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

12 Bariatric Dessert Recipes (1)

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

12 Bariatric Dessert Recipes (2)

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

12 Bariatric Dessert Recipes (3)

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

12 Bariatric Dessert Recipes (4)

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

12 Bariatric Dessert Recipes (5)

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

12 Bariatric Dessert Recipes (6)

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

12 Bariatric Dessert Recipes (7)

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

12 Bariatric Dessert Recipes (8)

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

12 Bariatric Dessert Recipes (9)

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

12 Bariatric Dessert Recipes (10)

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

12 Bariatric Dessert Recipes (11)

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

12 Bariatric Dessert Recipes (12)

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

Can I eat cake after bariatric surgery? ›

Avoid or minimise food high in fat and sugar such as crisps, biscuits, cakes, ice cream, sweets and other confectionary foods to help you reach your weight loss targets.

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

After your gastric bypass, high-fat meats like bacon, sausage, bologna, and salami should be avoided entirely. Not only are these types of meat fatty and high in calories, but they can also cause digestive issues due to their rich fat content. Eating high-fat meats can lead to more stomach discomfort and diarrhea.

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 you ever eat pizza again after bariatric surgery? ›

If you frequently enjoy a slice of pizza, you may wonder, 'When can I have pizza after gastric bypass surgery? ' Fortunately, you do not have to eliminate pizza from your diet forever after a bypass surgery, but you should wait for at least 6 weeks before you can comfortably enjoy your delicacy.

Can you eat a baked potato after bariatric surgery? ›

Keep up your protein and fluid intake to help prevent infection and dehydration. You may now include raw fruits and vegetables in your meals. Also, try experimenting with more solid foods. For example, choose a baked potato instead of mashed potatoes or an apple instead of applesauce.

Is peanut butter good after bariatric surgery? ›

THE POST –OP DIET:

Protein will help preserve lean muscle and help promote wound healing. ❖ Protein rich foods usually come from animal products (chicken, fish, eggs, cheese, yogurt, etc). Beans, nuts (peanut butter) and tofu and also great sources of protein.

Can you give me a list of desserts? ›

  • Tiramisu recipe (with video)
  • Chocolate mousse in minutes recipe.
  • Angel food cake.
  • 'Not so fried' ice-cream.
  • Roasted strawberry crumble.
  • Apple and butterscotch pie.
  • Almond and date cake.
  • Apple cinnamon custard cake.

What is the unhealthiest dessert ever? ›

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 dessert is easy on the stomach? ›

Easy Does It – Gentle Desserts for a Bland Diet
  • Poached Pears With Wild Blueberry Sauce. Rated 5 out of 5. ...
  • Ginger-Poached Pears. Rated 4 out of 5. ...
  • Apple Upside-Down Cake. Rated 5 out of 5. ...
  • Applesauce. Rated 4 out of 5. ...
  • Baked Apples With Rosemary & Honey. ...
  • Plum Applesauce. ...
  • Cottage Cheese Cream & Pear Compote. ...
  • Banana Pudding.

Can you ever eat sweets after gastric bypass? ›

If you've had weight loss surgery, we recommend no more than 2.5 teaspoons of sugar per meal. If you stick to natural, whole foods, staying under this limit will be a breeze. Some common foods to avoid include ice cream, pastries, cakes, sugar-sweetened beverages, and other desserts.

What sugar can I use after gastric bypass? ›

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

Can you eat gummy candy after bariatric surgery? ›

High sugar content

One of the main reasons why you should avoid gummies is because they have high sugar levels. This means that the calories are too high, which is the last thing you want after surgery because of the counterproductive effects on your body.

What is something sweet after gastric sleeve? ›

Of course, those craving days will still come when you want a sweet treat. But there are lots of healthier options that you can make for yourself. Some chopped strawberries with sugar-free whipped cream are always delicious. Scatter a few sugar-free chocolate chips on top for extra decadence.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Reed Wilderman

Last Updated:

Views: 6429

Rating: 4.1 / 5 (72 voted)

Reviews: 87% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Reed Wilderman

Birthday: 1992-06-14

Address: 998 Estell Village, Lake Oscarberg, SD 48713-6877

Phone: +21813267449721

Job: Technology Engineer

Hobby: Swimming, Do it yourself, Beekeeping, Lapidary, Cosplaying, Hiking, Graffiti

Introduction: My name is Reed Wilderman, I am a faithful, bright, lucky, adventurous, lively, rich, vast person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.