Who says party food can't be healthy?

If you think hosting a party means serving chips, dip, cake, or other high-fat, high-calorie items, think again. With a bit of forethought, it's easy to learn how to entertain using healthful fruits and vegetables without giving up good taste, maintains Kay Stanfill, adjunct assistant professor of nutritional sciences, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.

"With so many people watching their weight or using their diet to manage a health problem, it's only logical to try to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into entertaining, as well as into everyday eating. Besides, serving healthier foods is a very thoughtful way to show your friends and family that you care about their needs and wellbeing."

Some of the best party food suggestions, she indicates, include baked apples for dessert, fresh fruit and vegetable trays, meringue shells or angel food cake topped with fresh or frozen fruit, or even dried fruit served as a snack with low-fat wafer cookies. One of the most common complaints about fruits and vegetables, Stanfill points out, is that they require more time to prepare than "junk food." She offers some timesaving shortcuts to solve this dilemma:

* Keep things simple. When entertaining, use recipes you often make and "dress them up" a bit for a party. Prepare simple, edible garnishes from melon or pineapple wedges, kiwi or carrot...