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  2. 52 Healthy Finger Foods to Keep the Party Going

52 Healthy Finger Foods to Keep the Party Going

By Cooking Light
February 07, 2019
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Credit: Tara Donne
Every party calls for finger foods. From game day to awards season to summer cookouts, these healthy handheld delights are sure to satisfy guests no matter the occasion. Whether it's classy shrimp cocktail, crunchy chickpeas, or decadent peanut butter balls, these bite-sized treats have you covered from start to finish.
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Maple-Sesame Cauliflower Bites

Credit: Jamie Vespa
View Recipe: Maple-Sesame Cauliflower Bites

Chickpea flour is gluten-free, protein packed, and makes an incredibly light batter for baked cauliflower. Look for it near the other gluten-free flours at your local health food store. Tamari is a slightly thicker, wheat-free alternative to soy sauce with a more robust flavor. These bites can double as an appetizer or side dish served with grilled fish or baked chicken.

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Super Easy Classic Shrimp Cocktail

Credit: Aaron Kirk
View Recipe: Super Easy Classic Shrimp Cocktail

This classic shrimp cocktail appetizer comes together incredibly quickly. Purchasing uncooked shrimp and then poaching them in the shell helps them stay tender, though they turn out just fine if you want to peel and devein them. The sauce is super simple and comes together while the shrimp are cooling; it’s well-balanced with tanginess from the vinegar and lemon, a little kick from the horseradish, and sweetness from the ketchup.

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Saucy Mini Meatballs

Credit: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Saucy Mini Meatballs

Adding cinnamon gives these meatballs a slight Moroccan feel. You can make this a day ahead and reheat on the stovetop before the party. Using different types of beef adds moisture to the meatballs while keeping sat fat in check.

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Roasted Tomato Caprese Summer Rolls

Credit: Aaron Kirk
View Recipe: Roasted Tomato Caprese Summer Rolls

Super fresh and bright, these rolls taste just like summer! Starring fresh tomatoes and basil, creamy chunks of mozzarella, and a knockout balsamic reduction, it’s your favorite summer salad in a grab-and-go form. They'd make a perfect finger food at any party—and they also make a quick and healthy snack. 

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Goat Cheese Cheesecake Bites

Credit: Photo: Allison Miksch; Styling: Lindsey Lower
View Recipe: Goat Cheese Cheesecake Bites

Who says goat cheese is only for savory food. Creamy and luscious, goat cheese makes for the perfect ingredient in a thick, decadent cheesecake dessert. Mixed with Greek yogurt and a touch of powdered sugar, this adorable cheesecake bites are the perfect solution for using up leftover goat cheese. Topped with fruit preserves and served in pre-made mini-phyllo shells, this cute, crowd-pleasing dessert is ready in minutes.

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Cheesy Crab Artichoke Toasts

Credit: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Cheesy Crab-Artichoke Toasts

Save time the day of the party by preparing the crab mixture one day ahead. Cut and store the sliced bread in an airtight container until ready to assemble, and then broil as the recipe instructs shortly before party time.

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Candied Pancetta Stacks

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Candied Pancetta Stacks

Here's a fresh take on caprese that invites a meaty, umami burst from pancetta. Serve at an appetizer or dessert (think cheese-and-charcuterie board reinvented) at your next summer soiree for a crowd-pleasing treat.

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Chickpea Salad Boats

Credit: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Chickpea Salad Boats

This recipe captures all of the bright, fresh appeal of a salad in a pretty, portable bite. Sturdy endive leaves have a nice cup shape for filling; you also could use Little Gem or small Bibb lettuce leaves. To get a head start, make the filling (minus the pears) up to a day in advance. About an hour before guests arrive, gently stir in the pear and fill the leaves.

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Salt-and-Vinegar Boneless "Wings"

Credit: Photo: Greg DuPree
View Recipe: Salt-and-Vinegar Boneless "Wings"

Cornflake breading cooks up crispy. Malt vinegar lends complex savoriness that you won't find in most other vinegars. The chicken soaks in buttermilk to boost the tang of the vinegar.

