For close to six months now, Derrick and I have been embarking on a journey of health and wellness, being more mindful of what we put into and onto our bodies, and prioritizing ourselves. It’s been a big lifestyle change for us, to say the least.

While we tried sticking to relatively healthy recipes when cooking dinner in the past, due to our crazy schedules, we’d often find ourselves in the McDonald’s drive through at 9 pm or out to dinner for the third time that week. We often felt fatigued throughout the day, and I noticed my skin and hair were looking lifeless and dull. So in January, we finally decided to make a change, and set a goal to become more physically, mentally, and financially fit together. And so far, it’s paying off in a big way.

One of our goals was to significantly reduce the amount of sugar we were consuming. We were looking to make realistic lifestyle changes – not follow a diet – and that meant listening to our bodies and allowing ourselves to have that bowl of ice cream or cookie in moderation. I really struggled with this in the beginning; I have a strong sweet tooth, and I love having dessert after dinner. I craved sweets constantly, and the cravings were intense and unbearable – and so was the inevitable sugar crash. Finding healthier alternatives for my favorite treats became a fun new challenge for me. In the south, one of the most popular summertime desserts – and one of my favorites – is the classic banana pudding.

Traditionally made with silky, banana custard, sponge cake, and topped with meringue, it can also be made using banana pudding mix, vanilla wafers, and topped with whipped cream. However it, like most desserts, is not that good for you!

Everything in moderation right?

Enter Jell-o’s sugar-free, instant banana cream pudding. With only 25 calories per serving, 5g of carbs and 0g of sugar, this pudding is a delicious dessert perfect for beating the summer heat and those sugary cravings. I like to top mine with a dollop of zero-sugar whipped cream or cool whip. The vanilla wafers are optional, but for a truly sugar-free dessert, omit them.

It’s a great, healthier version of the classic dessert and only takes 5 minutes to whip up, so if you’re looking for something light to satisfy your sweet tooth cravings, give this a try!

PS: you can also make banana pudding cream pie with using a store bought graham cracker crust (I like the Keebler brand), two boxes of the instant banana cream pudding, and top with cool whip and fresh sliced bananas, if desired.

banana pudding dessert healthy summer recipe