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What to eat with hummus, it’s such a diverse dip or spread! I received this question from another mom who was in a food rut. We all run into different kinds of food ruts, so I thought it might be helpful to list some of the great ways to serve hummus. Hummus makes a great healthy snack and works great in lunch boxes for kids and adults too.
“Hi I just wanted to reach out because I’m in a weird situation with my kids. They love hummus so much (which is great, easy and protein right?) but I feel like we are always eating it with pita bread or pita bread chips. What else can I serve it with to mix things up?
I too have to get creative with what I offer with hummus for the opposite reason, my kid is more interested in the dippers then the hummus dip. My husband and I are big hummus fans and often grab hummus for lunch or serve hummus at parties. Hummus is literally the best thing ever to have in the fridge because it’s super easy, tasty and a good source of protein.
You can make your own hummus pulsing chickpeas together with tahini (which is made with ground sesame seeds but is more like peanut butter) in a food processor. Or you can typically find lots of flavors of hummus in the deli section of any grocery store.
What Does Hummus Taste Like?
Hummus is a smooth and creamy dip that is usually savory. Hummus is traditionally made of chick peas, also known as garbanzo beans, which are a type of legume.
Classic traditional hummus will have a creamy texture that is similar to a light bean dip or almost like savory cream cheese dip. Classic creamy hummus usually has a bit of a garlic flavor and a little fresh lemon juice also helps brighten the flavors. Often olive oil is drizzled over top of the dip too, or paprika is sprinkled on top. (A little smoked paprika? Totally the best part!)
Hummus can be a bit of a chameleon and will pair well with herbs or other stronger flavors. You’ll find hummus flavored with pine nuts which gives it a nutty flavor, extra garlic, Mediterranean herbs, sweet but still savory roasted red peppers (a kid favorite!), sun-dried tomatoes, olives or even spicy like jalapeno or chipotle. Hummus is also sometimes made into a sweet dessert with chocolate too. There is a hummus for everyone’s taste buds and tons of hummus brands.
If it is your first time trying hummus with your kids, I recommend starting with either traditional hummus or roasted red pepper hummus. Classic tends to mostly just be creamy without super strong flavors. (Though delicious with a sprinkle of smoked paprika.) Lots of people really like roasted red pepper hummus because it is a little bit savory and a little bit sweet without having a super pungent flavor. I like putting roasted red pepper hummus out at a party.
How Long Can Hummus Sit Out?
Whether you are packing hummus in a lunchbox or serving hummus at a party it’s important to make sure the hummus stays fresh as it will go bad.
The FDA standard for hummus is leaving it 4 hours unrefrigerated. Once you have left the hummus unrefrigerated for four hours, it is no longer considered safe to eat because of the bacteria that could begin to form.
How To Tell If Hummus Is Spoiled
If you are pulling hummus out of the refrigerator start with smelling the hummus. If the hummus at all has a sour smell to it, throw it out. Also if any mold has begun to form on the hummus, it is time to throw it out.
Most store-bought hummus can last up to 7 days in the refrigerator after opening. Homemade hummus typically lasts 3-5 days after making. Extra hummus can be frozen to avoid spoiling. Freezing it in an ice cube tray makes convenient single-sized serving snacks.
Some hummus is already room temperature and comes in a container or can. These types of hummus have extra preservatives or are canned which can keep them from spoiling. Once open, I recommend refrigerating your hummus to avoid spoilage.
How To Serve Hummus At A Party
If you expect your hummus will be out for more then four hours, I strongly recommend you keep your bowl of hummus on ice. If you are serving hummus in the summertime when it is especially hot, I wouldn’t suggest leaving hummus out for more than an hour or so without refrigerating or putting it on ice.
You can put the container straight on top of a tray filled with ice or try a cute dip chiller like this.
Fresh Veggies To Dip In Hummus
Here are some of our favorite veggies to dip in hummus!
- Carrots (carrot sticks, rainbow carrots, baby carrots)
- Snow Peas
- Sugar Snap Peas
- Thin Sliced Celery– I’ve found the thinner the better!
