Low Calorie Desserts for Your Lunchbox

These delicious healthy recipes for low calorie desserts, low calorie cookies and low calorie chocolate treats will satisfy your post-lunch sweet tooth without derailing your diet. Even better, they’re all packable, making it easy to tote them along with your lunch.Download a FREE Healthy Snack Recipe Cookbook!
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1 of 25

Chocolate-Dipped Gingersnaps

Start to finish: 45 mins
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A sprinkling of crystallized ginger and dried cranberries makes these easy, chocolate-dipped gingersnaps festive.

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2 of 25

Cranberry-Orange Fruit Bars

Start to finish: 2 hrs 45 mins
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These sweet-tart cranberry-orange bars are a great addition to a holiday cookie tray or cool weather grab-and-go treat.

3 of 25

Chewy Chocolate Cookies

Start to finish: 1 hr 30 mins
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We can't resist big, soft, fudgy cookies, like those found in glass jars on bake-shop counters. These freeze exceptionally well-layer them in a freezer-safe container between sheets of wax paper; thaw 15 minutes at room temperature before serving.

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4 of 25

Cinnamon Oranges

Start to finish: 10 mins
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This simple dessert works any time of the year, but its flavors will be the best and brightest in the winter when oranges are at their peak.

5 of 25

Swirled Cheesecake Brownies

Start to finish: 2 hrs
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Made with whole-wheat flour, these decadent-tasting brownies have a beautiful marbled cheesecake topping. Cutting them into bite-size pieces helps to keep the calorie count in check.

6 of 25

Pina Colada Yogurt Parfait

Start to finish: 10 mins
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Take a trip to the tropics with our piña colada inspired parfait. It even makes a great breakfast when you need a sunny start to your day.

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7 of 25

Chocolate Crunch

Start to finish: 35 mins
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Crunchy wheat cereal, pretzels and almonds coated in bittersweet chocolate makes an addictive sweet-salty snack.

8 of 25

Blueberry Cupcakes

Start to finish: 2 hrs 15 mins
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The “secret ingredient” in these coconut-infused blueberry cupcakes--mashed potatoes--gives the cake great texture, almost like pound cake. The fluffy frosting is just fun. Because it's low in calories and fat, you can spread or pipe a generous amount on top of each cupcake to make them look extra festive. The frosting stiffens as it stands, so be sure to put it on the cupcakes right after you make it.

9 of 25

Gorp

Start to finish: 5 mins
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Try customizing this basic recipe with your favorite dried fruits and nuts.

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10 of 25

Quick "Cheesecake"

Start to finish: 5 mins
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Schmear ricotta cheese and your favorite jam on graham crackers for an instant cheesecake.

11 of 25

Basil-Cinnamon Peaches

Start to finish: 5 hrs 30 mins
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Poaching the peach halves in their skins gives the syrup a rosy blush. It's perfect for dunking crunchy Polenta Biscotti.

12 of 25

Dark Fudgy Brownies

Start to finish: 3 hrs 20 mins
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We like to use chocolate with 60-72% cacao content in these rich, fudgelike brownies, as it imparts a deeper, fuller flavor than less-chocolaty choices. Recipe by Nancy Baggett for EatingWell.

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13 of 25

"Cocoa-Nut" Bananas

Start to finish: 10 mins
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Cocoa- and coconut-crusted bananas are a treat for the whole family.

14 of 25

Banana-Blueberry Muffins

Start to finish: 1 hr
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The slight acidity of buttermilk tenderizes and moistens baked goods while allowing you to cut way back on butter or oils. Here, it also lends a slight tanginess to the winning combination of bananas and blueberries.

15 of 25

Maple-Cinnamon Applesauce

Start to finish: 50 mins
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Turn fresh fall apples into delicious maple-and-cinnamon-spiked homemade applesauce with this easy recipe.

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16 of 25

Tea-Scented Mandarins

Start to finish: 10 mins
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An unusual combination of ingredients make a delicious dessert or a healthful afternoon break.

17 of 25

Creamy Cherry Jello

Start to finish: 4 hrs 15 mins
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Here we flavor plain gelatin with 100% cherry juice, and stir in creamy yogurt and fresh cherries to make a special treat. Experiment with other fruit juice and fruit combinations.

18 of 25

Quick Mini Chocolate Cheesecakes

Start to finish: 10 mins
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Here we stir a little melted chocolate into ricotta cheese for a cheesecake-like topping for chocolate wafer cookies.

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19 of 25

Baby Tiramisù

Start to finish: 45 mins
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If you're a fan of the classic Italian dessert tiramisù, try this quick, lower-calorie variation the next time you need a dessert in a hurry. Both types of ladyfingers--spongy and crunchy--work well.

20 of 25

Toasted Almond-Coconut Meringues

Start to finish: 2 hrs
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Perfect meringues depend on totally yolk-free whites. The seemingly fussy step of separating each egg into a small bowl before combining them guarantees yolk-free whites for bakeshop-quality meringues every time. These crispy little morsels travel well and make great gifts too.

21 of 25

Dairy-Free Banana Rice Pudding

Start to finish: 3 hrs 30 mins
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This rice pudding is dairy-free, but the bananas and rice milk make it so creamy and rich-tasting, no one will know the difference.

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22 of 25

Orange Spice Molasses Cookies

Start to finish: 1 hr 25 mins
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These spiced molasses cookies have added applesauce to help keep the cookies moist, and whole-wheat flour and oats to incorporate whole grains.

23 of 25

Chocolate-Banana Grahams

Start to finish: 5 mins
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A graham cracker smeared with Nutella and topped with banana and coconut is a light way to satisfy your sweet tooth.

24 of 25

Nut-Free Chocolate-Cherry Snack Bars

Start to finish: 1 hr 50 mins
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These chewy, crunchy and delicious nut-free snack bars boast good-for-you dried fruit, oats and little explosions of chocolate. We like the flavor of dried cherries or cranberries, but any coarsely chopped dried fruit will work.

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