need to be eating a whole pint of ice cream. For me that just leads to eating a whole pint of "real" ice cream later. I now prefer Chilly Cow because it comes in more reasonable servings and also tastes more like real ice cream.
I like the chocolate hummus with ricotta on toast. But it doesn't really taste like chocolate to me.0 -
Since you like/miss ice cream, you might like this. It's like 'Protein Fluff' minus the protein powder...The protein powder would most likely thicken it up too. And the flavor used would make it taste pretty good too I'm assuming...
I also absolutely LOVE dark cocoa powder...10 calories/tbsp. - get to mix in yogurt or I even mix it into cottage cheese with stevia/sweetener.
Equipment:
You NEED to have a powerful blender - like a Vitamix (I have a Ninja 'Professional' blender)
First - to make a chocolate/mocha one (my favorite):
1/8 cup of cold strong coffee into blender
Add 3/4 tsp. to 1 tsp. of Xanthum gum (keeps it less icy and really thickens it up – I also find it gives it ‘texture’)
1 -2tbsp.
of vanilla/caramel extract and sweetener of choice ( I use Stevia)
*I’ve been now using stevia along with some Salted Chocolate/Espresso Jordan Skinny Syrup too!
2+TBSP. of dark cocoa powder (or more if you like)
Add 1/4 tray of ice - blender to break up. Add another ¼ and blend. Keep adding ice cubes until you get ‘right’ consistency. Blend.
Put in freezer for an hour or so and then it's 'ready' - or just eat the fluff straight away (much more like ice cream though if you freeze it) Add whatever to make it yummy - berries, etc.,
Not bad for around 25-30 calories!
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Split Dates, peanut butter ( or any type of nut butter come to that ) with a little dark chocolate2
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A bit of sugar-free chocolate pudding mix whipped into some plain greek yogurt helps to blunt my chocolate cravings. I imagine that using one of the low-calorie alt-milks instead would cut calories even further.0
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Those Fudgsicle 'no sugar added' bars only have 40 calories. They helped me in the past. I also go for sugar free jello and puddings.1
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KalesBagel wrote: »I like bakers chocolate, the 100% cocoa, but I know not everyone likes that.
Also, I've started eating plain Greek yogurt with cucumbers and in a weird way that seemed to help with my sweet tooth.
Also, it's hard to over indulge on fruit usually (not for everyone), so sometimes I'll keep fruit around since I'm less likely to grab it.
Okay, a) gotta give that a try; b) how on earth did you stumble across that?!; and c) it really does go to show that the possibilities are endless!
If I'm craving something like a Snickers (doesn't happen too often, but it does happen), I love a date with maybe 15g almond butter and a little bit of sea salt. (similar to @wendyheath32 but I find dates have a chocolate-ish flavour of their own)
I also will have portioned out servings of the gummy sweets I love. I keep them in MFP and put them in my diary before I leave work for the day. But I can just have one serving (when I've pre-measured it) generally. I have a history of eating way too many dried fruits, so they get the same treatment.1 -
Halo top Ice cream. I just tried the blueberry crumble one last night, so good.2
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I usually try a cup of coffee with real whipping cream or a can of Zevia soda. Most times that helps my sweet craving. If not, I make my own hot chocolate (113 cal, 1.4 g fat, 11 g carbs, 4.8 g protein) if I have not met my daily macro/cal intake.2
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* Fruit (including experimenting with less standard (to me) ones like jackfruit, guavas, rambutan, whatever),
* unsugared dried fruit in small portions (especially mangos),
* Frozen Yasso Greek yogurt bars (100 cals but some nutrition),
* small but rich individual chocolate,
* Frozen unsugared fruit (especially dark cherries or mixed berries) mixed with mixed-together nonfat Greek yogurt and chocolate PB2
* Individual cups of Edy's slow-churned (reduced calorie but not artificially sweetened) ice cream (around 180 calories, but I don't find things like Halo top satisfying, and find artificial sweeteners unpleasant-tasting)
I'm really more of a savory/salty snacker, though, so things like crispy broad beans, pickles, a small portion of rich cheese on a couple lower-cal crackers - that sort of thing.4 -
Crepini (egg white califlower crepe) from costco. Neutral wrapper, good for sweet or savory (0 carb, 8 calories)
Add filling ie: 1/2 Tb. almond butter + swerve brown sugar + pecan bits...or any filling that works on your plan. I like to start with my last food for the day (sweet) and move backwards twards breakfast on MFP when Im planning for the day.3 -
Fruit, fruit, fruit. I've never been on a fruit bender in my entire lifetime. A piece of fruit does it for me every single time and it took some time to remember fruit is always there. Don't let anyone tell you fruit is bad or will ruin your diet or cause weight gain.
5 -
i like a mini kind bar or rice cake w/pnut butter and a little jelly. I also eat a little choc every day, a little, maybe 1 candy kiss. I freeze them.
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KalesBagel wrote: »I like bakers chocolate, the 100% cocoa, but I know not everyone likes that.
Also, I've started eating plain Greek yogurt with cucumbers and in a weird way that seemed to help with my sweet tooth.
Also, it's hard to over indulge on fruit usually (not for everyone), so sometimes I'll keep fruit around since I'm less likely to grab it.
Okay, a) gotta give that a try; b) how on earth did you stumble across that?!; and c) it really does go to show that the possibilities are endless!
If I'm craving something like a Snickers (doesn't happen too often, but it does happen), I love a date with maybe 15g almond butter and a little bit of sea salt. (similar to @wendyheath32 but I find dates have a chocolate-ish flavour of their own)
I also will have portioned out servings of the gummy sweets I love. I keep them in MFP and put them in my diary before I leave work for the day. But I can just have one serving (when I've pre-measured it) generally. I have a history of eating way too many dried fruits, so they get the same treatment.
It's a known snack/side dish in some regions. Greek yogurt, grated or cubed cucumbers (I like cubed for the texture), pressed garlic, dried mint (enough to give it a speckled look but not so much as to overpower), and salt. Very tasty. You could also add EVOO, but that adds calories I can do without, so I leave it out.0 -
I put cacao powder (not cocoa powder, this is straight ground up cacao nibs with no sugar added) in everything. Coffee, Greek yogurt, oatmeal, almond butter. Cacao powder and vanilla extract. It’s too bitter for most people but if you like 90% dark chocolate you would probably enjoy it. Berries for sweetness sometimes. I use Zint brand. About ten calories’ worth turns anything into a rich dark chocolate treat.0
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Since you like/miss ice cream, you might like this. It's like 'Protein Fluff' minus the protein powder...The protein powder would most likely thicken it up too. And the flavor used would make it taste pretty good too I'm assuming...
I also absolutely LOVE dark cocoa powder...10 calories/tbsp. - get to mix in yogurt or I even mix it into cottage cheese with stevia/sweetener.
Equipment:
You NEED to have a powerful blender - like a Vitamix (I have a Ninja 'Professional' blender)
First - to make a chocolate/mocha one (my favorite):
1/8 cup of cold strong coffee into blender
Add 3/4 tsp. to 1 tsp. of Xanthum gum (keeps it less icy and really thickens it up – I also find it gives it ‘texture’)
1 -2tbsp.
of vanilla/caramel extract and sweetener of choice ( I use Stevia)
*I’ve been now using stevia along with some Salted Chocolate/Espresso Jordan Skinny Syrup too!
2+TBSP. of dark cocoa powder (or more if you like)
Add 1/4 tray of ice - blender to break up. Add another ¼ and blend. Keep adding ice cubes until you get ‘right’ consistency. Blend.
