Awwww yeah. Here comes the weekend. And likely another Saturday (and possibly Sunday) filled with our daughter’s friend’s birthday parties. And for a sugar-holic like me, I cannot wait for the cake and ice cream. (My mouth is watering just thinking about it.)

Of course, my sweet tooth gets me into serious trouble, especially when the day after the party I have to put on my swimsuit and hit the local lake, shirtless. Yikes. (No pic of that, sorry.)

So what is one to do, exercise self-restraint? Not a chance.

I have decided that us parents need to realize and respect the fact that all of that leftover cake and ice cream gets eaten by the other parents, and the last thing we needed is to add endless empty calories to our diet, especially during the summer. (Trust me, my wife reminds me every day that I look “pudgy”).

So here are some suggestions for all you party-planners out there on how to satisfy both the attending kids and their high-sugar expectations and their parents, who love the sugar but not the calories that come with it:

1. Tofutti - oh yes. I grew up macrobiotic, so this stuff is like second-nature to me. They’ve changed the packaging, but it’s still tofu masquerading as ice cream. A winner!

2. Jell-O - who doesn’t love Jell-O? It comes in endless colors and you can even suspend fruit in it.

3. Low-calorie cake - this is kind of like what I had as a child; fat-free cream cheese frosting, made with fat-free sour cream. The kids are sure to love it!

4. Big boxes of raisins - nature’s candy.

5. Whole Wheat Vegetable Pizza - no more high-fat, high-carb, white-flour stuff, this recipe is a guarantee to have them asking for seconds!

I am hoping someone takes me up on at least one of these suggestions, and in the meantime, I am checking the mailbox twice daily for the next invitation.

How do you stay fit amidst the temptation of cake and ice cream? And any healthy suggestions that you have used to not over-sugar the kids?