HEALTH

It's no secret that dessert is pretty much the best part of any meal. Whether you like chocolatey helpings of cake or are into more subtle treats, we're betting we can find something to tempt your sweet tooth. According to Health.com, our associations with sweet foods are what make them so tasty. When we eat a chocolate chip cookie, for example, we remember the first time we made them with Mom. And when we scoop up some butter pecan? Yep, flashback to ice cream parlor trips with Grandpa.

The problem with the link between sweets and these nostalgic feelings is that we often look toward happy memories when we're feeling blue. And if an entire wrapper of Thin Mints can help do away with those sad feelings, well, at least those calories are going to a good cause, right? Not so much. There are ways to have your cake and eat it, too--literally. Here are a few things to remember when you're helping yourself to dessert...

#1 Try to make new memories centered on healthier foods

If your nostalgia takes you back to days where putting away a gallon of ice cream with your sibs was normal, it might be time to focus on creating fresh happy thoughts. Snag a few different types of sorbet and an array of toppings and set up a sorbet bar at your next sleepover. Or, dip fruit in melted dark chocolate for a sweet treat. 

#2 Opt for homemade 

Unless you're the queen of Crisco, nine times out of ten, your homemade baked goods and other desserts are going to be better for you than anything you find on the supermarket shelves. You don't have to go crazy with the black bean and avocado substitutions, just cut out the junky stuff. You would be shocked to find how much sugar, fat and chemicals go into making cheap cookies taste yummy. And you could do all that with just butter, flour and brown sugar!

#3 Go for the real stuff

Enough of this fat-free business. The thing big brands aren't telling you is that, sure, you could eat one fat-free pudding cup, but the taste will be so compromised by the nutrition label, you'll end up craving more. Instead, eat smaller portions of really, really good desserts, like a fudge brownie or a homemade butterscotch pudding. The richness will satiate you quickly, and leave you feeling like you actually had a treat.

OK, spill time! What's your favorite dessert, babes? Tell us in the comments! 

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