Fit Fun Tina

10 Healthy Party Food Ideas

10 party foods

Our family LOVES parties! Whether it be for a kid’s birthday, memorial day, or any other holiday, we love to gather over food. We bring together our favorite dishes, and enjoy time talking and munching, (and the kids run up for their own munchies and take them back to where they are playing).

Over the years, I’ve tried different recipes to bring a healthier version to the party table. Here are some of our family favorites (in addition to a couple of new ones that I will be trying out at our next party!)

Dips:

guacamole

Holy Moly Guacamole! by Hungry Girl. This version has PEAS in it, reducing the fat and calorie content. My teenager actually prefers this guacamole to traditional guacamole, so she’s always excited when I make this.

peanut-butter-fruit-dip2+srgb.

Peanut Butter Fruit dip from Cooking Classy. This is great for the Peanut Butter fans! It’s quick and easy and delicious with a fruit tray.

Healthy-Red-Velvet-Cheesecake-Dip

Healthy Red Velvet Cheesecake Dip by Desserts with Benefits. This is a great dip for the dessert table, and can also be used for dipping fruit!

Appetizers:

mozzarella-cheese-sticks

Mozzarella Cheesesticks by Mind over Munch. Baked and uses a wonton wrapper instead of breading.

Cheeseburger-Cupcakes-3b

Cheeseburger Cupcakes by Emily Bites. THIS is definitely a family favorite! It also uses wonton wrappers like the mozzarella cheesesticks above, so you can make both for different flavors and variety!

buffalochickenbacon

Buffalo Glazed Chicken and Bacon Bites by Skinny Fork. This is super easy, and can also be grilled. See also my post on buffalo sauce options to help find a lower sodium version.

57ed8e4f-3d67-40dc-8bf3-1c45551e8e7b

Slow Cooker Buffalo Meatballs by Tablespoon. Buffalo. Chicken Meatballs. Slow Cooker. Really it’s a recipe for success!

mac-and-cheese-1024x743

Mac & Cheese by BeachReadyNow. We serve a LOT of kid-friendly foods, and here is a healthy version of a comfort classic!

Drinks:

Sparkling-Strawberry-Limeade-7

Sparkling Strawberry Limeade by The Bold Abode. A healthy alternative to punch that doesn’t have any sugary sodas or syrups!

Dessert:

Mini-Cannoli-Cups-2c

Chocolate Chip Cannoli Cups by Emily Bites. Warning: These are not only a delicious family favorite, but they are also EXTREMELY addicting and should only brought to parties or situations where you can share them!

Related Posts:

The Battle of the Hot Sauces – A Sodium Comparison Guide

saucebanner

After last night’s post of my Crockpot Buffalo Chicken recipe, I immediately started getting feedback regarding sodium. This morning I took a little field trip to the local grocery store and decided to do a little label research.

I made a couple of discoveries:

1) Serving size varied from type to type. While the taste is not drastically different between hot sauce and wing sauce, the serving size changed the number.

2) When equaling out the serving size (for this experiment, I calculated the serving size to be one tablespoon, or 15 ml). This evened out the playing field for the sodium content.

Here are the five brands that I decided to compare:

1. Frank’s RedHot Original

redhot

In this case, the serving size was 1 teaspoon according to the label. If you look at the sodium (190 grams), it doesn’t seem *too* bad, but if you bump it up to a tablespoon, you’re looking at 570 mg of sodium!

2. Srirachi HOT Chili Sauce

sriracha

Same case re: serving size as Frank’s RedHot Original sauce. However, check out the sodium – only 240 mg for a tablespoon. That is less than half to the Frank’s brand.

3. Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Wing Sauce

franksbuffalo

At 460 mg per serving, Frank’s Buffalo sauce has less that it’s Original recipe. While my intent was not to compare other ingredients, you can notice that some additives (canola oil, preservatives, etc) have been added to this recipe.

4. Price Chopper Wing Sauce (local grocery store)

pcwings

So this one came really close to the Srirachi sauce in regards to sodium content at 260 mg per serving. It also happened to be the cheapest of all of the brands. However, if you take a good look at the ingredient list, you’ll notice a LOT of additives (margarine, HFCS, preservatives, etc).

and finally:

5) McIlhenny Co. Tabasco Pepper Sauce

tabasco

 

This is clearly the winner of them all. Not only is it limited to 3 ingredients, but it sports a mere 105 mg of sodium per tablespoon serving. Now, I just have to figure out how to convert that for my buffalo recipes!

