Everyone looks forward to party food. It’s fun, exciting and usually comes in bite-sized pieces that you most definitely don’t have to count as you snack along. Food rings, tear’n’share snacks and similar foods are great, but no party is complete without something sweet on the side. But we could all afford to serve some healthier foods (because chips and dip aren’t exactly on the healthy list) and desserts are no different. So, what are some healthy and yummy desserts that you can serve up to your guests?

Sweet skewers

Everything is better when it’s on a skewer. These sticks are no different and you can make as many combinations as you want. You want to start with some fruit. Get whatever is in season and wash it thoroughly. If it has large seeds, take them out and cut it up in bite-sized pieces. Next, you want to think about sweets. Bake a sponge cake and cut it up into cubes to break up the fruit, or mix it with some cream cheese and coat it in coconut oil ganache for simple truffles that will perfectly accompany the freshness. You can also make some that are a combination of cheese and grapes, or different dried fruits (though keep in mind that store-bought dry fruits are full of sugar). Try to make it colorful and use a lot of complementary colors that will pop. You can drizzle the skewers with melted chocolate, yogurt or honey.

Cheesecake

The classic no-bake cheesecake really has it all: the sweetness of the biscuit crust, the tartness of the cream cheese and the freshness of fruit on top. Plus, there are so many variations you can do: blend some blueberries in the cream cheese and you will get an amazing purple cake, perfect to garnish with some mint leaves and lavender. Or, melt some dark chocolate into the mix and presto – a chocolate cheesecake for anyone with a sweet tooth. It’s so popular that some of the best catering companies in NYC are making their own versions, like cheesecake hors d’oeuvres, making them a staple of their selection.

Coconut lemon tart

You’ll be hard pressed to find anyone who doesn’t enjoy a good lemon tart, but why not take it a step further and give it a tropical twist by adding some coconut into the mix. Simply make the pastry crust with some desiccated coconut before you bake it, and add coconut oil in the lemon filling when you’re mixing it. Once everything is baked and cooled, take some toasted coconut flakes and garnish the top. If you really want to make people feel like they are on a remote island, make some lemon curd and put it in a half of a coconut shell for an authentic feel, and garnish same as before.

Banana pancakes

Jack Johnson fan or not, banana pancakes are basically a must-have for any brunch – but why not make them for a party as well? Take some overripe bananas (or put them in a low oven for 20 minutes to ripen them) and make a well-processed batter. You want it as smooth as possible because the next step is making mini-pancakes. Yes, you read that right. Make small pancakes, stack three or four of them on top of each other with a little bit of jam or banana slices in between and put a toothpick through them, making the perfect single-person stack of pancakes.

Remember that your guests won’t miss anything that isn’t there. If you give them veggie sticks and hummus, they won’t be asking for the chips and dip, and the same goes for sweets. There are so many naturally sweet things that there is really no reason why you would present processed foods full of added sugar. Make sure your drinks match and make some freshly squeezed juices, iced tea and mint-lemon infused water. And if anyone asks you for the recipe – make sure you share.

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