Before I had kids, I valued the importance of having dips for vegetables, chips, and a wide assortment of other foods. Kids, however, have a way of changing the stakes on even the most basic things, and dips were no exception.
After taking a straw poll of other similarly situated parents, it appears that nearly all children who are able to feed themselves have an obsession with dipping their food. Whether it’s ketchup for fries or ranch dressing for carrots, the act of dipping takes precedence on a kids’ plate and for their palate. Not to mention that kids will find the oddest combination of foods and dips if left to their own devices (apples + ketchup, ranch + grapes, the list goes on). Rule of Thumb: if there is remaining dip, food will be dipped; if there is no dip left, more will be requested.
Since this is a trend with both of my kids now (and all of their peers), I decided to take the matter into my own hands and find some *relatively* healthy options for dipping. Most of these can also be frozen, so consider making a couple of batches!!! Below are links to adapted and personal recipes (all well-loved) for providing healthy and satisfying dip options for people of all ages.
Happy dipping!
Guacamole (adapted from foodnetwork.com)
Humus (adapted from inspiredtaste.net)
Veggie dip (also great on salads) from food.com
Onion dip from foodnetwork.com
Tartar Sauce (coming soon)
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