When planning a party or get-together, especially for events like the Super Bowl, deciding on the menu can be a challenge. Many people wonder what to serve that will be both crowd-pleasing and suitable for various dietary needs. If you're catering to guests who follow a ketogenic (keto) diet, finding the right snacks is crucial. Fortunately, there are numerous keto-friendly options that are simple, quick to prepare, and require minimal ingredients. This article explores a variety of keto snack ideas perfect for any party.
Savory Snacks
Bacon-Wrapped Everything
Arguably one of the best keto ingredients, bacon is a staple in many low-carb recipes. Anything wrapped in bacon is instantly better, including summer squash! Bacon-wrapped jalapeno poppers are a big hit at any gathering, so be sure to make lots.
Bacon-Wrapped Scallops: Bacon-wrapped scallops are one of those dishes that wow guests but secretly are so easy to make (only 5 ingredients!). For best results, use big sea scallops and thin-cut, conventional bacon, but feel free to swap out the herbs for whatever you like.
Dips and Spreads
Dips are always a party favorite, and with a few modifications, they can easily fit into a keto lifestyle.
Bacon and Roasted Garlic Guacamole: Set a bowl of this bacon and roasted garlic guacamole out with some pork rinds. When making for your game day party you can easily double or triple the batch!
Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers
Best Guacamole: For this recipe, we prefer to keep it simple to really let the star of the show-avocados-shine.
Slow Cooker Hot Crab Dip: One batch of this slow-cooker appetizer isn’t enough for my family so I often double the recipe. Bits of sweet onion give the creamy dip a bit of crunch.
Artichoke Dip: Celery, bell peppers and broccoli make great dippers for this artichoke dip recipe. Chips and breadsticks work well, too, for guests who don’t follow keto.
Chunky Blue Cheese Dip: Every time I make this quick blue cheese dip, someone asks for the recipe. It only requires a few items, so its a snap to put together. I often prepare the thick spread with Gorgonzola cheese and serve it with toasted pecans.
Cheese-Based Snacks
Cheese is a keto dieter's best friend, offering a variety of options for creating delicious and satisfying snacks.
Read also: Keto Calorie Counting: A Detailed Guide
Caprese Bites: This is the easiest appetizer that always wins, particularly when you make your own balsamic glaze.
Keto Taco Cups: Taco shells made out of cheese = the ultimate keto hack. We're basically talking about frico, an Italian cooking method in which cheese is cooked in a pan until slightly crispy but malleable. Here, we're baking little mounds of cheddar and shaping them into handheld cups before they cool completely.
Appetizer Blue Cheese Logs: Three kinds of cheese and some curry powder make this cheese log a little more lively than most. Swipe it on your favorite cracker with a drizzle of honey for a sensational snack.
Fireside Cheese Spread: When our family and friends get together for holidays or other occasions, I serve this appetizer. It's always a success. If you prefer, try a Swiss cheese spread instead of the cheddar. And, if you enjoy garlic, substitute a small clove of minced garlic for the garlic powder.
Marinated Cheese with Peppers and Olives: Cheddar cheese, red peppers and pitted ripe olives make a tasty, rustic appetizer when marinated overnight and served with decorative toothpicks.
Read also: Magnesium Supplements for Keto
Meat-Centric Snacks
For those who love meat, there are plenty of keto-friendly options that are both flavorful and satisfying.
Air Fryer Steak Bites: Meat lovers alert! Your favorite steak dinner is now the ultimate party food. Air-fried to juicy perfection and tossed in warm garlic butter, these irresistible steak bites are great for a pre-dinner treat or as the main event!
Salami Chips: This salty, low-carb snack doubles as a great GF party app. These are so easy to make in the oven or in the air fryer for a super-quick chip. The dipping sauce makes the whole thing even better!
Reuben Pickle Bites: Pair all those delicious ingredients between pickle chips for the the perfect bite-size appetizer (and they come together SO fast). To make it fully keto-friendly, just swap out the sweet pickle relish for regular relish!
Club Roll-Ups: Packed with meat, cheese and olives, these roll-ups are always a hit at parties.
Roast Beef Aioli Bundles: Don’t let these dainty bundles fool you. They’re so perfectly balanced, everyone will gobble them up!
Sausage Mushroom Appetizers: These stuffed mushrooms are can't-stop-eating-them good. For variations, I sometimes substitute venison or crabmeat for the pork sausage in the stuffing.
