Written by Hannah Abdulla

Our Coaches are social butterflies here at The Millennial Nutritionist. We enjoy mingling with friends at cocktail parties, going out to nice dinners and love hosting on special occasions like New Years Eve. Because of this, we understand the struggles our clients face and totally get that it can be overwhelming. You are often up late which can throw off routines, produce and protein seem to be in short supply on many appetizer tables, and fancy cocktails are plentiful. If you are hosting a New Years Eve party or attending one and need to bring a dish, check out the recipes below. These recipes will help you meet your health goals while still enjoying the fun!

Crudite Platter

When clients ask us how to handle holiday parties one of the first things we tell them is to take a step back and assess what is available then think- “where is my produce?” and “where is my protein?” Adding this easy crudite platter to your New Years Eve spread can help you meet your produce goal while adding a pop of color to your appetizer table.

Shrimp Cocktail

Adding the recipe above to your spread will get you to that produce goal and this Shrimp Cocktail Recipe with the Best Sauce will help with your protein goal. Plus, who doesn’t love a good shrimp cocktail? Shrimp cocktail is a quick and easy way to add protein to the table. The homemade cocktail sauce in this Natasha’s Kitchen blog is delicious, but you can find premade cocktail sauce at the grocery store if you are really in a pinch. 

Marinated Mozzarella Balls

If you are looking for a recipe to impress, but one that is simple and with a short ingredient list, Bon Appetit’s Marinated Mozzarella and Peppadew Peppers is for you. This dish is packed with flavor and sure to be a hit at your party. The longer the mozzarella balls sit in the marinade the more flavorful they will be, so we recommend making this recipe a day in advance. 

Bacon Wrapped Dates

When thinking about all the appetizers out there, we think bacon wrapped dates are seriously underrated. They have only three ingredients and are the perfect combination of salty and sweet- yum! 

Pomegranate-Champagne Punch

For some of our clients in our 3 Month lifestyle Reset program, enjoying fun cocktails is part of the experience when at a party. If that is the case,this festive champagne cocktail is one to try out. We love this recipe because it can be turned into a fun non-alcoholic cocktail by swapping out the champagne for seltzer water and swapping out the orange liqueur for orange juice. We also like to get creative with it by adding fun garnishes like fresh cranberries, pomegranate seeds or sprigs of rosemary. 

About the Author

Hannah Abdulla BS, RD 

Contributing Writer 

Hannah is a Raleigh, NC-based Registered Dietitian and is currently working towards her MS in Nutrition Science from Meredith College. 

She enjoys writing about fad diets and adding fun recipes to the blog. If she’s not studying or keeping up with her family, she’s trying out new local restaurants downtown. Catch more of her on The Millennial Nutritionist Podcast.