12 Bariatric Dessert Recipes (2024)

These bariatric desserts can help satisfy your sweet tooth while continuing your commitment to lifelong health. Like your other food choices, bariatric desserts should be designed to help you meet your protein needs, minimize added sugar, and emphasize healthy fats after weight loss surgery. They should also be lower in calories, so you don’t derail all your efforts.

With that being said, here’s a roundup of some of my favorite bariatric-friendly dessert recipes. These can all be adjusted for personal texture needs and flavor preferences. I think you’ll find something you love!

If you can’t get through them all right now, then be sure to pin it for later!

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bites – Bariatric Meal Prep

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These can be made in less than 10 minutes by using a food processor to combine the ingredients. The protein comes from a combination of nut butter, black beans, and protein powder. These bites use pitted dates to sweeten and are rich in fiber. They offer around 4 grams of protein and 6 grams of net carbs per bite. I recommend enjoying no more than two bites at a time to make sure you tolerate the ingredients well. Note that these bites should only be enjoyed once you’re in the regular diet phase after surgery.

High Protein Chocolate Banana Chia Seed Pudding – Bariatric Meal Prep

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This is an easy-to-make combination of banana, chocolate protein powder, milk, and chia seeds that becomes a tasty, high-protein dessert or snack. While you can choose dairy or plant-based milk, check your surgeon’s guidelines to make sure the milk you use is appropriate for your phase of healing. This pudding shouldn’t be consumed during the pureed phase. Note that chia seeds should never be eaten raw after bariatric surgery as they will expand in the stomach and could cause pain. This recipe allows the chia seeds to moisten and expand before you enjoy them.

Chocolate Mousse Dip – Bariatric Food Coach

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Super easy to make, this dip is a combination of fat-free cream cheese, cocoa powder, unsweetened plant-based milk, and natural sweetener of your choice. It goes well with healthy dippers, like apple slices, strawberries, or bananas. For extra nutrition, you could fold in some unflavored protein powder.

High Protein Cottage Cheese Berry Ice Cream – Abbey’s Kitchen

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It’s amazing what fruit, cottage cheese, and the freezer can create! Here’s a high-protein, antioxidant-rich recipe using only two ingredients – cottage cheese and berries of your choice – that are pureed and frozen to make a creamy, delicious dessert. Make sure your berries don’t contain any added sugar.

Caramelized Cinnamon Stuffed Pears – Bariatric Meal Prep

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Pears are a great snack any time. Stuffing them with a high-protein cottage cheese or Greek yogurt, and topping with cinnamon, can also make them a healthy and satisfying baked dessert. This recipe also uses a small amount of coconut oil to add a small amount of healthy fats and sweetness. Just be aware of the “health halo” effect, which can lead to overeating when you perceive something as being healthy enough to eat as much as you want.

Coconut Avocado Popsicles – Bariatric Meal Prep

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Sweetened with a stevia/erythritol blend, these creamy frozen treats are full of healthy fats, soluble fiber (which can be helpful in preventing constipation after surgery), and vitamin C. It’s also an ideal recipe for adding in some unflavored protein powder. Unless you’re enjoying them in the pureed stage, you can add some coconut flakes to the outside.

Pistachio Protein Green Tea Ice Cream – Abbey’s Kitchen

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Pistachio ice cream is underrated, and this homemade version is not only delicious, but full of nutrients. It blends cottage cheese, natural sweeteners, bananas, and matcha powder with pistachio butter to make a refreshing frozen dessert. If you’re in the regular phase of eating, you can top with additional pistachios and berries.

Portion size matters with this recipe. Since this recipe includes healthy fats, it’s also high in calories. I would suggest only eating one-fourth of this recipe at a time, and omit optional honey and fruit topping.

Mixed Berry Protein Chia Pudding – The Real Food RDs

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Moistened chia seeds work so well to make a thick pudding that I wanted to include another version using berries. Rather than using the collagen peptides in this recipe, you could substitute an unflavored protein powder of your choice to improve the protein quality. If you don’t have berries, you could of course substitute another fruit like bananas or frozen peaches.

