Ideas for party dips and veggie sticks

Children like dipping things into ‘goo’ so try and include some dips and sticks into your kid’s party menu. They’re also a great way to add vegetables into children’s diets and count towards their 5-a-day. Look out for vegetables that add a burst of colour to your party tea table and why not name your dips depending on the theme of the party. 

Good dippers

There’s a variety of colourful vegetable crudites that you can serve with your dips. Things like cucumber, carrot and sweet pepper sticks as well as pitta bread (see recipe below), tortilla chips and Rice Cakes.

Look out for some of the more unusual vegetables for dipping like sweet sugar snap peas, tomatoes, baby gem lettuce and radishes. Even mini sausages dipped into a honey & mustard sauce is delicious. Arrange in big bowls or party platters for a visual impact and accompany with your dips. See below for some delicious dip ideas.

Good Sticks

Aside from vegetable sticks, why not serve salad or fruit on a kebab. This is a fun alternative to sandwiches or finger food. Thread a cherry tomato, cucumber slice, cube of cheese and rolled piece of ham/turkey and pitta onto a skewer. Children will love having their very own stick to nibble on and the skewers will look great arranged on a platter.

For pudding, serve some fruit kebabs made up of strawberries, melon and slices of kiwi and serve on a chunk of watermelon. Alternatively, serve your kebabs skewered onto a whole orange, grapefruit or melon. Marshmallows on a skewer dipped into chocolate are sure to get the kids licking their lips and for the ultimate sweet ‘dip-heaven’ try a chocolate fountain.

Good dips

Although you can buy pretty tasty dips from the supermarkets such as hummus and guacamole it’s far more satisfying (and healthy) if you can rustle up something yourself. Choose a fun bowl to serve your dip in, it makes a huge difference to the appeal. Why not label your dips to suit your theme, for Halloween your guacamole could be ‘slime sludge’!!!

Garlic Pitta Bread Sticks 

(Makes 20 sticks)

4 large pitta breads
30g butter softened
1 small clove garlic, crushed
2 tbsp pesto
4 heaped tbsp parmesan cheese, finely grated

Pre-heat the grill to high. Arrange the pitta breads on a baking sheet. Mix the butter, garlic and pesto together. Spread over one side of the pitta breads. Sprinkle over the parmesan cheese. Grill for 4 to 5 minutes until golden brown and bubbling. Leave to cool, then slice into sticks.

Mango & Cream Cheese dip

4 tbsp low fat cream cheese
3 tbsp natural yoghurt
One and half tbsp mango chutney
1 tbsp lemon juice
Pinch of curry powder

Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl. Season to taste and serve with breadsticks.

Sweet Chilli & Cream Cheese dip

100g light cream cheese
1 tsp chopped chives
1 tsp sweet chilli sauce

Mix the cream cheese and chives and put in a ramekin and spoon over the chilli sauce or mix together if you prefer.

Thousand Island

2 tbsp Greek yoghurt
2 tbsp mayonnaise
2 tsp ketchup
Half tsp lemon juice
1 to 2 drops Worcestershire Sauce

Ranch dip

3 tbsp sour cream
2 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tsp lime (optional)
1 tsp chopped coriander
1 tsp chopped chives