Prepare Healthy Snacks and Meals for Guests

A healthy snack or meal is always welcome. A couple of suggestions...

Steps

Nutritious nibbles rarely go to waste. Put out a bowl of popcorn or low-salt pretzels instead of potato chips.
Cut up some celery sticks, peel some carrots and slice them length-ways, wash some cherry tomatoes, cut a cucumber into slices, and put them all around in a circle on a plate. Put a dish of veggie dip in the center.
Instead of regular or diet sodas, offer juice, plain or flavored waters, coffee, or tea.
Offer whole-grain toast and cereal with skim milk instead of bacon or doughnuts for breakfast.
Steam or bake vegetables instead of boiling them.
Bake, braise, or broil meats instead of frying them.
Choose fish or chicken instead of fatty meats like sausages or short ribs.
Make cheese or veggie pizzas instead of pepperoni or sausage pizzas.
Choose a green salad or a pasta salad made with oil and vinegar instead of a potato or macaroni salad made with mayo.
Serve whole wheat or nine-grain breads and rolls instead of enriched white.
Offer a beautiful fruit salad, a fruit sherbet, or some dark chocolates for dessert instead of cake or pie.

Always look for alternatives to unhealthy ingredients in recipes -- for example, substitute plain yogurt or low-fat sour cream for regular sour cream in a recipe.
Think of ways to make an appealing presentation of your food.

Be aware of the dietary restrictions of your guests. If you're planning to serve hot dogs, for example, and one of your guests will not eat pork, you will want to be sure the hot dogs you serve are made with turkey or beef.
Always be sure to ask your guests about food allergies!