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Crockpot Buffalo Chicken

Crockpot Buffalo Chicken - 4 ingredients, clean, and 21 Day Fix approved! For more recipes, head to www.FitFunTina.com

Buffalo wings – they taste amazing, don’t they? But the original fried version doesn’t mesh well with a healthy lifestyle. This recipe for Crockpot Buffalo Chicken has FOUR ingredients that is not only an easy fix in the kitchen, but is a LOT easier to fit into your healthy lifestyle. This is creamy and absolutely delicious. Want more kick? Just add some more sauce!!!

So here are the four ingredients:

Crockpot Buffalo Chicken - 4 ingredients, clean, and 21 Day Fix approved! For more recipes, head to www.FitFunTina.com

Boneless chicken breasts, buffalo sauce, greek yogurt, and bleu cheese.

Tina’s Tip

My ONLY word of caution will be with the buffalo sauce, as the sodium content is a little high. Edit: I went shopping the next day to compare labels and look for alternatives. Please see THIS post to see what I found for an alternative.

Leftovers

If you’re looking for a way to use this as leftovers, I created this recipe for breakfast! Buffalo Chicken Scramble

21 Day Fix

To serve: Use 1 red container of chicken and count as 1 red. Measure blue cheese separately and count as a blue.

Without further adieu, the recipe:

Crockpot Buffalo Chicken

Crockpot Buffalo Chicken

21 Day Fix Count: 1 Red and 1 Blue (for the cheese)

5 minPrep Time

6 hrCook Time

6 hr, 5 Total Time

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Ingredients

  • 4 lbs Boneless Chicken Breasts
  • 2 Cups RedHot sauce, divided
  • 10 oz Plain Greek Yogurt
  • Blue Cheese crumbles

Instructions

  1. Place chicken breasts into crockpot.
  2. Add 1 cup of RedHot sauce, pouring on top of the chicken.
  3. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
  4. When the chicken is done, it should easily shred with a fork. Empty the liquid.
  5. Add remaining 1 cup RedHot sauce, greek yogurt, and stir. The chicken shred in the process.
  6. Top your portion with blue cheese crumbles. You can either use it in a wrap with veggies, on a bun as a sandwich, or eat plain!
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https://fitfuntina.com/crockpot-buffalo-chicken/

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Veggie Egg Muffins – 21 Day Fix Approved!

This is a great breakfast option to make and reheat throughout the week! For more recipes and health/fitness support, head to www.FitFunTina.com

Here’s a quick and easy breakfast or snack that you can make ahead and reheat as necessary!

I was excited to try these, as I often will use eggs as an extra protein throughout the day, but I also have trouble getting all my veggies in (that’s the inner four year old talking!!).  And the best part? These were quick and easy to make!

First, I gathered my ingredients:

21 Day Fix egg muffins! With just a few ingredients, you can make these and reheat as necessary! For more recipes and healthy living tips, head to www.FitFunTina.com

Now, here comes the prep work:

 

Don’t mock my knife cuts! I may have watched too many episodes of Worst Cooks in America, but the food always comes out yummy! And speaking of making some amateurish shortcuts:

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Why chop the spinach and whisk the eggs when you can get it all done in one shot in your ninja? (Looking back, I should have done the spinach before adding the eggs. That would explain why the egg comes came out looking like St. Patrick’s Day exploded).

Also, I’ve rediscovered the joy of baking with silicone pans. My husband also finds it a joy because they are SO EASY TO CLEAN! Happy husband, happy wife, happy muffins. Hahaha! Here’s an awesome pan from Amazon to use for your muffins: Keliwa 12 Cup Silicone Muffin & Cupcake Baking Pan / Non – Stick / Dishwasher – Microwave Safe / 21 FREE RECIPES

I popped them in the oven, and 20 minutes later, voila! Egg muffins to go!

Mini Veggie Egg Muffins:

Prep Time: 5-10 Minutes

Cook Time: 15-20 Minutes

 

Yields 12

Mini Veggie Egg Muffins - 21 Day Fix Approved!

