Healthy Recipes Healthy Holiday & Occasion Recipes Healthy Christmas Holiday Recipes 16 Healthy Snacks for Grazing Before Your Christmas Meal By Dillon Evans Dillon Evans Dillon Evans fell in love with cooking at a very young age. He remembers the novel experiences of microwaving a bowl of oatmeal without his parents' permission and asking to make his mother's morning pot of coffee. These moments became catalysts for his interest in cooking and baking. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Published on December 23, 2023 Trending Videos Close this video player Holiday meal prep can be a lengthy process, so keep you and your party satisfied in the meantime with these flavorful recipes. From dips to cheese balls, you can prepare these dishes as quick and satisfying snacks that everyone is sure to enjoy. Make our Pear-Pecan Cheese Ball ahead of time for an easy grazing dish with crackers, or quickly make our Whipped Feta with Pomegranate, Pistachios & Honey for a festive and tangy pre-meal snack. 01 of 16 Whipped Feta with Pomegranate, Pistachios & Honey This easy, quick appetizer is perfect for any gathering. Be sure to process the feta and cream cheese together until you see a smooth texture and ribbons start to form. Doing so will ensure any bits of feta are broken down, and you’ll avoid a grainy texture. The drizzle of hot honey adds a pleasant spice and plays well with the salty pistachios, but you could substitute regular honey or date syrup if preferred. View Recipe 02 of 16 Jalapeño Cheese Ball Serve this spiced jalapeño cheese ball with tortilla chips or use it as a spread for your next burrito. View Recipe 03 of 16 Whipped Feta Dip with Roasted Red Peppers Victor Protasio This super-creamy whipped feta dip is savory with just a hint of sweetness from honey. This healthy dip is perfect for veggies, whole-grain crackers or bread. View Recipe 04 of 16 Jonathan Perno's Spiced Candied Pecans At home or at Campo, the restaurant he oversees at Los Poblanos Historic Inn & Organic Farm in Albuquerque, chef Jonathan Perno likes to welcome guests with spiced New Mexican pecans. You won't see this in most spiced-nut recipes, but Perno blanches them to reduce some of the bitter tannins in the skin that can sometimes overwhelm the pecans' delicate flavor. View Recipe 05 of 16 Pear-Pecan Cheese Ball Sweet pear, salty Cheddar cheese and crunchy nuts make this healthy cheese ball recipe an alluring holiday treat. Serve with an array of crudités and crisp party crackers. View Recipe 06 of 16 Salt & Vinegar Pumpkin Seeds Salt-and-vinegar seasoning isn't just for chips. These roasted pumpkin seeds tossed with salt and vinegar are a briny, crunchy treat. Soaking the seeds in vinegar ensures that the deep vinegary flavor remains after baking. View Recipe 07 of 16 Winter Charcuterie Board A cheeseboard is an ideal stationary hors d'oeuvre for holiday entertaining. Select a variety of cheeses, making sure to include an aged variety, a creamy cheese, a blue cheese and perhaps a smoked cheese. Round out the platter with cold cuts, bread, an abundance of seasonal fruits, dried fruit, crudité, nuts and olives. We even included some dark chocolate to cap it off! View Recipe 08 of 16 Lemon-Thyme Whipped Ricotta This stunning yet easy appetizer recipe infuses creamy ricotta with fresh herbs and lemon. Serve with whole-grain crackers and cut-up vegetables or use as a spread for sandwiches or sauce for pasta. View Recipe 09 of 16 Candy Cane Beet & Goat Cheese Board Ali Redmond This festive and easy appetizer is a colorful addition to any holiday spread. If you can find precooked beets, they help save time. The honey balances the richness of the goat cheese and the earthiness of the beets, while candied pecans add a satisfying crunch. View Recipe 10 of 16 Everything Bagel Cheese Ball This is not your grandma's cheese ball. It has all the flavor of an everything bagel without all the carbs and with just 3 ingredients! Want to emphasize the bagel taste? Serve it with bagel chips and some raw veggies for dipping to keep things healthy. View Recipe 11 of 16 Rosemary-Garlic Pecans Jennifer Causey These savory spiced nuts are perfect for snacking, adding to a cheese board or serving as a mini appetizer. View Recipe 12 of 16 Cheddar-Apple Cracker Bites This easy recipe comes together in just 5 minutes, making it a quick snack or appetizer. The sweetness of the Fuji balances well with the cheddar, but you can use another variety of apple if you prefer. This recipe calls for 3 thin apple slices per cracker, but feel free to use just one if you’re craving a more cheesy bite. View Recipe 13 of 16 Smoked Gouda & Giardiniera Charcuterie Sticks Jacob Fox Crunchy pickled vegetables pair perfectly with creamy Gouda with a hint of smoke. View Recipe 14 of 16 Spiced Crackers Give plain crackers a flavorful boost when you roast them with paprika and oregano. For a touch of smokiness, try smoked paprika instead of regular. Serve with hummus, cheese or your favorite dip. View Recipe 15 of 16 These Apple & Peanut Butter Energy Balls Are the Perfect Fall Snack Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely These energy balls marry two of fall’s best flavors: apples and pumpkin pie spice. You can substitute the applesauce with apple butter for a stronger apple flavor. Don’t confuse dried apples with apple chips! Apple chips have a crisp texture that will make the energy balls too crunchy. If your apple mixture is too sticky and hard to roll, lightly grease your hands with cooking spray or simply refrigerate the mixture for 15 minutes before rolling. View Recipe 16 of 16 Pizza Pistachios Jennifer Causey Nutritional yeast mimics the flavor of cheese, lending a pizza-like flavor to these playful spiced pistachios. View Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit