The healthiest restaurant desserts

July 6, 10:45 AMMinneapolis Dessert Restaurants ExaminerKim Klietz

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I love a good dessert to top off a meal. While a large piece of molten chocolate cake often sounds like a great idea, it’s not always the best for the waistline. Just because restaurant desserts are often calorie bombs, that doesn’t mean you always have to skip the best part of the meal. There is usually a healthy choice hidden amongst all of the treats that taste so good, but are so bad for you.

Men’s Health magazine put together the following list in their Eat This, Not That column that outlines the healthiest restaurant dessert options:

Haagen-Dazs: Zesty Lemon Sorbet (110 calories, 0 g fat, 29 g sugar)

Baskin Robbins: Premium Churned Light Cappuccino Chip Ice Cream (140 cal, 5 g fat, 18 g sugar)

Ben and Jerry’s: Organic Strawberry Ice Cream (200 cal, 12 g fat, 19 g sugar)

Dairy Queen: Ice Cream Sandwich (190 cal, 5 g fat, 18 g sugar)

Cold Stone Creamery: Low-Fat Cake Batter Ice Cream (170 cal, 1 g fat, 14 g sugar)

T.G.I. Friday’s: Chocolate Raspberry Mini Dessert (220 cal)

Chili’s: Sweet Shot Key Lime Pie (240 cal, 12 g fat, 75 mg sodium)

Romano’s Macaroni Grill: Italian Sorbetto with Biscotti (240 cal, 1 g fat, 35 mg sodium)

Dunkin’ Donuts: Glazed Donut (180 cal, 8 g fat, 12 g sugar)

Here are a few more tips when considering ordering dessert:

1. When ordering ice cream, choose small serving sizes, and avoid anything with caramel or chocolate ribbons to cut back on high-fructose corn syrup and sugar. The healthiest ice creams are strawberry, coffee and vanilla.
2. If you want an ice cream topping, choose chocolate shavings instead of chips to save 40 calories and 2 g fat. Nuts and fruit also make good, healthy alternatives.
3. Look for mini desserts on the menu to save on calories and fat.

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