21 Day Fix Count: 2 Muffins equal 1 red, 1 green

5 minPrep Time

20 minCook Time

25 minTotal Time

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Ingredients

  • 1 Dozen Eggs
  • 1 (10oz) Bag of Spinach, finely chopped
  • 1 Medium Red Bell Pepper, finely chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat Oven to 375 Degrees.
  2. Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray.
  3. Place eggs in a bowl (remove the shells first, people!). Whisk to blend. Add seasonings.
  4. Add spinach and bell pepper; mix well.
  5. Pour egg mixture into the muffin cups.
  6. Place in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
  7. Enjoy!
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https://fitfuntina.com/mini-veggie-egg-muffins-21-day-fix-approved/

 

21 Day Fix – 2 Muffins equal 1 red, 1 green.

 

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Reducing Sodium in your Diet

reducingsodium

The average American diet contains WAYYY more sodium than is recommended. Not only does increased sodium have health detriments (ie. high blood pressure), but it can hinder weight loss as well through fluid retention. Here are some healthy tips to reduce the amount of sodium in your diet:

1. Shop around the perimeter of the grocery store. Fresh fruits, vegetables, and meats are all great sources of food low in sodium. Frozen fruits and vegetables can also be a good source (just make sure to check for added seasonings!).

2. Add your own seasonings. Spices and herbs are a great way to enhance flavor!

3. Steer clear of convenience foods (ie. soups, frozen meals). Convenience foods are easy, but usually come with a hefty sodium price (not to mention other nutrients they may be lacking). If you usually bring a frozen meal for lunch at work, instead try to bring leftovers from home. After dinner, we immediately portion leftovers into individual servings so we can grab them and go in the mornings.

4. Read the labels. Take a moment to read through the nutrition to decide if you even want to buy the item. The FDA has the following requirements for labels:

  • No Sodium – Must have less than 5 mg sodium per serving
  • Low Sodium – Must have less than 140 mg per serving
  • Reduced Sodium – Must have 25% less sodium than an appropriate reference food (this one is tricky, because it can still have higher than recommended sodium)
  • Lightly Salted – Must have 50% less sodium than normally added.

5. Items that don’t taste salty don’t necessarily mean they are low sodium. Cottage cheese is a great example.

6. When dining out, do your research before you go. Most chain restaurants have all of their nutrition information posted online. Look through your options and decide before you go.

7. Keep the salt shaker in the spice cabinet, not on the table.

 

Low Sodium Snack Ideas:

Need a snack? There are plenty of ways you can have a healthy snack without the added sodium. Here are some ideas to get started:

  • Fruits – Apples, bananas, blueberries, strawberries, tangerines
  • Vegetables – Carrots, celery sticks, bell peppers
  • Hard boiled eggs
  • Unsalted nuts – peanuts, almonds, walnuts
  • Unsalted peanut butter (you can even make your own!)
  • Air-popped popcorn
  • Seeds (unsalted) – pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds
  • Unsalted pretzels
  • Yogurt

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Chicken Parmesan Meatloaf Muffins

Fulfill your chicken parmesan craving and not regret the next step on the scale! 21 Day Fix approved For more easy and clean recipes, head over to www.FitFunTina.com.

Okay, so my husband LOVES italian food. Pretty much any way it comes…pizza, spaghetti and meatballs, meatball subs. If it’s got the red sauce he’s a fan! However, his very favorite meal is Chicken Parmesan! You know the kind..breaded chicken, fried and covered with sauce and melted cheese!

After we started eating healthy, the fried food had to go! Sadly, his beloved chicken parmesan fell into that category. Until I found THIS recipe! Chicken parmesan meatloaf! Absolutely brilliant! My family loves it so much that I make it often. My husband…he’s a happy man because he gets the best of both worlds – delicious chicken with sauce and gooey cheesy goodness, and it’s healthy, too!
chicken parm outtake
Recipe Outtake 6/9: When you make this recipe as often as I have, you sometimes are so efficient that you make silly errors. This omission happened to be the PARMESAN CHEESE, which is kind of an essential ingredient to Chicken Parmesan! Haha! At least I remembered the chicken, right?