Put in freezer for an hour or so and then it's 'ready' - or just eat the fluff straight away (much more like ice cream though if you freeze it) Add whatever to make it yummy - berries, etc.,
Not bad for around 25-30 calories!
you can make protein fluff without ice, then all you need is electric beaters. Ive made it a few times, you can find recipes online2 -
Fruits, dark chocolate, and Halo Top ice cream are my go tos0
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I eat 100% chocolate. Montezuma brand is the one I enjoy and a little bit will reall satisfy a chocolate craving without the sugar. For sweet treats Trader joes has a nice selection of small serving desserts that range from 40-80 calories per individual item. One of those will usually do it if i am looking for something sweet.1
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blueberries with grated 92% dark chocolate in a number of grams that fits your budget. grating makes the chocolate fluff up and melt easily so it looks like more than it is and tastes like more than it is too.
For ice cream try the New York Times' "only ice cream recipe you'll ever need" and make it at home so you can control the sugar content. I find I can cut the sugar in half for most flavors and for some fruits add no sugar at all (eg: make cherry ice cream using Trader Joe's unsweetened sweet cherry juice and no added sugar to flavor the ice-cream base.) However you will still get fat-calories doing this--cutting the cream content doesn't work well as you wind up with ice crystals in the final product.2 -
I eat a little bit of chocolate every day; Lake Champlain 72% cacao is awesome, as long as I stop at one square. SlimFast makes a peanut butter cup keto fat bomb that is delicious and very satisfying. I satisfy the ice cream urge with Rebel Creamery; so many great flavors. I love plain Fage greek yogurt; I mix in DaVinci sugar free syrup and sprinkle grain free granola on top; You could chop up your chocolate with a mix of pecans and/or other nuts. Also, Walden Farms makes some calorie free syrups (chocolate, caramel, etc.) My dentist recommended xylitol gum and mints; they are good for your teeth and your waistline, and I find that they help cut off sugar cravings after a meal. Sno and Pur make my favorite flavors. I find that eating as much good stuff as possible during a meal really helps me curb the cravings.2
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Protein shake that tastes like Wendy's Frosty!
3/4 cup (6 ounces) milk of your choice, about 15 ice cubes, 1 scoop protein powder (I used a chocolate peanut butter but whatever you want!), 1-2 TB cocoa powder (recipe called for unsweetened but I used just general cocoa powder), sweetener of choice (1/4 of a frozen banana or stevia), and 1 TSP xanthum gum.
2 -
another thing I just thought of as im chewing it, Gum. Ice Breakers Ice Cubes gum has a lot of good sweet flavors.0
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Peanut butter and banana or sliced strawberries on rye toast
Dried mangoes or strawberries
Oats with chocolate protein powder, peanut butter, and cherries (or nix the oats and make it a smoothie)
Have a bowl of yogurt and take some of your usual chocolate treats and cut them up small to sprinkle on top. I'm doing this with leftover dark chocolate and sea salt graham crackers from Christmas. You still get the flavour and crunch but it's bulkier/has protein. Often add rasperries etc.
Stick a dark chocolate chip inside some raspberries as a cute little snack
Clementines
Stewed apples with almonds/walnuts/pecans and cinnamon. Usually served with a scoop of Oatly caramel ice cream2 -
angmarie28 wrote: »Since you like/miss ice cream, you might like this. It's like 'Protein Fluff' minus the protein powder...The protein powder would most likely thicken it up too. And the flavor used would make it taste pretty good too I'm assuming...
I also absolutely LOVE dark cocoa powder...10 calories/tbsp. - get to mix in yogurt or I even mix it into cottage cheese with stevia/sweetener.
Equipment:
You NEED to have a powerful blender - like a Vitamix (I have a Ninja 'Professional' blender)
First - to make a chocolate/mocha one (my favorite):
1/8 cup of cold strong coffee into blender
Add 3/4 tsp. to 1 tsp. of Xanthum gum (keeps it less icy and really thickens it up – I also find it gives it ‘texture’)
1 -2tbsp.
of vanilla/caramel extract and sweetener of choice ( I use Stevia)
*I’ve been now using stevia along with some Salted Chocolate/Espresso Jordan Skinny Syrup too!
2+TBSP. of dark cocoa powder (or more if you like)
Add 1/4 tray of ice - blender to break up. Add another ¼ and blend. Keep adding ice cubes until you get ‘right’ consistency. Blend.
