Artichoke White Bean Veggie Dip

Artichoke White Bean Veggie Dip! Summer snacking couldn't get easier or more delicious! A few pantry staples are all you need to whip up this simple, family-friendly dip for veggies and more. Great for on-the-go eats and summer entertaining.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Stonyfield Organic. As always, all opinions here are my own. 

One of the things I learned early on in this wild adventure that is parenting is to never, ever leave the house without snacks. Snacks can make the difference between an enjoyable outing and a trip to "h-e-double-hockey-sticks" and back; trust me when I say, you don't want to be caught unprepared.

For many of you, the kids are officially home for the summer and you'll be planning as many outings and excursions as possible to keep boredom {and bad behavior} at bay. This is a great time to stock up on portable snacks that make on-the-go munching easy, so I thought I'd share some of my favorite tips for keeping everyone fueled and happy!

Chill out. First and foremost, get yourself a small, insulated bag that can keep snacks cool in the event that you'll be out for an extended period of time. There are tons of cute bags on the market that have plenty of space for ice packs and snacks; make sure they're easy to clean in case of spills and smears. Insulated bags can keep things cool for several hours, so you don't have to worry about refrigerated snacks going bad.

Pro tip: On super hot days, it's a really nice treat to apply sunscreen that's slightly chilled, so pop it into a zip-top bag and keep it along with the goodies! We recently had the opportunity to try out Badger Balm's Broad Spectrum Mineral-Based Sunscreen and absolutely LOVED it. Aside from knowing that it's keeping our skin safe, the Tangerine & Vanilla scent made it seem more like a fancy lotion than a stinky sunscreen. Plus, it's made with just 6 ingredients! {And you know how much I love a simple recipe.  😉 }

Munch mess-free. I don't know too many moms that venture out of the house without wipes somewhere on their person, but in case it needs to be said, here it is: Bring wipes! I like the individual anti-bacterial wet wipes that can be easily stored in purses or pockets, but I also like to keep small wipe canisters in the car just in case. Whether you need to wipe hands before snacking or wipe things down after, they're always welcome and needed.

Stainless steel, bento-style boxes also help keep things neat and separated {in case you've got one of those littles ones that doesn't want their grapes touching their cheese stick} and produce less waste since you won't have to individually package each snack in its own plastic bag.

Pick a protein. I know it's easy to throw any old snack into a bag and call it a day, but the truth is that sugary, unhealthy snacks can do more harm than good when it comes to keeping kids {or yourself!} properly fueled. Try to pick protein-rich foods that are filling and satisfying, but that also help keep blood sugar balanced and energy levels stable. Some of my favorite things to pack include:

• Protein bars {sometimes homemade so I can keep tabs on the sugar content and ingredients}
• Stonyfield Yogurt Pouches . I love how portable and easy these are to take on-the-go. My son loves the flavors and I am so pleased with the fact that they contain 25% less sugar than the leading kids yogurt brand. A total win-win!
• Nuts or nut butters with fruit
• Freeze dried bananas
• Cheese sticks
• Hummus or bean-based dip with veggies
• Unsweetened apple sauce squeezers

Of course, we also throw in the occasional pea crisps, crackers and better-for-you chips {It's summer! Cut loose!}, but for the most part we've found that healthier snacks = happier kiddo & mom!

And speaking of snacks that make me happy... this Artichoke & White Bean Dip is a snack that the whole family can enjoy, whether we're setting it out during a lazy day at home or packing it up for snacking on the road.

It comes together in minutes with just a handful of ingredients, has tons of flavor and a wonderful creamy texture that encourages lots of veggie-dipping. {We can all use a little more of that, right?} I love to fill the bottom of a small, lidded mason jar with a dollop of dip, then plop veggies strips right in for an all-in-one snack that is ready to grab and pack.

Whether you're planning on spending your days relaxing and enjoying downtime at home or are spending as many moments as possible on adventures in the great outdoors, these tips will help keep your family nourished and sustained so you can "squeeze" every second of fun out of the summertime!

Artichoke White Bean Veggie Dip

The Kitchen Prep

Artichoke White Bean Veggie Dip! Summer snacking couldn’t get easier or more delicious! A few pantry staples are all you need to whip up this simple, family-friendly dip for veggies and more. Great for on-the-go eats and summer entertaining.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 3 hours hrs

Total Time 3 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Course Sauce

Cuisine American

Servings 1 jar

Ingredients

  

• 1 {15.5} ounce can of white beans {such as cannellini beans} rinsed and drained
• ½ cup marinated artichoke hearts roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon oil marinade from the artichoke jar
• 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt
• ¼ cup Italian cheese blend {I used a Romano Asiago & Parmesan blend}

Instructions

 

• Place all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor. Blend until smooth or until desired consistency is reached.
• Refrigerate for 2-3 hours to let flavors marry. Serve with raw vegetables, crackers or pita chips or use as a spread for sandwiches and wraps.