Sugarless deLite is a healthy oasis in the fast-food world. The aroma of fresh baked goods gets your senses going from the moment you walk into the Richardson store. And anything you see can be sampled, the owner says. Rick Merlin has owned Sugarless deLite for more than 18 years. His philosophy is to make his customers feel special.

"We make eating fun, better for you and tasty," he said.

The store's doing something right: It has served more than 1 million customers.

As sugar-conscious, seasoned food buyers, Mr. Merlin and his wife, Stacey, scour the world for unusual products. Some of their finds: a tasty granola, drink mixes, handmade pies. Not to mention the goodies available in the bakery. All are sugar-free, using sweeteners that are lower in carbohydrates. Some such sweeteners may raise a diabetic's blood sugar as sugar would, so be sure to check nutrition info and ask questions.

Judy's sugarless peanut brittle Judy's makes a variety of brittles, including traditional peanut brittle, mixed nut brittle, coconut-and-peanut brittle, and popcorn with almonds. $4.99 for a 4-ounce package

 

Chocolite almond fudge Ever need a chocolate fix but don't want to ruin your diet for the day? Now you can get a fix and stay on track with the Chocolite almond fudge bar. It has 30 calories and 1 net carb per bar. $1.99 for a package of two

 

The Alternative Bagel The bagels, which come in a variety of flavors, are brought in on Thursdays. The maker, Western Bagel, also offers pita and English muffin choices. Bagels come five or six to a package, depending on flavor. $4.79

Millennium Pie Listen up nut fans, Sugarless deLite's signature pie is for you. It's a pecan pie loaded with chocolate, caramel and walnuts. It's offered in two varieties. One with a nut crust of pureed pecans; the other features a regular sugar-free crust. Millennium Pie gets its name from the year it was introduced: 1999. $24.99 for the nut-crust pie; $21.99 for the plain-crust pie