When you're trying to live a healthier lifestyle, choosing party snacks can be a real problem. The classic ones just aren't that healthy and you don't want to bore everyone else by putting out nothing but fruits and vegetables. Now, there's nothing wrong with having a solid fruit or veggie tray out at a party; in fact, I recommend it highly. A little dip will make people more enthusiastic about the vegetables.
Get a little creative with the kinds of fruits and vegetables offered. Try including things like papaya or berries to make the selection really stand out. But for a good party you need more options. Fortunately, many favorite party snacks can be made in a relatively healthy manner so long as you pick healthy ingredients. Remember that the secret to healthy cooking is in choosing the right ingredients.
Pigs in a blanket are always popular, and if you want a healthier variety choose chicken or turkey franks. If they aren't available in mini frank size just chop up larger ones into smaller sizes. Wrap in crescent roll dough and cook at 375 degrees for about 12 minutes or until dough is golden brown. When my family gets together the shrimp ring is always popular. You can find these in most grocery stores with the other frozen seafood and it comes with cocktail sauce. If not, just buy the shrimp on your own and buy the cocktail sauce separately.
Very indulgent, sometimes a little pricey, but always a hit. Seasoned popcorn can be a great alternative to potato chips. You can find recipes all over the place online or come up with your own recipe. You can also get creative and make your own recipe. I like to add things like garlic and Parmesan to my popcorn's butter or oil before pouring it over. Baked tortilla chips with a good salsa are reasonably healthy too.
Guacamole is also rather healthy. Mini pizzas go over well too. Rather than buy them, make them yourself on English muffin halves.
Use salsa if you want a little spice rather than tomato sauce, and keep the toppings healthy. Sorry, that does mean avoid pepperoni. Even at a party healthy food doesn't have to mean boring. There are many foods out there that are good for you and will delight your guests. Use some creativity and no one will complain that you only have healthy foods available.
Stephanie Foster started http://www.makehealthymeals.com/ as an excuse to research more healthy eating options for her family. You can get healthy recipes and more from her site.