Shameless (affiliate) plug:

You’ll notice the pic above has two of my favorite kitchen gadgets (I LOVE kitchen gadgets!!). The first (and utterly essential) is a silicone muffin pan. Seriously my husband loves me but he used to hate when I made muffin-type things in a traditional pan because they always stuck and made a huge mess. This is the exact one I use and love:

Also, I love this measuring cup! The measurements are at an angle so you can see the measurements from directly overhead! I also like the the writing is not etched on the outside, so the markings last longer than a traditional measuring cup.

I modified the recipe below only by putting them in individual muffin tins for easier portion control. Give it a try, and let me know what you think! 21 Day Fix: 2 muffins = 1 Red, 1 Blue

Yields 12

Chicken Parmesan Meatloaf Muffins

21 Day Fix: 2 Muffins equal 1 Red,1 Blue

10 minPrep Time

50 minCook Time

1 hrTotal Time

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Ingredients

  • 1 lb ground chicken (ground turkey can be substituted)
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1-2 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 1 small onion, grated
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 cup pasta sauce (homemade or store bought)
  • 1/2 cup shredded Italian cheese blend
  • minced parsley for garnish

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a muffin pan with cooking spray, set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, egg, breadcrumbs, thyme, oregano, basil, garlic, onion, salt, pepper and Parmesan cheese. To not over handle the mixture otherwise it will get tough. Spoon the mixture into the muffin tin. Keep in mind that it's meat, so it's not going to rise. Makes 10-12 muffins. Top each muffin with pasta sauce.
  3. Place muffin pan in the oven and bake 35-40 minutes. Remove the meatloaf from the oven and sprinkle the top with the remaining shredded cheese. Place the meatloaf back in the oven and bake until the cheese is melted.
  4. Remove the meatloaf from the oven and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving/slicing. Garnish with parsley if desired.
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https://fitfuntina.com/chicken-parmesan-meatloaf-muffins/

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Chocolate Chickpea Muffins

*This posts contains affiliate links. Purchasing these links do not affect you, but do help to keep this blog running. Thank you!*

Chocolate chickpea muffins

Chocolate chickpea muffins? What? Did I have you until the chickpea? Don’t run away just yet! These were tested and approved by my 14-year-old-very-honest-teen-who-won’t-do-veggies. Last night she said “Wait, what’s in these? This is the best hidden veggie food I’ve ever had!”.

These are delightful, easy to make, and nutritious! They’re gluten free, too. If you’re on the 21 Day Fix, use one muffin and count as a yellow treat ( especially if you use the mini- chocolate chips!).

Speaking of Chocolate Chips:

These muffins taste great without the chips. If you want to use them, there are varying degrees  of how “good” the chips are in a clean eating sense. On the least clean side, you can use regular chocolate chips in the grocery aisle (but please for the love do not get the chocolate “flavored” chips!). Going cleaner, there are other options that you may find in the food section such as Enjoy Life or Dagoba. Check the ingredients! If there’s a lot of ingredients, then you’re not going to want them. You can also go to the extreme clean side and try something like Cacao Nibs. Cacao nibs are unsweetened and nothing but cacao beans that have been chipped into little nibs. They have a little bitterness to them, but pack a lot of nutrition in them. However, whatever you use, moderation is always key!

Oh! And silicone muffin tins! Do you have one? I’ve recently discovered them and LOVE them. Clean up is a breeze. Here’s my pick : Keliwa 12 Cup Silicone Muffin & Cupcake Baking Pan / Non – Stick / Dishwasher – Microwave Safe / 21 FREE RECIPES (Amazon)

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Here’s what you’ll need! (I forgot to put the coconut oil in the picture)

chickpea muffins

Yields 10

Chocolate Chickpea Muffins

21 Day Fix - 1 yellow treat

5 minPrep Time

20 minCook Time

25 minTotal Time

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Ingredients

  • 1 Can of Chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
  • 3 Large Eggs
  • 1/2 Cup Maple Syrup
  • 1/3 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 3 Tablespoons Coconut Oil (melted)
  • 1 teaspoon baking Soda
  • Chocolate chips (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350.
  2. Blend all ingredients in food processor until the consistency looks like cake batter (I did the chickpeas first then added the rest).
  3. Spray muffin pans.
  4. Pour batter into pans, and sprinkle with (optional) chocolate chips.
  5. Bake for 20 minutes.
  6. Makes 10 muffins
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https://fitfuntina.com/chocolate-chickpea-muffins/

