Healthy Hanukkah Appetizers and Desserts

Serve these healthier yet delicious finger foods and desserts at your Festival of Lights celebration.

Sufganiyot

Photo by: Teri Lyn Fisher

Teri Lyn Fisher

The Jewish Festival of Lights is filled with potato pancakes, jelly doughnuts and chocolate. Instead of making it a holiday celebration of calories, offer a variety of eye-appealing, delicious foods that friends and family will enjoy — including a lighter take on the traditional doughnut.

Food Network's Kale and Artichoke Dip

Photo by: Tara Donne ©2012, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved.

Tara Donne, 2012, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved.

Appetizers

Offer finger foods to friends and family when having them over to light the menorah and sing holiday songs. Include healthier spins on holiday favorites and lighter bites. Complement them with low- or no-calorie beverages like water, seltzer, virgin spritzers, tea and coffee.

Make Ahead Dessert

Make Ahead Dessert

A clear bowl with a sideways spoon containing a fruit dessert

©Food - Jamie Kimm

Food - Jamie Kimm

Desserts

Doughnuts (AKA sufganiyot) are an important part of the holiday tradition. Serve them with fruit- and nut-based desserts to up the nutritional ante.

Toby Amidor, MS, RD, CDN, is a registered dietitian and consultant who specializes in food safety and culinary nutrition. She is the author of The Greek Yogurt Kitchen: More Than 130 Delicious, Healthy Recipes for Every Meal of the Day.

*This article was written and/or reviewed by an independent registered dietitian nutritionist.

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