3 Kid-Approved Appetizers with Veggie Straws

This post is sponsored by Sensible Portions but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

It is hard not to focus on foods and snacks that are kid-friendly and most importantly, kid-approved, during the holidays. Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve practically all fall within a month of each other. Having a good go-to recipe that you know will be a hit for everyone is a must. Here are 3 easy kid-approved appetizers all made with Sensible Portions Veggie Straws!

Who has picky kids?

It is rare, in my opinion, to find kids who are not picky about 1 thing or another. All 3 of my kids are very different when it comes to food preferences. My oldest will eat most vegetables, fruits, and starches but is weird about her meats. My middle child will not eat a lot of vegetables, but is good to go on fruits, starches and meats. Then Miss Chloe will practically eat anything you place in front of her.

Meal time can be overwhelming when you are hosting a party because you want to serve food that all will eat and enjoy. Having a meal option that is approved by all makes my life easier! I first thought about what foods my kids love to eat. Obviously it must be something more on the healthier side. We all know that anything containing a lot of sugar would quickly be approved by them!

Are Veggie Straws healthy?

One product came into mind: Veggie Straws. Sensible Portions Veggie Straws are a Vegan/Kosher, better-for-you-snack without all of the artificial flavors and artificial preservatives. So many wonder if veggie straws are healthy. They also contain no Trans fats and no Cholesterol! It is not difficult choosing these for my kids’ appetizers. A veggie-full snack that has 30% less fat than the leading brand of potato chips! Salt Garden Veggie Straws and their sweet potato straws are my toddler’s favorite.

Sensible Portions Veggie Straw Encrusted Cheese Ball

Besides Veggie Straws, my kids love cheese. So why not incorporate them together? This Veggie Straw Encrusted Cheese Ball is super easy to put together. All you need is:

• 1-8oz. Cream Cheese, softened
• 2 cups Mild Cheddar Cheese, finely shredded
• 2 cups Veggie Straws
• 1 tsp of Onion Powder
• 1 tsp of Salt
• 1 tsp of Pepper
• 1 tsp of Italian Seasoning

Place the Veggie Straws in a resealable plastic bag. Take a rolling pin and crush all the Veggie Straws. Your kids may want to help with this step because it is a lot of fun! Set aside and mix all the remaining ingredients in a bowl. Form a ball with the cheese mixture. Once you have your ball, roll it into the crumbs until it is completely covered with the crumbs. Serve the cheese ball with crackers!

Sensible Portions Veggie Straw Encrusted Mozzarella Balls

Ok, here is another ‘cheesy’ appetizer recipe that my kids love! Mozzarella cheese sticks have always been a family favorite. With this dish, you will take either mozzarella cheese rounds or mozzarella cheese sticks and slowly heat them up in the microwave. You want them to become softened enough to be able to mold into more of a ball shape and get the crumbs to stick to the outside. All you need for this recipe is:

• 1 package Mozzarella Cheese Sticks or Cheese Rounds
• 1 cup of Veggie Straws

Like the recipe above, you will crush the Veggie Straws to make them into a crumb mixture. Next, heat up the cheese until it is beginning to melt. The cheese will be too hot to handle. Take a spoon and drop the melted cheese into a bowl of the crumbs. Shape the cheese and crumb mixture into a ball and place on a plate. These cheese balls cool quickly. So no need to wait very long for these to be devoured!

Sensible Portions Veggie Straws with Ranch Dip

Keeping it really simple with this last appetizer option. Kids enjoy being able to have dips or at least my kids do. Why not take the Veggie Straws as they are and just dip them into a bowl of ranch dip? My kids were seriously dipping 2-3 at a time!

You can keep this as easy as you want: either purchase an already made ranch dip or make your own by mixing a ranch dressing pack into a 16oz container of sour cream. Completely up to you! Once you have your dip, serve with Veggie Straws.

Planning that party.

With these 3 kid-approved appetizers, your party will be a hit! No worry about who is eating or not eating. Another win is that you can pick up all your items at one place! Sensible Portions Veggie Straws can be added to your cart at your local Walmart. This made things a whole lot easier since I am usually shopping with all my kids during the holidays. One stop, that is all!

Leave the planning for the appetizers to me. These 3 appetizers are not only easy, but will give you the time to get that house in order as well as the rest of the meal menu prepped!

Happy New Year!