Add flavor with condiments that are fast, kid-friendly (in taste and prep) and nutritious
Who doesn’t love a delicious dip? It can sometimes even be the secret to getting kids to eat their healthy proteins, veggies and fruits by making chicken more charming, turnips tempting…you get the point.
A downside to dips is that they can be high in fats (think creamy salad dressings) and sugars (ketchup is sneakily sweet). If your kid loves to dip, Sonya Islam, registered dietitian at our Healthy Lifestyles Center recommends healthier homemade options of some store-bought and restaurant favorites.
Greek ranch dip
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:
- ½ cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt
- 2 Tablespoons light mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon packaged ranch seasoning mix OR homemade ranch mix: ¼ teaspoon granulated garlic + ¼ teaspoon dry dill/dry parsley + ⅛ teaspoon optional salt
Directions:
Stir together all ingredients until evenly combined. Store in sealed container and use within 5 days.
Here chicky-chicky sauce
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:
- ½ cup light mayo OR mix of 6 Tablespoons light mayo and 2 Tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
- 2 Tablespoons low-sugar barbeque sauce OR 2 Tablespoons ketchup + ⅛ teaspoon liquid smoke + ¼ teaspoon granulated garlic
- ¼ teaspoon sweetener of choice, optional (honey, brown sugar, 0-calorie sweetener, etc.)
Directions:
Stir together all ingredients until evenly combined. Store in sealed container and use within 5 days.
Mediterranean sunshine sauce
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:
- 3 Tablespoons natural sunflower butter OR 3 Tablespoons stirred tahini
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- ⅛ teaspoon cumin powder
- ⅛ teaspoon granulated garlic
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1-3 Tablespoons warm water
- ½ cup plain yogurt (if using Greek yogurt, add a small amount of water to adjust final texture as desired)
- ¼ teaspoon sweetener of choice, optional (honey, brown sugar, 0-calorie sweetener, etc.)
Directions:
Stir together sunflower butter/tahini, lemon juice and seasonings.
Add warm water 1 Tablespoon at a time. It will thicken at first but will eventually thin out. Add enough water to get the texture of school glue.
Stir this mixture in with yogurt and optional sweetener.
Store in sealed container and use within 5 days.
Peanut butter cheesecake dip
Ingredients:
- 1 6-ounce container light vanilla Greek yogurt
- 3 Tablespoons natural peanut butter (no sugar added) OR natural sunflower butter
Directions:
Stir together all ingredients until evenly combined. Store in sealed container and use within 5 days.