Dairy Free Almond Butter Banana Nice Cream – The Real Food RDs

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Nice cream is a dairy-free dessert (typically using a base of frozen bananas) that can be adjusted in a number of ways to make it your own. This one calls for almond butter and unsweetened non-dairy milk, but you could substitute peanut or cashew butter and a milk of your choice. Optional add-ins can give it more texture and flavor if you’re in the regular eating phase, such as fresh berries.

This recipe is more suited for those in the maintenance phase.

Honeydew Melon Fries with Lemon Poppyseed Cherry Dip – Abbey’s Kitchen

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I love this idea of making fruit fries with dip. All you have to do for this recipe is cut the melon into fry shapes that are easy for dipping, and then combine the dip ingredients.

This dip uses plain non-dairy yogurt but to make it higher in protein I suggest using Greek Yogurt. I would also suggest eliminating the dried cherry topping and omit the maple syrup. Once again portion size matters. Typically keeping fresh fruit to less than 1/2 cup is recommended.

Low Carb Brownie Bites – Bariatric Meal Prep

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Who doesn’t love a good brownie bite? In this recipe I use almond flour instead of traditional flour and avocado as a source of healthy fat. The addition of real chocolate chips provides this recipe its yummy chocolate flavor. These are great to make and have on hand throughout the week when you want something “a little sweet.”

Strawberry Cheesecake Smoothies – The Real Food RDs

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These smoothies combine high-protein yogurt and cottage cheese with ground flax seed, frozen strawberries, and milk. I would suggest substituting unsweetened yogurt here and omitting the graham crackers. You can also choose to use an unsweetened plant-based milk if you like. If you’re not in the mood for smoothies, or just want to save the extra for later, pour what’s left into popsicle molds and freeze!

If you want even more protein you can add unflavored protein powder.

These are just a few ways to enjoy healthy sweets while sticking to bariatric surgery guidelines. Find more of my recipes on the blog here.

If you liked this list, be sure to pin it!

12 Bariatric Dessert Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the healthiest dessert for weight loss? ›

These diet-friendly dessert recipes are all under 250 calories and will satisfy your sweet tooth sans guilt.
  • Warm Lemon Pudding Cakes. ...
  • Chocolate Chip Meringue Cookies. ...
  • Fresh Berry Terrine. ...
  • Applesauce. ...
  • Peanut Butter Clouds. ...
  • Macerated Berries with Greek Yogurt Whipped Cream. ...
  • Citrus and Pomegranate Fruit Salad.

Can I have cool whip after gastric sleeve? ›

You can also have low-sugar strained soups, sugar-free Carnation Instant Breakfast drink, sugar-free pudding, sugar-free Jello, and sugar-free Cool Whip. Drinking and sipping throughout the day not only keeps your body nourished, it also helps you feel full and satisfied.

What chocolate can I eat after bariatric surgery? ›

If it's chocolate you crave, a small piece of dark chocolate might do the trick. Be careful using sugar-free candy, because it has a lot of calories and is usually high in fat. The fat and sugar alcohols in sugar-free candy also can bring on dumping.

Can I eat dessert after gastric bypass? ›

Sugary foods can spike your blood sugar levels, which can cause weight gain and other health issues. Many of such foods are also high in calories and low in nutritional value. Examples of sugary foods to avoid include candy, cakes, pastries, cookies, ice cream, sodas, and other sugary drinks.

Can I eat cookies after bariatric surgery? ›

Yes, You Can Eat Cookies On Your Bariatric Diet!

Whether it's a homemade cookie or store-bought, there is nothing better than a soft (or crispy) cookie at any time of day. When you're trying to lose weight it can be difficult to include cookies in your diet and after bariatric surgery.

