Healthy Cream Cheese Appetizer Recipes

This healthier version of the original toaster pastry is bound to become a favorite after-school snack for kids.

Sneaking green peppers into this quick fresh dip supplies added vitamin C.

Chopped carrots, tomatoes, kalamata olives, basil, and lemon peel make a colorful cream cheese dip for crunchy celery sticks.

This yummy treat is chock-full of whole grains. Kids can help spread cream cheese and sprinkle cinnamon. If your child isn't a fan of cream cheese, swap it with natural peanut butter.

Rye crisps make an all-star snack because they are fat-free, low in sodium and oh, so crunchy. Jazz them up with this light, fresh topping idea.

This healthy copycat recipe for classic Buffalo dip cooks in your slow cooker for an easy, hands-off appetizer you can keep warm for the whole game, party or any casual gathering. Serve with carrot sticks, celery sticks and tortilla chips for dipping.

A riff on traditional spinach artichoke dip, this creamy, cheesy dip recipe is made healthier by replacing some of the cream cheese with yogurt. Serve as an easy appetizer with tortilla chips and carrot sticks.

Try this light spinach dip made healthier with reduced-fat cream cheese, nonfat yogurt and low-fat cottage cheese instead of full-fat cheese, mayonnaise and sour cream. It will save you a whopping 84 calories and 10 grams of fat per serving when compared to traditional versions. Serve it with pita chips and crunchy vegetables or spread it on a sandwich.

A quick fresh-made blender enchilada sauce makes all the difference in this slow-cooker recipe for Mexican cheese dip. Serve it straight from the crock pot, with tortilla chips, to keep it warm and gooey.

These shrimp appetizers are simple yet full of flavor. Just top melba toasts with a bit of cream cheese, a cooked shrimp and dollop of pepper jelly. Look for pepper jelly near other jellies and jams--it has a tiny bit of heat that gives these some extra pizzazz!

Spread this creamy ham and roasted red pepper dip on Belgian endive, crackers or toasted baguette or use it as a dip for vegetables.

Sweet pear, salty Cheddar cheese and crunchy nuts make this healthy cheese ball recipe an alluring holiday treat. Serve with an array of crudités and crisp party crackers.

Thin cucumber ribbons add a decorative finish to these classic hors d'oeuvres.

These quesadillas have an irresistibly creamy filling. They also make great appetizers. Make it a meal: Serve with your favorite salsa on top and a cup of black bean soup topped with chopped avocado.

If you have a garden or farmer's market nearby, there's much to be said for setting out a plate of raw summer vegetables and serving them with nothing more than a great dip. Here is one that everybody seems to enjoy, a creamy blue cheese dip that's good with crunchy radishes (provide some toothpicks for impaling them), baby carrots, broccoli and the like. Use enough of any combination of veggies to feed 4 or 5 people.

Delicious, easy, inexpensive; serve as a sandwich filling or an hors d'oeuvre with whole-grain crackers or triangles of rye bread.

In our healthier version of this ultra-rich dip, the crabmeat plays a starring role while a blend of pureed nonfat cottage cheese and reduced-fat cream cheese provides all the creaminess you would expect. Serve with slices of whole-grain baguette.

Skip the standard onion-soup-mix dip and serve up this healthy caramelized onion and curry dip recipe along with your favorite chips or some crudités.

This healthy flavored cream cheese spread recipe with dried apricots and pistachios is the perfect topping for your favorite bagel or paired with crackers for an easy appetizer.

In this radish tea sandwich recipe with a creamy dill spread, the delicate tea sandwiches are served open-face to show off the pretty sliced radishes on top.