- Bell Pepper Slices (we prefer red bell peppers the best but yellow or orange are great too. These colors are sweeter then green or purple bell peppers)
- Cherry Or Grape Tomatoes
- Cucumber– We like the small baby cucumbers or the long Mediterranean cucumbers best
- Broccoli– thinly sliced
- Cauliflower -thinly sliced
- Radishes– my friend’s child likes them thin-sliced to dip
- Olives– I recommend starting with kalamata olives with kids or if you are new to olives (they are a little sweeter.) If your grocery store has an olive bar, you can buy just a few at a time to try. Olives are very salty, so you usually only need a few for a snack or meal. Watch for pits, and remove them before giving to children.
Other Crunchy Snacks To Dip In Hummus
Looking for a bit of crunch? Here are some crunchy ideas to eat and dip with your hummus.
- Dip pretzels or pretzel sticks (we like these flat pretzels in plain, but also in sesame seed!)
- Pita bread This is the classic pairing (I like the mini pita bites found in the deli section to mix it up!)
- Dip crunchy bagel chips– I find these in the deli or bakery usually
- Try crunchy pita chips– Also often in the deli or bakery, but also in the cracker aisle
- Try other crackers like our favorite sweet potato crackers We also like the red beet crackers too.
- Add your favorite tortilla chips– we like these
- Have you tried crunchy pea snacks? They come in a bunch of different flavors. We also like this kind too. Other brands of Veggie Sticks are another great option that is similar.
- Root vegetable chips are also delicious with hummus, we like the original flavor mix but they come in sweet potato and some other flavors too.
Tip: Don’t forget hummus is available in a lot of different flavors. Try different ones to see which one your family likes the best. When we first started eating hummus more as a family, we ate roasted red pepper hummus all the time and didn’t try many other kinds. Now we eat a little more variety!
Other Creative Ways To Serve Hummus
Hummus can be spread, portioned, rolled, or even can be dessert! Try some of these yummy ways to eat hummus too whether you are eating plain hummus or flavored hummus!
- Make our favorite cucumber hummus bite party appetizer!
- Add hummus to a party platter (Add any and all mentioned munchies to your platter for your party guests!
- Spread hummus on a bagel
- Add hummus to a wrap. Spread hummus on a tortilla or pita bread and wrap. Add your favorite veggies like tomato, red onion or cucumbers.
- Eat with grilled chicken or chicken kabobs– just add greek seasoning to the chicken! I use a Greek seasoning by Crazy Jane’s that they don’t make any more (I may cry when it runs out!) I’m trying this greek seasoning next.
- Use hummus as a salad dressing– Adding just a few ingredients to hummus to thin it out, and give it a little zing makes a tasty and delicious salad dressing pretty fast. Try this easy 3 ingredient hummus salad dressing.
- Use Hummus On Pizza– Who doesn’t love pizza night? Top baked pizza crust with hummus instead of pizza sauce, then sprinkle with feta cheese, grilled vegtables like zucchini and onions, or any vegetables you would throw on a greek salad like olives, purple onions or peppers.
- Make “power bowls” for dinner by adding hummus, veggies, rice and leftover grilled protein like chicken or steak for a great option for dinner.
- Try it with falafel– We like this mix for an easy dinner. Falafel is also so fast in the air fryer!
- Serve open-faced– spready humum and top with diced lightly grilled/cooked zucchini and feta cheese open-faced on a pita, yum! Also diced tomatoes, greens and your favorite vinaigrette.
- Try chocolate hummus I’ve spotted this chocolate dessert hummus at Trader Joe more than once, it’s so good and even my friend who isn’t a fan of chickpeas liked sweet hummus! Brownie batter hummus is pretty delicious if you want to try making it, or I’ve seen brownie batter hummus in some of the bigger targets.
What do you eat with hummus? Do you have a favorite way to eat hummus in your house? Share it with us in the comments!
Have your own question about kids, meals or cooking? Struggling with picky eating, what to try next with your kid, or just what to make for dinner? Email me at onmykidsplate@ gmail.com and I may answer your question in a post too!
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Sweet Broccoli Apple Pasta Salad– This recipe makes a great cold lunch
Chicken Mango Fresh Spring Rolls– Another yummy cold lunch, great for with leftover grilled chicken or for a party
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