Low-Sugar Party Foods

Updated: October 11, 2014
Holiday parties are no longer a challenge for people with diabetes when these festive, low-sugar appetizers and beverages are on the menu.
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Black Bean Hummus

Photo: John Autry; Styling: Leigh Ann Ross
Black Bean Hummus Recipe
Serve a hearty hummus made with black beans instead of the traditional chickpeas. It’s low in fat, high in fiber and full of flavor. Serve with pita chips or fresh veggies.
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Date, Walnut, and Blue Cheese Ball

Photo: Jonny Valiant; Styling: Deborah Williams
Date, Walnut, and Blue Cheese Ball Recipe
Cheese balls are back in style and tastier than ever with two kinds of cheese, walnuts and a touch of sweetness from dates.

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Seared Beef Tenderloin Mini Sandwiches with Mustard-Horseradish Sauce

Becky Luigart-Stayner
Seared Beef Tenderloin Mini Sandwiches with Mustard-Horseradish Sauce Recipe
With lean beef tenderloin and small baguette slices, these mini sandwiches are a great low-sugar, low-fat appetizer that will gobbled up quickly at any holiday buffet.
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Cheese Fondue with Apples

Photo: Karry Hosford
Cheese Fondue with Apples Recipe
Go retro with this fun way to serve fruit and cheese at your next party.

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Mulled Cider Supreme

Photo: Oxmoor House
Mulled Cider Supreme Recipe
Welcome guests into your home with the aroma of hot spiced cider simmering on the stovetop.

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Mini Bacon and Potato Frittatas

Jeff Kauck
Mini Bacon and Potato Frittatas Recipe
Turn a breakfast dish into bite-size appetizers by baking the egg mixture in mini muffin cups. These can be served warm or at room temperature.
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Creamy Corn and Chorizo-Stuffed Mushrooms

Photo: Jan Smith
Creamy Corn and Chorizo-Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe
Each mushroom has only a sprinkle of breadcrumbs and a couple of teaspoon of the creamy corn mixture, keeping the carbohydrate content to less than 5 grams per stuffed mushroom. The spicy sausage adds a huge kick of flavor.

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Mini Smoked Salmon Pizzas

Becky Luigart-Stayner
Mini Smoked Salmon Pizzas Recipe
Simple and elegant, these little pizzas are a welcome addition to any party, and each pizza has less than 5 grams of carbohydrates.

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Crisp and Spicy Snack Mix

Becky Luigart-Stayner
Crisp and Spicy Snack Mix Recipe
Not your average snack mix, this one is bursting with flavor from ginger stir-fry sauce, chili powder, and cumin.
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Spiced Pecans

Photo: Oxmoor House
Spiced Pecans Recipe
Lightly spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg, these sweetened nuts can be eaten as a crunchy snack or used as a topping for low-sugar ice cream.

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Herbed Goat Cheese

Douglas Merriam
Herbed Goat Cheese Recipe
When you need a simple yet sensational appetizer, just roll a log of goat cheese in a mixture of fresh herbs, lemon juice, and olive oil, and then spread on baguette slices.

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Hot Artichoke-Cheese Dip

Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Jan Gautro
Hot Artichoke-Cheese Dip Recipe
Always a party-pleaser, this hot dip is low in fat than the traditional version because it contains reduced-fat mayonnaise and 1/3-less-fat cream cheese. The key flavor ingredients are the fresh Parmesan cheese and artichoke hearts.
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Creamy Feta-Spinach Dip

Creamy Feta-Spinach Dip Recipe
This version of spinach dip is made tangier with the addition of feta cheese and low-fat yogurt. With only 1.4 grams of fat and less than 1 gram of carbohydrate per tablespoon, you can afford to splurge on a couple of extra servings. But don't forget to count the carbs in the bread or crackers–they're not included in the analysis.

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Hot Crab Dip

Becky Luigart-Stayner
Hot Crab Dip Recipe
A warm and creamy dip featuring fresh lump crabmeat is always an elegant addition to a holiday appetizer buffet.

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Poached Shrimp with Bay Leaves and Lemon

Photography: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Melanie J. Clarke
Poached Shrimp with Bay Leaves and Lemon Recipe
Poaching is a great low-fat cooking method. This flavorful make-ahead shrimp dish is low in both sugars and fat and will be a perfect appetizer for partygoers.
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Hot Cranberry Cocktail

Hot Cranberry Cocktail Recipe
Reduce your party-planning stress with this festive beverage that has only 4 ingredients and takes less than 10 minutes to prepare.
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