Put in freezer for an hour or so and then it's 'ready' - or just eat the fluff straight away (much more like ice cream though if you freeze it) Add whatever to make it yummy - berries, etc.,
Not bad for around 25-30 calories!
you can make protein fluff without ice, then all you need is electric beaters. Ive made it a few times, you can find recipes online
Yes, but adding the ice cubes is way better imo🤣 It's like ice cream and not just a big bowl of 'fluff' (my picture is one that is more like a fluff...not put in the freezer to thicken it up)0 -
amusedmonkey wrote: »KalesBagel wrote: »I like bakers chocolate, the 100% cocoa, but I know not everyone likes that.
Also, I've started eating plain Greek yogurt with cucumbers and in a weird way that seemed to help with my sweet tooth.
Also, it's hard to over indulge on fruit usually (not for everyone), so sometimes I'll keep fruit around since I'm less likely to grab it.
Okay, a) gotta give that a try; b) how on earth did you stumble across that?!; and c) it really does go to show that the possibilities are endless!
If I'm craving something like a Snickers (doesn't happen too often, but it does happen), I love a date with maybe 15g almond butter and a little bit of sea salt. (similar to @wendyheath32 but I find dates have a chocolate-ish flavour of their own)
I also will have portioned out servings of the gummy sweets I love. I keep them in MFP and put them in my diary before I leave work for the day. But I can just have one serving (when I've pre-measured it) generally. I have a history of eating way too many dried fruits, so they get the same treatment.
It's a known snack/side dish in some regions. Greek yogurt, grated or cubed cucumbers (I like cubed for the texture), pressed garlic, dried mint (enough to give it a speckled look but not so much as to overpower), and salt. Very tasty. You could also add EVOO, but that adds calories I can do without, so I leave it out.
*FACEPALM* Yes, of course. I didn't even think of that, even though I love it.
Silly brain. Must need more snacks...
0 -
I make a mason jar of chocolate chia pudding and eat throughout the week. Each serving had 1tbs chia seeds, 1tbs cocoa powder, 1tbs sola and 1/4 cup almond milk. Just mix and shake. I make 5 servings at a time. If it’s too thick add more liquid.3
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[I feel like I should preface this with one of those internet “Try This One Wierd Trick to Lose Weight!” but this fills me up like crazy.
Two scoops of Blue Lotus instant chai mix, half a serving of Jordan’s Salted Caramel Skinny Syrup, add boiling water. Froth 1/4c skim milk in a frother (I love my Ninja handpumo frother) and microwave the milk frother for thirty seconds.
Spoon on top and sprinkle with cinnamon, preferably the OMG good Frontier Coop Vietnamese cinnamon.
For some reason this is incredibly filling even though the whole thing is under 20 calories. I think it’s because it looks, tastes and smells like a luxurious high-cal coffee-bar drink.
I also tried heating some Trader Joe’s almond cashew cocoa drink with a squirt of Jordan’s peppermint bark syrup, topped with froth last night. It’s too good to drink fast so it was a nice, lingering snack.
Otherwise, homemade beef jerky, or a giant bowl of cottage cheese, strawberries, blueberries, a few grams of grape nuts, topped with a great balsamic vinegar is ah-mazing, and takes a long time to eat.
Amazon sells the Blue Lotus, the ninja frother, the syrups and the cinnamon. Trader Joe’s also has a really good tea-bag chai, but I’m too impatient to steep tea, and the Blue Lotus is spicy and peppery, which helps suppress my appetite.
I go through gallons of Oli+Ve flavored balsamic syrup. At ten calories a tablespoon, it’s my go-to seasoning for everything from fruit to simple meat marinades. I literally have nightmares they will say, “oops sorry, misprint! We really meant a 100 calories a tablespoon” but hasn’t happened yet, lol. Oli+Ve ships. Their strawberry, dark chocolate, mission fig, and coconut infused vinegars are my favorites.1
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