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Unstuffed Cabbage

This recipe for Unstuffed Cabbage will give you a filling, nutritious meal with flavors reminiscent of traditional stuffed cabbage. For more 21 Day Fix recipes and resources, head to www.FitFunTina.com

Cabbage is a super-nutritious food, packed with nutrients and all kinds of anti-oxidants. This recipe is a spin-off of the traditional stuffed cabbage recipe. This recipe for Unstuffed Cabbage will give you a filling, nutritious meal with flavors reminiscent of traditional stuffed cabbage. It’s also 21 Day Fix approved!

IMG_7667[1]

I’ve got all my ingredients ready to go. I ended up not using the salt, and about half of the cabbage (it was large!)

IMG_7668[1]

For those who don’t like chopping onions, or prefer not to see onions in your food, a Ninja is a nice little accessory to have. 😀

IMG_7670[1]

The turkey sausage is browning up nicely and the kitchen is smelling awesome!

21 Day Fix

1 1/2 Cups = 1 Red, 1 Green

Stuffed Cabbage

Unstuffed Cabbage
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Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds turkey sausage (you can also use ground turkey)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1 small cabbage, chopped
  • 2 cans (14.5 ounces each) diced tomatoes (low sodium or no salt added)
  • 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce (no sodium or no salt added)
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt (optional)

Instructions

  1. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.
  2. Add garlic and onion, and sautee for 1 minute.
  3. Add the turkey and pepper (and salt, if desired) and cook, stirring, until the turkey is no longer pink and onion is tender.
  4. Add the garlic and continue cooking for 1 minute.
  5. Add the chopped cabbage, tomatoes, tomato sauce, pepper. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, or until cabbage is tender.
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https://fitfuntina.com/unstuffed-cabbage/

 

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Clean eating in restaurants

instafood

Ruby Tuesdays, Petite Chicken Fresco (no lemon butter sauce), with sauteed spaghetti squash and zucchini.

While on my first round of 21 Day Fix, I originally had no intentions of eating out. It did not take long to realize that for my family, this wasn’t a great option. (Could it be done? Of course, but I wanted to be able to prove that I could eat clean and healthy anywhere I went).

Here are some tips for you to take into mind the next time you plan on eating out:

1) Study. When you know where you are going to eat, I would take the time to look at their menu beforehand (if possible – most chain restaurants have a copy of their menus). Make a plan of what you will order, and perhaps have a backup in mind just in case. When you know in advance what you’re going to have, you’ll eliminate some of the stress and be in control of what you are deciding to eat (instead of letting your stomach tell you).

Is bread usually served before the meal? Are you going to eat the bread (I would suggest not)? HOW much bread will you eat? Decide all of this before you get to the table. If you’re going to Red Lobster and drool over their cheddar biscuits and can’t imagine NOT having one, then perhaps you can decide to split a biscuit and put away the rest.

2) Menu. There are several “safe” options, but keep in mind the preparation, and be ready to ask questions and make request. For example, today I ordered the Chicken Fresco. I noticed on the menu that it came with a lemon butter sauce, so I asked that they would omit it and went with the balsamic glaze instead.

  • Meats (chicken, seafood)- Order grilled, but ask it to be prepared without any sauces or oils.
  • Veggies – Watch out for the sauteed, as the veggies are usually tossed in oil. Ask if they can be steamed instead.
  • Salads – Salads are tricky. Usually they’re loaded with a lot of STUFF that kind of negates the purpose of the salad (I’m still not sure why they sell salads with fried chicken on top but that’s another story). If you’re going to order a salad, be mindful of the non-veggie toppings, and instead ask for them to be omitted. Order a vinaigrette for your dressing, and ask for both the dressing and cheese (if you wish) to go on the side. This way you can determine the portion that you use (or don’t use).

3) Enjoy yourself. Be proud of your controlled decisions throughout your meal and realize how much it will help you down the road. Focus on your company, and enjoy the moments together.

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