If you are pregnant like I am, you might be craving that little sweet treat 🤪 And, what better time of year for fresh, fruity desserts than summertime?! In this post, I’ll be reviewing 5 of the best summer desserts that I’ve personally enjoyed during my pregnancy and know you will, too!
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As you navigate your pregnancy, you’ll find that your food preferences have drastically changed. For example, during my entire first trimester, I could barely stomach foods I loved! Eggs and ground beef were my enemies.
Luckily, as the second trimester entered, I noticed my food preferences leveling out and even introducing new items in my palette that I really wasn’t interested in before. Entering the summer months, I was so excited to hop onto the fresh summer desserts.
My name is Chloe – I’m here to share with you my new life of navigating motherhood alongside entrepreneurship. Today, we’re diving into my top five summer desserts that have just been oh so delicious to eat during my first pregnancy (and anyone, for that matter!).
What are the best summer desserts?
This is quite a subjective question – especially if you are like me and are a big dessert person! However, with certain seasons come certain produce.
By working with dietitians primarily over at Chloe Creative, I’ve learned to shop for fruits within season to have the best flavor for your desserts and other food items. It truthfully makes a difference!
With that in mind, when I think of summer, I think of:
- Peaches
- Nectarines
- Blueberries
- Watermelon
- Strawberries
So, I’d say that the best flavor-packed summer desserts will have some sort of inclusion of those fruits. However, with me being a chocolate chip, brownie and ice cream lover – I’ll never leave those out of the lineup. 🤪
Are having desserts “healthy” during pregnancy?
Around here – we don’t like using terms such as “healthy” or “good” or “bad” to describe foods. Again, by working with dietitians, I’ve really learned how to have a healthy relationship with food.
Keeping that in mind, it’s always best to consult with your doctor or primary care physician to determine the best plan of action during your pregnancy in regards to what you can and can’t eat. Or, simply put, eat what you enjoy!
I do think that there are foods that provide more nourishment than other foods, but in life, it’s all about balance.
During my pregnancy, I’ve been focusing on hydration especially during the hot heat in North Carolina. Secondly, after consulting with my personal dietitian, we decided it was best to prioritize protein for energy and feeling my best.
Knowing that I love sweet foods, she was able to provide me with suggestions for sweeter snacks and express that desserts can be a part of a healthy diet, too!
Best Summer Desserts: Strawberry Cake
Starting off strong with one of my personal favorites – strawberry cake 🙌🏻
I seriously cannot be convinced of a better summer dessert. My mom makes a delicious strawberry cake that contains vanilla pudding with freshly sliced strawberries on top and within the icing.
We normally have this on the Fourth of July and it calls my name every year. With being pregnant this year, I was even more excited about this dessert because I’ve really loved fruits. Strawberries, blueberries and nectarines are on my daily rotation at the moment.
This cake is best served chilled – so place in it in the fridge and serve it to your guests (or to yourself).
Best Summer Desserts: Peach Cobbler
Peach cobbler is on my mind because just last week my mother-in-law made this as a dessert at her house and it was delicious.
This is a great option during pregnancy if you are wanting the citrus-y notes but also want something warm. Peach cobblers are great served warm (even if it’s hot outside). I like to enjoy mine room temperature with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Although my mother-in-law made the one I had, this one looks too delicious to not have on your list! I also really appreciate the fact that she was transparent that fresh peaches aren’t available to all, so opt for frozen instead!
Best Summer Desserts: Greek Yogurt + Toppings
Some of you may not consider greek yogurt as a “dessert” – but about a year before into pregnancy I really got into creating what we call a “yogurt delight” for a nighttime snack!
TBH – I actually never tried greek yogurt until college… I know, I know, I really missed out! Now, surprisingly, it’s become one of the best summer desserts that also keeps me full.
The fun part of designing websites for dietitians is that I often get to see lots of yummy recipes before they are published in an ebook or on their websites.
From that, I’ve learned that all desserts can be enjoyed, but it’s even better if we can pair them with items that can keep us full!
That why Chobani vanilla greek yogurt + dark chocolate chips are one of my favorite summer desserts. It’s a perfect balance of sweetness – and, dark chocolate has been a pregnancy craving for me!
You can customize your greek yogurt with:
- Strawberries
- Blueberries
- Granola
- Honey
- Graham crackers
- …and more!
It’s such a versatile option!
Best Summer Desserts: Ice Cream Pie
Maybe this is a southern thing, but ice cream pie is absolutely delicious. But, I’ll be completely honest and say that ice cream and pie individually are actually not my favorite 😅
If you are a lover of ice cream, chocolate-y goodness, find yourself a good ice cream pie recipe and thank me later. This one by The Cookie Rookie caught my eye because, well, Reese’s are my favorite candy!
As I mentioned above, I really don’t choose ice cream often if I’m searching for something sweet. I tend to pick cookies or brownies over just ice cream.
I think this is why ice cream pie is one of the best summer desserts – it has the ice cream portion but also the crunch of a crust. I’m huge on mixing textures and think it’s a must on your lineup!
Best Summer Desserts: Peanut Butter Oat Cups
Piggy-backing off of the ice cream pie recipe, PB oat cups are by far a go-to best summer dessert. Frankly, these can be enjoyed year round, but again, I’m a big Reese’s fan and this has been something we’ve prepped and eaten when I want something healthy and delicious.
This recipe is actually from one of Chloe Creative’s long-time clients, The Balanced Nutritionist. My favorite thing about these PB oat cups is that they require no baking whatsoever! I don’t mind spending time to bake a good dessert, but when they can be this good and quick? I’m sold.
I store these in glass containers in the fridge and they last for about a week! Jamie has a few other recipes that are on rotation in our household, but I’ll save those for later posts.
There you have it!
Whether you are pregnant like me or you simply are a summer dessert lover, these have to make your best summer desserts list. If not – we can’t be friends (kidding, kidding).
I am always on the hunt for new recipes, so if you have any, please send them my way!
