How to Host Dinner AND Keep it Healthy: Simple, Guest-Pleasing Appetizers, Recipes and Ideas

One of THE biggest challenges for sticking to my healthy eating habits (and many of you, I’d guess) is the social aspect of eating. It’s one thing to change your habits and eat healthy at home (hard enough), but add to that all the eating that goes with nearly every social gathering and holiday celebration, and you are up against a major challenge. This is a huge topic, but today I wanted to share just a few things I’ve found work well.

My kids would say something like, “why do you only make this when we have company?” It was true. The meals I served to guests were usually made up of items I’d been trying to cut out. But I just could not bring myself to serve food that was so different from what I thought these guests were used to! I wanted them to like my food and if they didn’t like my food would they like me? Probably, but I was pretty insecure about what to serve. So for a long time I stuck with old favorites and dealt with my kids’ comments along the way.

I’ve always felt it wise to leave space for wiggle room and progression, so while I was mastering meals I could feed to my family day in and day out, I put the company meals on cruise control. But after a while I really wanted to stick to our plant-based diet (especially when we ended up with lots of leftovers), even when we had guests. I’ve experimented with a few different things, and finally I think I’ve arrived at the perfect solution.

Several times I made some type of nacho dip–it included vegan cheese sauce, guacamole and salsa over a bean base. It was good but I wanted to do better. One major dilemma is that we have four kids, and a lot of our friends have larger families as well. That’s a lot of kids running around, and a lot of potentially picky eaters. Sometimes people have invited us for a dessert night, which is a nice way to simplify, but I really wanted to get together long before bedtime and avoid centering our night around sugar, or even some healthier treats.

Another great company meal is this lasagna. Most people I’ve served it to don’t even realize it’s vegan and lasagna is usually a safe crowd-pleaser.

Definitely my favorite solution has been the appetizer dinner potluck. This could not be a more perfect solution. It gives everyone the chance to bring something their family will enjoy, and it can be super simple or as complicated as you want to prepare. Below are some of my favorites. A few of these have not made it on the blog yet so I am giving you a sneak preview here!

We have done this with groups of about 4 families and it works out really well. Most everyone brought at least two different things, we had a great variety and there was something everyone could enjoy. Knowing it was our dinner, we all made sure to have some hearty and healthy foods and everyone left full.

Caramelized Pineapple Dip

Jackfruit is a simply magical substitute for chicken. I love to make it for guests who may not be ready for some of the more unique plant-based recipes out there. This dip comes together in about 15 minutes and can easily be made a day ahead. Just pop it in the oven shortly before serving.

Black Bean, Avocado and Corn Salsa/Dip

This dip is always a hit with people. I love to double or triple it. The leftovers make a great main course with some cooked quinoa or brown rice. I keep asking myself why Costco didn’t add this instead of the vegan Al Pastor Salad which I’m guessing was a flop. I saw it on the menu a few times at my Costco but before I tried it, it was gone. Chopping all those fresh veggies may just be too much to ask of a food court, even Costco!

I always like to add the avocado just before serving, but in reality the lime juice usually keeps them looking pretty good, even the next day.

Tip: Using the same strainer, rinse the black beans and corn to quickly thaw the corn. You can also add tomatoes to the strainer while you prep the remaining ingredients to reduce excess liquid in the salsa.

Beautiful Green Salad with Whole Foods Briana’s Poppyseed Dressing

I always love a big green salad as part of an appetizer dinner, or really any meal. This one is nice because you can keep it super simple, or dress it up with some maple-glazed nuts and homemade dressing.

Decadent Chocolate Dip with Berries or Apples

Very similar to chocolate hummus, this recipe is just slightly more smooth and is a little nicer for company. This simple dip comes together so quickly and is delicious with any type of fruit, crackers or a spoon!

I can serve it as a dessert to guests or whip it up for a special after school snack. And feel great about both! It’s really worked well as a dessert recently–it hits the spot for something sweet after dinner without a lot of effort or refined ingredients.

For my son’s birthday, I used it to frost the cupcakes for the kids and then served it as a dip for the adults.