Healthy Appetizers & Snacks

Eating healthy can be difficult at parties or when faced with a table full of snack foods, but there are options. Finding alternatives to typically high-fat and high-calorie appetizers is easy, and many substitutions can be made to increase the nutritional value of the meals. Snacking is not necessarily bad; according to MayoClinic.com, snacking can help control hunger and reduce the likelihood of overeating at the next meal. Healthy appetizers and snacks will contain a balance of carbohydrates, fats and proteins, and are easy to fit into a diet.

Fruits, Vegetables and Nuts

Fresh fruits and vegetables are healthy choices for snacks. Fiber in these foods helps create a feeling of fullness, and fruits and vegetables are low-calorie and provide vitamins and minerals, says MayoClinic.com. Nuts are also an easy, quick snack to grab. Nuts contain protein and fat, which help keep the feeling of fullness, and the majority of fat in nuts is monounsaturated, which is healthy, according to MayoClinic.com.

Hummus And Whole Wheat Pita

Chips and dip is a common appetizer at parties, but low-fat hummus and whole wheat pita triangles can be a healthy alternative. One option is to cut whole wheat pita pockets into triangles to dip into the hummus, but Cooper University Hospital also recommends adding garlic powder and broiling the pita triangles for five minutes to make them crispy. This appetizer contains protein, dietary fiber and is low fat, low-calorie, making it a healthy appetizer choice.

Cheese And Crackers

Cheese and crackers is another easy, common finger food typically seen at parties. Some crackers are higher in fat and starch than others, as are cheeses. The University of Texas Office of Employee Benefits suggests substituting whole wheat crackers and low-fat cheeses to make this a more health-conscious appetizer.

Black Bean Dip

Black bean dip can be bought ready-made, but a healthier version is easy to make at home. Puree a can of black beans in a food processor with a quarter cup of sour cream and 1 tbls. of chili powder; then add low-fat cheddar cheese and microwave the dip until the cheese is melted. Mix everything together, and add tomato, and red and green peppers as desired. This can be paired with whole wheat pita or crackers, or low-fat tortilla chips for a healthy appetizer or snack.

Other Snacks

Other healthy snack choices an be easily made and incorporated into a diet. Low-fat air popped popcorn is a healthy fiber-filled choice, fat-free pudding cups, celery sticks with peanut butter and low-fat or fat-free slices of cheeses are all snack options. A small baked potato topped with fat-free yogurt or spices or half an English muffin topped with low-fat cheese and tomato are also nutritious snacks, says MayoClinic.com.