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Turkey Pot Stickers

Credit: Kelsey Hansen

Don't skip out on making the accompanying dipping sauce—spicy sambal oelek, sweet plum sauce, nutty sesame oil, and the savory umami of soy sauce meld perfectly to tie together the East Asian-inspired flavors of the pot stickers. 

View Recipe: Turkey Pot Stickers 

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Broccoli-and-Bacon Muffin-Tin Frittatas

Credit: Photo: Greg Dupree
View Recipe: Broccoli-and-Bacon Muffin-Tin Frittatas

This easy make-ahead breakfast will have you set for a week. These little Italian omelet cups are a hot, savory breakfast on the fly. Make them up to four days ahead; simply reheat in the microwave for about a minute. You get two mini frittatas per serving for only 168 calories; pair with a piece of fruit for a satisfying breakfast. Store cooked frittatas in the fridge for up to four days.

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French Onion Dip With Sweet Potato Chips

Credit: Victor Protasio
View Recipe: French Onion Dip With Sweet Potato Chips

With big flavor and less heft, our healthier ode to the classic French onion dip is a delicious way to sneak in extra vegetables. Ditch the sodium-bomb seasoning packets and sour cream-and-mayonnaise–laden dip (which can pack a small meal’s worth of calories and sat fat into a single serving) for our homemade dip. And be patient with the caramelizing process—slowly sizzled onions have noteworthy sweetness and concentrated umami. And because no dip is complete without a dipper, baked sweet potatoes will satisfy your chip craving for half the calories of most bagged varieties. 

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Korean BBQ Buns

Credit: Photo: Greg DuPree
View Recipe: Korean BBQ Buns

Asian steamed buns replace traditional ones for an irresistible fluffy-chewy effect. Meatballs stay juicier than patties. Quick spicy pickles and perky acidic balance the great crunch.

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Healthy Peanut Butter Balls

Credit: Aaron Kirk
View Recipe: Healthy Peanut Butter Balls

These no-bake peanut butter balls are the perfect pick-me-ups—they pack a sweet punch and will “cure” any sweet tooth. You can make these one-bite treats ahead of time and simply store them in the fridge until they’re ready to serve. We tested these with a variety of peanut butters and found that if you’re using a no added salt peanut butter, you might want to slightly up the salt in the recipe.

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Crab Rangoon Style Everything Bagel Salmon Bites

Credit: Kaylee Hammonds
View Recipe: Crab Rangoon Style Everything Bagel Salmon Bites

These little bites are a healthier mash-up of crab Rangoon and a whopping everything bagel slathered in cream cheese and draped in smoked salmon. Baking the wontons yields the satisfying crunch of crab Rangoon while eliminating the calories that frying adds. Topped with everything bagel seasoning (basically the comfy pants of the spice rack), these small treats are satisfying bites perfect for either a party or a night in.

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Double-Serrano Watermelon Bites

Credit: Jennifer Causey
View recipe: Double-Serrano Watermelon Bites

These bites are a step up from classic prosciutto-wrapped melon and provide sweet, spicy, salty, tart, and meaty tastes. If you can’t find serrano ham, use prosciutto; you also can use balsamic glaze in place of pomegranate molasses.

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Smoky Roasted Chickpeas

Credit: Jennifer Causey
Get the Recipe: Smoky Roasted Chickpeas

These crunchy chickpeas will serve you well as both a snack and a crunchy, protein- and fiber-rich topping for salads. They’ll stay crisp in an airtight container for up to a week; just be sure to cook them until they’re just shy of burning for the crunchiest results.

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Fava-and-Ricotta Toasts

Credit: Jennifer Causey
Get the Recipe: Fava-and-Ricotta Toasts

We blend a little oil from the Spring Onion Confit into the favas to show the versatility of the confit oil, but this recipe is plenty tasty with plain extra-virgin olive oil, too. Fava beans are indeed a labor of love—the shelling, blanching, and peeling required to get at the bare beans keeps many would-be fans away from them entirely. If you don’t have favas, or would prefer a shortcut, an equal amount of shelled, thawed edamame will work here as well. Find edamame in frozen food sections of markets.

