17 Three-Step Fall Appetizers Perfect for Game Day

Baked Buffalo Chicken Wings
Photo: Jennifer Causey

Football season has officially kicked off, and we've rounded up the best appetizers to accompany your watch party. These healthy bites are packed with seasonal produce, including sweet potatoes and mushrooms. Recipes like our Baked Buffalo Chicken Wings and Creamy Cauliflower-Jalapeño Dip are ready in just three steps or less, so you can spend less time in the kitchen and more time rooting for your favorite team.

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Baked Buffalo Chicken Wings

Baked Buffalo Chicken Wings
Jennifer Causey

These are the best baked chicken wings around. Cooking the wings in the oven, not the fryer, reduces fat and calories. Just like the original Buffalo wings, these baked Buffalo wings are coated in a tangy, spicy sauce and served with carrots, celery and your favorite creamy dipping sauce.

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Turkey Pinwheels

a recipe photo of the Turkey Pinwheels
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Torie Cox, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen

Make this fuss-free pinwheels recipe your go-to for your next gathering. The cheesy spread holds the crunchy vegetables in place. The chilling step isn't 100% critical, but it does help hold the shape as you slice it. If you're not entertaining, you can skip the slicing and enjoy this easy recipe as a wrap for lunch or dinner. Use any leftover cheesy spread on a sandwich or pair it with sliced veggies and pretzels for a quick dip.

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Vegetarian Antipasto Sliders

Vegetarian Antipasto Sliders

These vegetarian sliders are a delicious twist on the classic Italian app. Look for soft, pull-apart dinner rolls in the bakery section of your grocery store. If you can't find them, swap in 6 whole-wheat burger buns and make larger sandwiches.

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Chili-Cheese Nachos

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Make nachos a healthy dinner when you top them with an easy 30-minute chili. Serve this healthy recipe with sliced scallions, avocado, fresh tomatoes and sour cream, if desired.

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Creamy Cauliflower-Jalapeño Popper Dip

Creamy Cauliflower-Jalapeño Popper Dip

Creamy, cheesy and tangy—this super-easy warm dip has everything you love about jalapeño poppers without the individual prep work. And it's better for you, thanks to the riced cauliflower stirred into every spoonful. Adjust the level of heat to your tastes with either mild or spicy pickled jalapeños. If you prefer smaller pieces of the hot pepper, feel free to chop the jalapeños.

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Sweet Potato Chips

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Make perfectly crunchy veggie chips at home with this healthy recipe. Use a mandoline to slice the sweet potatoes extra-thin for the optimum crunch!

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Crispy Eggplant Parmesan Fries

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The cheesy flavor and crispy crust on these eggplant "fries" is just like fried eggplant Parmesan, but with a fraction of the oil. They're the perfect appetizer for Italian night! Dip these crispy fries into a big hot bowl of your favorite marinara.

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Walnut and Olive Quesadillas

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These Mexican-style fold-overs with an Italian spin are brimming with provolone and mozzarella cheeses as well as ripe olives and walnuts.

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Buffalo-Blue Cheese Cauliflower Fritters

a recipe photo of the Buffalo Blue Cheese Cauliflower Fritters served on a plate and topped with sour cream and chives
Jason Donnelly

These Buffalo-blue cheese cauliflower fritters have bits of blue cheese throughout, and a good amount of heat that's tamed by a little sour cream for dipping.

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Sweet and Salty Roasted Nuts

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Spicy seasonings add a bit of zing to roasted nuts for an appetizer that's perfect for any occasion.

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Pepperoni Pizza Rolls

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These cheesy baked pizza rolls with marinara dipping sauce would be fun for a casual party for kids or adults--or just for dinner! Classic pizza fillings are tucked into egg roll wrappers, which are baked--no frying required!--until nice and crispy on the outside. Feel free to mix up the fillings; for example, you could drop the pepperoni to make these vegetarian or nix the mushrooms if you're not a fan.

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Mushroom Jerky

mushroom jerky

This vegan version of beef jerky has the same level of smoky spice you'd expect from the real thing. It can be enjoyed as a snack or on top of a salad for a jolt of meaty, umami goodness. It's also a great snack to take camping! The mushrooms stay pretty chewy (no crunch except for some of the crispy ends); this method is a great option if you don't have a dehydrator.

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Five-Spice Turkey & Lettuce Wraps

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These turkey lettuce wraps come together fast for a healthy dinner or try them as a fun appetizer for entertaining. Adding instant brown rice to the filling increases the fiber, making them more satisfying. Serve with chile-garlic sauce and rice vinegar for extra zip.

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Southwestern Layered Bean Dip

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Plenty of black beans, salsa and chopped fresh vegetables mean a healthy amount of dietary fiber in this Tex-Mex-inspired layered dip. We use reduced-fat sour cream along with full-fat (and full-flavored) cheese to make the dip lighter without compromising great taste. Be sure to have lots of baked tortilla chips on hand when you serve it.

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Parmesan-Crusted Chicken Tenders

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Crispy, Parmesan-flecked chicken tenders dipped in marinara sauce is an easy dinner the whole family will love. Dipping them in a mixture of plain yogurt with chopped fresh basil would be tasty too. Serve with sautéed green beans and roasted sweet potato wedges.

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Classic Deviled Eggs

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We love the taste of dill relish in the filling of this deviled egg recipe, but if you like a sweeter deviled egg' opt for sweet relish instead. Our secret to healthy, creamy deviled eggs with fewer calories is to swap out half the full-fat mayo for nonfat Greek yogurt.

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Roasted Garlic & Caramelized Onion Flatbread

Roasted Galic and Caramelized Onion Flatbread
Jennifer Causey

Create a savory baked good with fragrant garlic and onion in just 10 minutes of active time. This flavorful flatbread will be a tasty, fresh addition to any table.

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