Learn More About Fun Foods for Parties: Staying Healthy in Social Situations
Veggie Trays
Veggie trays are seen at a lot of parties. Though you can buy your own from a grocery store, you can also make one on your own.
Grab a sectioned serving dish that has several sections on the outside and an area in the middle for dipping.
Purchase some:
- celery
- cauliflower florets
- cucumber
- broccoli florets
- grape or cherry tomatoes
- baby carrots
Chop the celery into sticks.
Arrange the vegetables on the serving dish as you like.
For a dip to serve in the middle, grab a packet of ranch dip mix and follow the directions accordingly. This will give you more control over the calories and nutrition in the dip, because you can opt to make it with reduced calorie mayo or sour cream.
Fruit Baskets or Trays
If you don’t like the idea of a vegetable tray, you can opt for either a fruit basket, or a fruit tray.
For a fruit basket, grab a decorative basket and some ribbon for embellishment.
Fill with a variety of fruits such as:
- apples (green, yellow, and red for color and taste variety)
- oranges
- bananas
- grapes
- grapefruit
Decorate the basket by tying the ribbon around the handle. For added design, arrange the fruits on a cloth you’ve placed in the bottom of the basket.
For a fruit tray, use the same idea as the veggie tray above, but serve with a yogurt or caramel dip.
Fruit Kabobs
This is quick, easy, visually appealing, and tasty! All you need are some grill skewers and a selection of sliced fruit.
Some fruits to consider are:
- melons, of any variety though watermelon may make a mess
- pineapple
- apple
- strawberry
- grapes
- kiwi
- banana
With your fruit slices arranged in bowls in front of you, grab a slice of fruit and place it on the kabob. Continue placing fruit slices on the kabob (in your desired pattern) until you’ve reached the end of the kabob, leaving a bit of room on each end for handling.
Bread Bowl
Bread bowls are not among the healthiest options for fun foods for parties, though they are certainly healthier than other alternatives out there, such as potato chips and cookies. What you fill the bread bowl with is up to you, but most people opt for a spinach and artichoke dip.
Purchase a round bread loaf from your local bakery. Cut the middle of the loaf out to create the bowl. Save the middle so you can cut it into cubes later to serve around the bowl. This will give guests something to dip into the bowl.
For Spinach Dip:
You’ll need some mayonnaise, sour cream, dry leek soup mix, chopped spinach, and water chestnuts. Mix everything together in a bowl and pour the mixture into the bread bowl. For a healthier version, use low fat mayo and sour cream.
For Spinach and Artichoke Dip:
You will need the same ingredients, but add artichoke hearts.
Make a Spinach or Spinach and Artichoke dip. Fill the bowl with the dip. Refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.
Apple Berry Salsa
This is a healthy snack you can serve with a variety of dippers.
You’ll be making a salsa, but instead of tomatoes, onions, garlic, etc. you’ll be using Granny Smith apples, strawberries, and kiwi. You’ll need two apples, a cup of strawberries, a couple of small kiwis, an orange, some brown sugar, and some apple jelly. Chop the apples, strawberries and kiwis with a food chopper or food processor. Place them in a small bowl.
In another small bowl, juice the orange, add the brown sugar, and the apple jelly. Pour this mixture into the bowl of fruit and stir.
Serve with homemade cinnamon chips (tortillas cut into chips, sprinkled lightly with cinnamon and baked) or on top of an angel food or pound cake.
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