We need suggestions for snacks or appetizers that are healthful, budget-friendly, but still delicious?

Question

We're having 21 people over on Sunday....maybe. It could be less or more, so I don't want to try and cook a meal, but it would be nice to have some snacks handy. Especially since several people on our guest list are diabetic....

I was thinking wheat crackers, several cheeses and maybe some fruit. But I'd like to know what some of your favorite snacks are....especially those that are kind to the wallet. These will be weekly gatherings.....so we've got to keep it real!

Thanks

Answer 1

Whole grain pita chips or crackers with some hummus dip

Veggies can be dipped in hummus also, yum!  Baby carrots, grape tomatoes and slice up some cucumbers.

Answer 2

deviled eggs are always good, and inexpensive.

antipasto skewers:  small wooden skewers take store bought cheese tortallini, mozzarella cheese, and salami thread on the skewers like you would a cabob and pour a little lite italian dressing on them.

big bowls of homemade popcorn

cheese quesadillas made with whole grain tortillas  serve with salsa

The cheese (queso) dip the other person said to make with the velvetta  and the salsa is always good.  When I make it I beef it up by adding Jimmy Dean spicy sausage (cooked) and a can of hormel chili with beans.  This makes a pretty big amount of dip that can be served with tortilla chips, crackers or veggies.

Answer 3

this is easy and cheap - and you can change it around really easily for any kind of diet -

Flour tortillas of any size

Cheese spreads - I use cream cheese, but you can use any kind, as long as its spreadable - the vegetable kind is pretty good

Veggies such as lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, etc -for a good crunchy texture- you could also use fruits that are chopped

Spread the cheese on the tortilla, and add what you like - you can put out bowls of everything and your guests can serve themselves

My kids like this for a snack, its pretty healthy and easy to fix

Answer 4

Bread Fritters;

Go to the bakery section of the store where you normally buy bread.

Ask the baker for an "unbaked" loaf of bread.

He must put exactly the same amount of dough he would have used to bake a bread with in to a plastic bag for you, and it would cost no more than a loaf of bread.

Take that home and in a pot warm some cooking oil to about half the depth of the pot. (Smaller pots take less oil than bigger ones do)...

The oil temperature should be medium hot. (About half the heat that the stove plate will go)

Now cut from the unbaked dough a slice about the size of your palm, and with a little water on your fingers (to prevent the dough from sticking to your hand), stretch out the dough in all directions until it is about the size of your whole hand including the fingers. That brings the cutting of dough to about twice the size it was when you cut it....

Now with care, drop the stretched out dough in to the hot oil.

It would rise almost instantly.

Fry it in the oil until it is golden brown all over, taking care to turn it over occasionally.

It would be puffy and crisp when done.

With a large ladle or sieve, scoop out the bread fritter and place on an absorbent kitchen towel to rid it of most of the oil still on it.

Repeat this process until all the dough is done.

These bread fritters are extremely filling, and can be cut open and filled with almost anything from grated cheese to minced meat to cold processed meat, syrup or jam.

Try it, you will probably have some left over for two or three days, which you can take to work if you like....

Bread fritters can be frozen and warmed up again if you have made too much, but the dough cannot, so rather make the whole lot and freeze what is left over for another day. If you decide to freeze them, do so without a filling. Fillings should always be made fresh.

Finger snack variety;

By making the bread dough cutting about half the size when cutting off the raw dough from the batch, you can make smaller sized bread fritters and fill them with fancy foods like tuna mince or savory beef mince for buffet snack parties

Answer 5

For weekly gatherings, you need to allow some of those 21 people bring some snacks, too!  Offer them snacks the first week, then ask for volunteers to bring snacks the next week.  We have a weekly bible study at our house with 12-13 adults, and their kids come too.  We do potluck as far as snacks.  I buy all the paper goods, and even that get's expensive, so I'm happy for help w/ the food!

Bruschetta and toppings are cheap and delicious (olive, tomato, etc.)

cheese cubes

veggie tray  w/ yogurt-based Ranch dip (can't go wrong w/ that, esp. for diabetic guests)

bake your own mini-muffins: carrot cake (no icing), blueberry, lemon poppyseed

Answer 6

Veggie tray - carrots, celery, sliced peppers, broccoli, etc.  Buy inexpensive veggies, can't go wrong with that.  Make a ranch dip, everyone loves ranch dip.

Cheese queso dip.  Use velvetta cheese, jar of salsa, melt and keep warm, serve with tortilla chips, pretzels are great to dip in that as well.

Make a dip for the fruit of equal parts yogurt and cool whip, it is really good.

Answer 7

Homemade hummus with pita chips that you made yourself. Grapes and dried fruit on a big cutting board with lots of cheeses. Carrots and celery with a homemade yogurt dip. mini pizzas made from rounds you cut from the pita. Top with pizza sauce,cheese,slivered bell pepper.