Creamy-chunky, spicy-tangy — everybody loves dips. Hot-cold, spooned or dipped — the possibilities are endless. As a cook, I find dips a slam dunk because there’s nothing easier to prepare for impromptu summer barbecues. But my favorite part is that they can be made well ahead of time so I can enjoy my parties with my guests.

No, you won’t find me stirring up a zippy sour-cream based French onion dip or melting handfuls of gooey Cheddar over crispy fried chips — not in my kitchen. I am still a nutritionist after all. There’s no doubt that high fat ingredients add flavor and texture to so many dishes. But as a chef first, I’ve learned how to make recipes sing without a boatload of fat grams.

Instead of focusing on a rich sour cream or cheese base for a dip, I use vegetables or beans as my primary ingredient. An unctuous puree of eggplant or garbanzo beans is a scrumptious place to start. A spoonful of healthy fat such as olive oil or tahini is all that’s needed to add layers of texture and flavor to just the right melange of spices and seasonings.

The other thing I love about dipping is that it’s a great way to kick up your daily vegetable intake. A colorful array of crisp dippers can include crunchy sticks of Bell pepper, fennel, jicama or celery and baby carrots. Asparagus spears work well too but should be blanched first to soften them slightly.

And then you have the “other” dippers, known as chips. When I first started cooking, there were no products such as fat-free chips on the market. I made my own by cutting corn tortillas or whole grain pita bread into eighths by triangles. I gave them a mist of olive oil and baked them slowly till they were crisp and lightly browned. I still do that in a pinch but it’s easy to find baked chips in the market now. They’re much lower in fat and calories than their traditional counterparts.

Healthier versions of dippers are every bit as tasty. Here’s what to look for in packaged versions:

Fat-free: Less than 0.5 grams (g) of fat per serving

Low-fat: 3 g or less per serving (if the serving size is 30 g or less or 2 tablespoons or less, no more than 3 g of fat per 50 g of the food)

Light: one-third fewer calories or half the fat of the “regular” version

Low-sodium: 140 milligrams (mg) or less per serving (if the serving size is 30 g or less or 2 tablespoons or less, no more than 140 mg of sodium per 50 g of the food)

Lightly salted: At least 50 percent less sodium per serving than the “regular” version

Reduced: When describing fat, sodium or calorie content, the food must have at least 25 percent less of these nutrients than the “regular” version.

Cheryl Forberg RD is a professional chef and the Nutritionist for NBC’s The Biggest Loser fitness reality show. If you have a food or nutrition questions for Cheryl, you can write to her care of spaulsen@napanews.com.