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Crispy Cauliflower With Italian Salsa Verde

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Crispy Cauliflower With Italian Salsa Verde

Crunch and zing are often missing from the holiday spread; these crispy, cheesy cauliflower florets with fresh lemon-parsley sauce achieve both. Serve with classic holiday dishes, or with roasted fish or a simple pasta toss on any weeknight. A thorough coat of cooking spray on the cauliflower will help the breading adhere and keep the florets from drying out as they bake. Finely grated Parmesan will go further in the breading; use a microplane or pulse in a food processor until finely ground.

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Corn Muffins with Prosciutto, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, and Goat Cheese

Credit: Photo: Greg Dupree
View Recipe: Corn Muffins with Prosciutto, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, and Goat Cheese

Salty, umami-packed prosciutto and creamy, tangy goat cheese lend loads of flavor to the tender corn muffin base. You can use domestic ham instead of prosciutto, if you prefer. We find oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes to be softer then those without oil, so they're better in this dish.

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Pork and Broken Rice Cabbage Rolls

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Pork and Broken Rice Cabbage Rolls

Though typically thought of as an Eastern European dish, cabbage rolls can actually be found in several cuisines, chef Jenn Louis says. She adopts a Far East approach here, using soy sauce, ginger, sesame, and broken jasmine rice. Broken rice is exactly what it sounds like—fragments of rice grains. Look for it in Asian markets, or use standard jasmine rice.

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Peanut, Shrimp, and Broccoli Rolls

Credit: Photo: Daniel Agee
View Recipe: Peanut, Shrimp, and Broccoli Rolls

We turned this popular appetizer into a quick, diet-friendly dinner solution for two. It's a fresh, low-calorie alternative to takeout. In place of bottled peanut sauce, you can instead try our Miso-Chili-Garlic Sauce.

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Oven-Fried Smashed Okra

Credit: Caitlin Bensel

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Marinated Olives

Credit: Oxmoor House
View Recipe: Marinated Olives

Here's the ideal dish for holiday party guests to bring as an offering—easy to make and transport, and welcome at any gathering. It's also great for hosts who need a simple snack to tide guests over until dinner, or to round out an appetizer spread. We like a mix of briny kalamata and mild, fruity Castelvetrano olives, both available at most specialty market antipasti bars.

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Miso Deviled Eggs

Credit: Victor Protasio
View Recipe: Miso Deviled Eggs

This fun twist on deviled eggs is a nice change-of-pace dish for your next picnic or cookout. With just a hint of tang and spice, they’ll appeal to all, including folks who aren’t particularly adventurous eaters. Try to use older eggs—they will peel more easily. Look for shichimi togarashi in the same place you buy miso.

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Gingery Chicken Pot Stickers

Credit: Scott Rounds
View Recipe: Gingery Chicken Pot Stickers

No tricky dance moves. These come together with mostly supermarket ingredients. You may have to go to an Asian market to get gyoza wrappers, but the trip is worth it. For extra-crispy dumplings, dip the bottoms in 2 teaspoons cornstarch before panfrying. The filling may be made up to two days ahead. Assembled dumplings can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for two hours. Cook them straight from the fridge.

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Everything Lavash Crackers

Credit: Jennifer Causey
Get the Recipe: Everything Lavash Crackers

The popular bagel seasoning of poppy seed, sesame seed, onion, and garlic flakes turns super crispy crackers into a knockout addition to your cheese board and are so easy to make. We love the rustic look of large shards, but you can also cut the rolled dough into rectangles before baking. Keep the dough rises to just 10 minutes each, otherwise the texture of the crackers may be chewy rather than crisp.