Juicy & Delicious Mixed Spice-Burgers: We like trying to make "street foods" at home, perfecting recipes for dishes like gyros and these spiced burgers, known as kofta.
Antipasto Cups: Turn salami slices into appetizer shells to fill with the veggies and cheese of your choice.
Seafood Delights
From cocktail shrimp to sushi, seafood is a healthy, easy way to dress up game day. It also offers a lot of lean protein that doesn’t skimp on flavor.
Roasted Shrimp Cocktail With Lemon-Horseradish Aioli: A classic appetizer made keto-friendly with a zesty aioli.
Tzatziki Shrimp Cucumber Rounds: The bacon-wrapped shrimp, garlicky sauce and burst of cool cuke flavor make this a crowd pleaser.
Blue Cheese-Stuffed Shrimp: Cooked shrimp become something more extraordinary when stuffed with blue cheese.
Marinated Shrimp and Olives: This is my favorite appetizer to serve party guests.
Grilled Shrimp: These buttery grilled shrimp are so good you'll want to eat them all summer long!
Smoked Trout Pate: This tasty spread is easy to make in a food processor, and it’s a guaranteed winner at any party. The recipe is versatile, so feel free to use any other favorite smoked fish.
Egg-cellent Snacks
Eggs are a versatile ingredient that can be transformed into a variety of keto-friendly snacks. Classic deviled eggs get savory upgrades from chewy chunks of bacon, paprika and Dijon mustard.
BLT Egglets: They’re kind of like a cross between a BLT sandwich and egg salad, but portable, and we are here for it.
Harissa Deviled Eggs: The bite-sized party classic gets a smoky kick from harissa (Tunisian chili pepper paste) in this simple but flavorful deviled eggs recipe. Topped with crispy fried shallots and fresh cilantro, it may stray pretty far from the original, but it’s just as delicious.
Best Deviled Eggs: Herbs lend amazing flavor to these deviled eggs, which truly are the best you can make! The recipe includes tasty variations that feature bacon, chipotle peppers and crab.
Vegetable-Forward Snacks
Balancing out the richness of keto snacks with some fresh vegetables can be a great way to add variety and nutrients to your party spread.
Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower: This cauliflower is the perfect answer when everyone else is having Buffalo wings, but your more of a vegetable fan. All the Buffalo flavor you love coat these florets, which are then air-fried to perfection.
Air Fryer Caprese Stuffed Portobello Mushroom: A hearty and flavorful vegetarian option.
Air Fryer Loaded Zucchini Skins: A creative way to use zucchini for a party snack.
California Sushi Bites: This crunchy cucumber snack is inspired by a popular (but not traditional Japanese) type of sushi popular in the states called maki.
Bacon Zucchini Fries: These 'fries' are simply roasted zucchini wedges wrapped in bacon-squash has never looked better.
Grilled Jalapenos: When barbecuing for friends at home, I also use the grill to serve up hot appetizers. These crowd-pleasing stuffed peppers have a bit of bite.
Stuffed Mini Peppers: Looking for a tasty snack or quick appetizer?
Blue Cheese & Bacon Stuffed Peppers: Whenever I put out a plate of these cute little appetizers, people come flocking. Good thing there are lots of peppers in each bag.
Spinach Artichoke Stuffed Mushrooms: How do you lighten up spinach artichoke dip? Use it to fill mushroom cups instead of dredging bread into it.
Vidalia Onion Swiss Dip: I’ve got one of those sweet, creamy dips you can't resist. Bake it in the oven, or use the slow cooker to make it ooey-gooey marvelous.
Wing It
Instant Pot Wings: Cooking wings in an Instant Pot allows for them to get nice and tender before being crisped to perfection under the broiler.
Like ‘Em Hot Wings: These spicy Buffalo-style chicken wings are wonderfully seasoned. They are an easy, crowd-pleasing snack that disappears quickly.
Sweet Treats
While keto is primarily focused on savory and fatty foods, there are still options for those with a sweet tooth.
Low-Carb Mock Snickers Bars
Chocolate, peanut butter, and caramel. This recipe makes 16 squares of low carb mock Snickers bars.
General Tips for Keto Party Planning
Be Mindful of Hidden Carbs
Oftentimes, recipes like dips or dishes that use sauces might include a sneaky ingredient that isn’t keto. To keep your recipes keto-friendly, you can try experimenting by leaving certain condiments out like balsamic vinegar or Worcestershire sauce. Alternatively, you can search your grocery store for sugar-free versions of condiments. Some appetizers also state that you can serve them with crackers or pita on the side.