The best way to celeberate New Year’s Eve is by ringing in the new year with a few friends or family members — and delicious snacks of course! Usually, the popular treats will be finger foods, not entrees, since you’ll be snacking past dinner. Instead of hearty Christmas dinners, think dips, chili, sweets. Local pizza joints will be on speed dial! If your New Year’s resolution is the traditional “lose weight,” get a jump on it by enjoying a few healthier snacks.

Today, we’ll get you three healthier recipes to delight on New Year’s Eve: a sweet, a meat, and a dip! First up…

A Dip

Spinach Artichoke is a classic combination when it comes to dips. It’s cheesy, savory, and rich. This dish is surprisingly easy to make healthier. Spinach, the favorite food of Popeye, is famously great for you. For their part, artichokes are rich in antioxidants and many nutrients.

The most difficult part is pairing down the calorie count since cheese and dairy are prominent ingredients. Luckily, we’ve worked with cheesy tweaks before. Calling on some old tricks, we’re able to deliver an easy, set and go crock pot dip that won’t break your diet.

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Spinach Artichoke Dip Recipe

Ingredients

  • 14 oz of artichoke hearts
  • 10 oz of frozen spinach
  • 2 cups of nonfat Greek yogurt
  • 1 cup of low-fat cream cheese
  • 1 cup of Parmesan cheese
  • ½ cup of mozzarella cheese
  • 2 cloves of garlic, diced
  • ½ cup mix of extra Parmesan and mozzarella cheese

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°.
  2. Drain and dry the artichoke hearts. Chop the hearts into bite-sized bits.
  3. Mix the ingredients in a casserole dish, except the extra cheese.
  4. Sprinkle with the extra cheese.
  5. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the dip is heated through and the cheese on top is melted.

Additionally, you can make this recipe in a crock pot. Mix the ingredients in the crock pot and set the heat to High. Stir occasionally and turn to warm after the dip is heated through, which would be roughly two hours.

A Sweet

So, admittedly, we cheated a bit here. Not only is this recipe a bit of a dessert, these New Year’s Eve party-themed jello shots pack a hidden punch. These champagne-flavored jello treats are low in sugar, fat-free, but sweet with a load of flavor. Just do yourself a favor, and don’t eat the whole tray yourself. These jello treats will sneak up on you!

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Champagne Jello Treats Recipe

Ingredients

  • 3 cups of champagne
  • 3 tbsp of sugar
  • 1 cup of vodka
  • 2 cups of ginger ale
  • 8 envelopes of gelatin

Directions

  1. Combine one and a half cups of champagne, ginger ale, and sugar in a saucepan.
  2. Sprinkle the gelatin over the mixture and let it rest for two to four minutes.
  3. Heat over low, and stir until the gelatin is fully dissolved. Remove from heat.
  4. Stir in the rest of the champagne and the vodka.
  5. Spray a casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
  6. Pour mixture into the dish and refrigerate until firm, roughly two hours.
  7. Slice into squares and serve.

If you really want to take your champagne jello to the next level, give this beautiful recipe from The First Year a try.

A Meat

If you’re looking to keep some of the foods at your party traditional, you can’t look past pork and sauerkraut. We’ve previously covered how incredibly healthy sauerkraut is for you, and this dish doesn’t pack on many extra calories. In the pork, you get a healthy dose of protein, and the potatoes are filling and can help reduce inflammation, among other benefits. If you choose to shred the pork, you can serve it in a bowl or on a sub roll. You may just want to cook this in the garage since sauerkraut is well known for its potent scent.

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Slow Cooker Pork and Sauerkraut Recipe

Ingredients

  • “The Health Benefits of Sauerkraut (And How to Make It!)” sauerkraut
  • 2 lb pork roast
  • 2 russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
  • 8 tbsp of butter, sliced
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

  1. Use the recipe from “The Health Benefits of Sauerkraut (And How to Make It!)” to make sauerkraut.
  2. Lightly season the pork roast with salt and pepper.
  3. Place the pork and potatoes in the slow cooker.
  4. Pour the sauerkraut and juice over the pork and potatoes.
  5. Cook on low until the pork’s internal temperature reads 145°, which should take eight to 10 hours.
  6. Shred the pork and serve!