After dinner cravings ruin my whole day for me!

I eat so well, but then I get these cravings for sweets after dinner. And I try hard to forget about them (I even tried that whole "wait fifteen minutes and the craving will be gone) but I totally over-did it on cookie dough and some french fries tonight. How can I stop these cravings?

I agree with the hot tea or coffee after dinner.  That takes away a lot of cravings for me.  Also, I think that it helps to have something sweet but healthy after dinner, say a pear or banana (or a piece of dark chocolate, as others have mentioned) and then let yourself splurge one day a week.  Instead of feeling like you can NEVER eat sweets, you have a day to look forward to.  And after awhile, I have found that I don't crave sweets as much.

Also, I have a lot less cravings when I eat a larger breakfast and lunch and then a smaller dinner.

All super great suggestions!

I find though that my evening eating has nothing to do with food or real cravings: its all emotional eating.  I'm bored.  I'm lonely.  I'm anxious about work tomorrow.  Any thing - all those things!  The tricks suggested above are helping me be successful until I can get the emotional part worked out. 

The most helpful thing for me so far? counseling!

I have a huge problem with eating late night snacks and I'm not sure if it is going to work yet, but it seems to help me if I eat really small meals throughout the day. I will sip on water with some sort of fruit juice mixed in with it like lemonaide or grapefruit juice in between meals until dinner.  Then I get more calories for dinner and a snack for my late night cravings.  I used to eat larger meals during the day and then realize that I go over with dinner and an after dinner snack.  I'm always trying new things, but we will see what works for me.

I do like the hot chocolate (sugar free) idea though. 

Ok, this is so me!!! Dreadful, isn't it?

Gum is the only thing that works for me these days...keeps the sweet in your mouth and chewing going...