10 Healthy Crowd-Pleasing Appetizers for Your Holiday Party

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Whether you’re hosting a holiday party or bringing a dish to share, these healthy appetizers are guaranteed crowd-pleasers. They’re simple to make, full of flavor and perfect for mingling all night long.

A collage of four images for holiday appetizers: goat cheese stuffed dates, cottage cheese dip, salmon dip, and sausage balls.

Holiday parties are my favorite kind of chaos. The music is loud, someone always shows up with a sparkling drink you’ve never seen before and the snacks disappear faster than you can set them down.

That’s why I always bring an appetizer that feels a little special but is still simple enough to whip up on a busy weeknight. These nine recipes check all the boxes. I make them on repeat every December because they get people talking… and there’s never a single bite left behind.

If you want crowd-pleasers that look festive, taste amazing and lean on lighter ingredients, you’re in the right place.

Holiday Appetizers

Baked sausage balls piled on a plate beside a dish of creamy mustard sauce.
1

Sausage Balls

5 from 2 votes
Easy, 5-ingredient sausage balls made with almond flour instead of Bisquick. They're cheesy, flavorful, and perfect as an appetizer for holidays, parties, or game day.
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Fresh cranberry salsa served in a white bowl on a wooden tray surrounded by tortilla chips for serving.
2

Fresh Cranberry Salsa

5 from 1 vote
Fresh cranberries, jalapeño, cilantro, orange and lime come together in this bright, slightly spicy salsa. Serve it with tortilla chips or spoon it over cream cheese for an easy holiday appetizer.
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A bowl of smoked salmon dip, garnished with fresh dill and capers, served with crackers and fresh vegetables.
3

Smoked Salmon Dip

3.52 from 68 votes
This smoked salmon dip is creamy, flavorful, packed with protein and takes only 10 minutes to make. Serve it with crackers and veggies for an appetizer everyone will love!
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A large plate of multiple dates that are stuffed with goat cheese and topped with chopped pecans and fresh thyme.
4

Goat Cheese Stuffed Dates

4.02 from 60 votes
These sweet and savory goat cheese stuffed dates topped with roasted pecans and fresh thyme are a quick and easy appetizer that everyone will love.
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A triangle of pita dipped into dip.
5

Whipped Feta Dip

5 from 3 votes
This whipped feta dip is creamy, rich, and the perfect balance of sweet and salty. It comes together in just 10 minutes with a handful of ingredients and makes an easy appetizer with pita or fresh veggies.
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Bacon wrapped dates with toothpicks going through them on a plate.
6

Bacon Wrapped Dates

5 from 1 vote
These sweet and savory bacon wrapped dates are a quick and easy appetizer made with only 2 ingredients. They're guaranteed to be a hit at your next party!
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Plate with shrimp cocktail garnished with parsley and lemon.
7

Shrimp Cocktail

5 from 2 votes
Impress guests with this shrimp cocktail recipe! It’s such a healthy appetizer and so easy to whip up. Just poach the shrimp, chill and serve.
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An overhead photo looking at a bowl of sweet and savory party nuts.
8

Party Nuts

3.64 from 77 votes
These sweet and savory party nuts are lightly sweetened, have a touch of spice and are absolutely addicting. They are the perfect snack to serve at a holiday party or make for an easy DIY gift. 
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Healthy buffalo chicken dip.
9

Healthy Buffalo Chicken Dip

5 from 5 votes
This healthy buffalo chicken dip is the perfect game day appetizer and sure to be a crowd favorite. It's made lighter with Greek yogurt and cottage cheese, but is still creamy, spicy and absolutely delicious.
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A cottage cheese boat dip in a bowl with tortilla chips to the side.
10

Boat Dip

4 from 2 votes
A high-protein twist on viral boat dip made with blended cottage cheese instead of sour cream and cream cheese. It comes together with just 6 ingredients and is perfect for parties, pool days and cookouts.
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About Brittany

Hey there, I’m Brittany, the creator of Eating Bird Food, cookbook author, health coach and mama of two littles. Here you’ll find quick and easy recipes that make healthy fun and enjoyable for you and your family!

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