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Bulgur and Greens Mini Quiches

Credit: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Bulgur and Greens Mini Quiches

Mini quiches are quick, easy go-tos for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Leftovers are great, too, and easy to pack up for lunch at the office or to enjoy for breakfast during the busy workweek. If you have leftover cooked bulgur, you can shave off about 15 minutes of prep time; you'll need 1 1/2 cups. Try chard, collards, or spinach in place of kale and goat cheese, cheddar, or Swiss instead of feta.

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Sweet-and-Sour Mushroom Toasts With Tarragon

Credit: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Sweet-and-Sour Mushroom Toasts With Tarragon

Sherry vinegar and brown sugar create an agrodolce effect for deeply caramelized mushrooms in this speedy appetizer, and tarragon is bold enough to hold its own against these stronger tastes. Be sure to get the skillet very hot before adding the mushrooms; otherwise, you won’t get good browning (translating to less flavor). A swipe of cream cheese helps the topping adhere to the toasts while also providing a creamy foil to the more pronounced flavors.

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Fermented Zucchini Pickles

Credit: Caitlin Bensel
View the Recipe: Fermented Zucchini Pickles

For pickles that deliver good gut bacteria, you want fermented—not vinegar—pickles. The brine is the easiest way to spot the difference: If it’s cloudy, they’re fermented; a clear brine means they’re pickled. You can also check the ingredients. For milder spice, remove the chile seeds and membranes. This recipe also works for green beans, pickling cukes, and baby bell peppers.

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Banh Mi Meatballs

Credit: Kaylee Hammonds
View Recipe: Banh Mi Meatballs

Craving the crunch, punch, and heat of a banh mi sandwich, but trying to use up some ground chicken, we ended up with a recipe that has all of the flavors of the iconic dish, in a neat little meatball package. We like using them in a simplified banh mi sandwich, but they’re also great as an appetizer or snack, or served atop a brown rice noodle salad.

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Ratatouille Zucchini "Bruschetta"

Credit: Jennifer Causey

In this lighter version of bruschetta, crisp zucchini stands in for bread. The ratatouille is delicious left over (even cold), so go ahead and make a double batch to enjoy on pizza, pasta, or as a healthy finger food at your next summer party.

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Shrimp Kebabs With Mint and Melon Salad

Credit: Greg DuPree
View Recipe: Shrimp Kebabs With Mint and Melon Salad

The shrimp is balanced with slight sweetness, bitter char, and tangy lime—a combination that complements the refreshing melon. Pick the ripest melons you can find; they should be firm but slightly soft and fragrant, especially near the stem end. Round out this dinner with your favorite grain or the Herb-Scented Rice Salad.

Gina Homolka is the founder of skinnytaste.com and @skinnytaste.

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Pork and Charred Pineapple Sliders

Credit: Caitlin Bensel
View Recipe: Hawaiian Pork and Charred Pineapple Sliders

Hawaii’s traditional Kalua pork requires a beach pit, a whole hog, and a day’s worth of smoking. Our weeknight version delivers all the flavor with a fraction of the effort—no shovel required. Pineapple pulls double duty in this recipe—caramelized rings add smoky sweetness, while the just-tangy-enough pineapple juice makes the slaw a tasty stand-alone side dish. Save time by picking up a peeled and cored pineapple in the produce section—the flavor is far superior to canned rings.

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Corn and Crab Pita Nachos

Credit: Greg DuPree
View Recipe: Corn and Crab Pita Nachos

This dish is inspired by the crab melts that New England che Ana Sortun’s mother made her when she was growing up in the Pacific Northwest.

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Instant Pot Lobster Roll Deviled Eggs

Credit: Photo: Alison Miksch
View Recipe: Instant Pot Lobster Roll Deviled Eggs

Eggs steam perfectly in the Instant Pot, making this once labor-intensive appetizer a breeze. Classy enough for a dinner party while casual enough for game day, these Lobster Roll Deviled Eggs combine two fun foods into one delicious dish. If you’re looking for a more budget-friendly dish, substitute pre-cooked shrimp for the lobster tail.

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