What is the unhealthiest dessert? ›

Today, the average restaurant serves desserts that are heavily laden with saturated fat and sugar and that range between 800 to 1500 calories
  • Cheesecake.
  • Carrot cake.
  • Banana split.
  • Molten lava cakes.
Feb 17, 2016

What is a simplest dessert that are nutritious? ›

The simplest dessert and one of the best are fruits because they are nutritious, appetizing, and easy to prepare and serve. Baked and soft custards vary in so many ways. Creamy, delicate, baked custards may be served in their baking cups or may be unmolded and served with fruit garnishes or with dessert sauces.

What can I replace sweets with to lose weight? ›

17 Healthy and Delicious Alternatives to Candy
  • Fresh fruit. Fresh fruit is naturally sweet and packed with nutrients like fiber, vitamins, and minerals. ...
  • Dried fruit. ...
  • Homemade popsicles. ...
  • 'Nice cream' ...
  • Frozen fruit. ...
  • Fruit and veggie chips. ...
  • Homemade fruit leather. ...
  • Energy balls.
Sep 18, 2019

What can you never do again after bariatric surgery? ›

Avoid the use of drinking straws, carbonated beverages, chewing gum and ice. They can introduce excess air into your surgically created pouch and cause discomfort. Avoid sugar, sugary foods and beverages, and fruit juices.

Is there anything you can never eat again after bariatric surgery? ›

Since your stomach is about the size of an egg after bariatric surgery, it will need to get enough daily nutrition by you making wise diet choices. A bariatric surgery diet means avoiding foods that provide little or no nutritional value. This includes pastries, sweets, chips, pretzels, rice cakes, and popcorn.

What sweets can I eat after gastric sleeve? ›

You can make all kinds of light, fruity whipped desserts using sugar-free Jello and sugar-free whipped cream. You can even “hack” things like protein bars by cutting them into squares and baking them into cookies.

Are bananas good after bariatric surgery? ›

Bariatric Surgery patients are able to incorporate bananas and other fruits back into their diet at five to six weeks after surgery, as the stomach needs to slowly regain the strength to digest fibrous foods.

Can I eat a cheeseburger after bariatric surgery? ›

Burgers (whether they are turkey burgers or lean beef burgers) make a great 'go to' meal for gastric sleeve patients. Burgers are packed with protein, can be made small to accommodate the smaller portion size of weight loss surgery patients, they are inexpensive, and quick to make.

Can you eat potato chips after bariatric surgery? ›

3 Foods To Avoid After Weight Loss Surgery

These types of foods may result in “dumping” which results in nausea and vomiting, so it's best to continue to avoid them. Also foods like chips or crackers, while also high in fat, tend to slide into the pouch but really don't provide any nutritional benefits.

What candy can bariatric patients eat? ›

LOW SUGAR OPTIONS POST-BARIATRIC SURGERY
  • - Blow Pop (60 calories/17g Carbs)
  • - Tootsie Roll Pop (60 calories/10g Sugar)
  • - Small Sour Patch Kids (120 calories/22g sugar)
  • - Mini AirHeads Bar (140 calories/19g sugar)
  • - Fun size Peanut M&M's (90 calories/9g sugar)
  • - Fun size Snickers bar (80 calories/11g sugar)

What kind of sugar can bariatric patients eat? ›

  • It is normally recommended that people who have had bariatric surgery should limit their sugar intake to no more than 10 g of sugar per serving. ...
  • The five artificial sugar substitutes that have been approved by the FDA are Saccharin, Sucralose, Aspartame, Neotame, and Acesulfame.

What sugar can I use after gastric sleeve? ›

Artificial Sweeteners (Sugar Substitutes) are Permitted
Generic NameBrand NameMg/packet
SaccharinSweet'n Low®40
SucraloseSplenda®11
SteviaHerbal Sweetener9
Acesulfame – KAcesulfame Potassium50
1 more row

Why do I still crave sweets after gastric sleeve? ›

As dietary choices from your pre-surgery life are purged – those that contain high amounts of sugar, sodium and saturated fat – your body may not necessarily purge the cravings that desire them. Much like recovering from an addiction, you will face temptation, triggers, setbacks, and relapses.

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