Editor’s note: This column is written by Sarah Studley, an Austin native, who is a dietetic intern from the University of Wisconsin – Stout. Sarah formerly worked with Austin dietitian Jen Haugen to learn more about the role of a retail dietitian.

Who doesn’t love a sweet treat! Every now and then we all find ourselves having to feed our sweet tooth. Ice cream, cookies, pie or chocolate are usually what we reach for to satisfy our craving. We are all born to love the flavor of sweet foods, but unfortunately some sweet treats can cause us to gain weight if we eat too much. However, there are healthier options.

Earlier this year the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans were released. One of the new recommendations is to limit intake of added sugars. Sugars that are added to a food product during processing are considered added sugars. Added sugars are most commonly found in sodas and desserts, such as ice cream and cookies. Don’t worry though, we can still have sugar in our diet. There are two types of sugars that are found in food; added sugars and natural sugars. Most of the sugar we eat should be natural sugar which is found naturally in fruits, and dairy products.

Listed below are some nutritious sweet snack ideas with little to no added sugars that will help satisfy your sweet tooth:

•Yogurt Parfait: Use low fat plain yogurt topped with a drizzle of honey and paired with fresh or frozen fruit. If you are feeling nutty you can add some chopped almonds or shredded coconut.

•Fruit Smoothie: In a blender, combine your favorite frozen fruit with low fat or fat free milk. With this snack the combinations are endless! You can try strawberry and banana, pineapple and mango, or chocolate and banana by blending a bit of unsweetened cocoa powder with banana slices.

•Apple Slices with Peanut Butter: Choose a sweet apple like a Honey Crisp or Fuji to slice up, then spread on some peanut butter.

•Fruit and Cheese: Grapes paired with cubes of mozzarella cheese makes an easy sweet and savory snack.

•No Bake Oatmeal Bites: Combine Old Fashioned Oats with honey, peanut butter, ground flaxseed and shredded coconut, then form into 1-inch balls.

•Frozen Fruit Ice Cream: In a food processor blend frozen banana with other frozen fruits of your choice like berries or add cocoa powder for a chocolate flavor and then freeze.

When reaching for a snack to satisfy your sweet tooth, try something that is fruit and dairy based for a more nutritious option. This type of snack can provide many important nutrients like fiber, protein, calcium, and vitamins A and C. Fruit and dairy can be combined together in many ways to create a nutritious, sweet snack.

Chocolate and Peanut Butter Banana Ice Cream

Makes 1-2 servings

What do you need:

•1-2 frozen bananas, medium size

•1 tablespoon of natural creamy peanut butter

•1 teaspoon of cocoa powder

How do you make it:

•Peel bananas, and slice each banana into 4 smaller pieces

•In a food processor, add in bananas peanut butter and cocoa powder

•Pulse until all ingredients are blended and are smooth like soft serve ice cream

•Serve immediately or place in an air tight container to store in the freezer