Veggie Cup Appetizers

Veggie Cup Appetizers – perfect for parties and after school snacks for the kids! This mess free concoction is great for so many occasions!

Who here loves VEGGIES!? My family does!! It’s always important to make sure you have a good balance of food, which is why I always have several vegetables on hand for side dishes, and even appetizers like this one!

Yes, it’s true that I love to have loads of great recipes for meals and parties, but I ALWAYS make sure that there is at least one vegetable served with all of these since they taste so good (and are so good for you)!! I especially do this for all the parties, get togethers and functions there are during the holidays.

a Simple Veggie Appetizer

One of my favorite ways to serve vegetables is with Veggie Appetizer Cups. These cups are so simple to put together and are great for parties or even after-school snacks. I love that you can just pick one up and can everything you need in one spot – a place to put it all (which also limits the mess), a great variety of snacks (many veggies), and delicious dip in the bottom!

Our favorite dip to use is Marzetti® Veggie Dip. Have you tried it yet? Their savory blend of flavors compliment the veggies making them even better! The dips are thick, rich, and have been our “go-to” veggie dip for years. My favorite one is the Ranch Dip, but the Dill dip is delicious too!!

To make the veggie cups, just add some Marzetti veggie dip to the bottom of a clear plastic cup (clear cups make it look prettier). 

A No Mess Snack

My kids even enjoyed them while doing some Holiday prints last week. I loved that they were eating veggies without any struggle and making no mess at the same time!! I call that a mom win. 😉

What vegetables are best to use? When choosing veggies pick ones that can be easily made into sticks or put on skewers. Each cup can include about 4 different vegetables of 3-4 slices each. I suggest using any combination of the following:

• carrot sticks
• bell peppers
• grape tomatoes on a skewer
• snap peas, cucumber sticks or cubed on a skewer
• celery sticks
• skewered radish
• skewered broccoli florets
• green onions

Do I need to blanch the vegetables? No, blanching is typically reserved for vegetables that are going to be put in the freezer. In this case there would be one exception- broccoli. If you choose to blanch the broccoli only immerse the florets in the water for 1 minute, long enough to give a nice vibrant color and soften them up just a little to make them easier to skewer and bite into.

Perfect for Parties

The kids love it and so does everyone else. With several work functions, church gatherings and holiday parties all scheduled this month, I have a feeling I will be making these Veggie Cup Appetizers more than once. 😉

Can I make this ahead of time? Absolutely! Slicing veggies, especially for a large crowd, can be time consuming. You can easily get all the vegetables prepped the day before. Just cut, skewer and store in separate airtight containers in the fridge. Assemble the cups and refrigerate a couple hours before serving.

Veggie Cup Tips:

• Don’t buy the vegetable too early. 1-2 days in advance will still give you nice crisp veggies to use.
• Pick contrasting colors for a delicious piece of art.
• To be budget friendly, pick veggies that are in season.
• Use more than one type of dip and label the cups. Try my homemade hummus, ranch, or avocado lime ranch.

For more delicious appetizers, head to Marzetti Kitchens!!

For more information about Marzetti and for more recipes from Marzetti go HERE. You can also find them on Facebook. Check them out!!

For more appetizers, check out:

• Bacon Ranch Cheese Ball
• Veggie Tortilla Roll Ups
• Game Day Veggie Trays
• Caesar Salad Cups
• Lunch Kabobs
• Veggie Christmas Tree
• Caprese Stuffed Avocados
• Turkey Veggie Tray