Heading to Williams-Brice to tailgate this weekend? Planning a Halloween party? You’ll score big with these crowd-pleasing pumpkin-themed dips and spreads.

Give a classic layered dip and a creamy spread for chips and crackers a nutritious twist with pumpkin. The pumpkin is creamy, colorful and allows the flavors of the recipes’ complementary ingredients to come charging through. 

Pumpkin is a rich source of nutrients, is low in calories and fat and is naturally sodium-free. One-half cup of pumpkin provides more than a day’s worth of powerful antioxidant Vitamin A, plus a significant amount of your daily fiber requirement.

HINT OF HONEY PUMPKIN SPREAD
Yield: 10 servings, 2 tablespoons each 

• 1 package  (8 ounces) 1/3 less fat cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup pure pumpkin
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 pinch ground cinnamon

1. Stir cream cheese, pumpkin, honey and cinnamon in medium bowl for 1 minute or until smooth. 
2. Serve immediately or refrigerate in tightly covered container for up to 4 days. 
3. Serve with apple slices or whole-wheat crackers.

Nutrition information per serving: 70 calories, 45 calories from fat, 5 g total fat, 3 g saturated fat, 15 mg cholesterol, 100 mg sodium, 5 g carbohydrate, <1 g fiber, 4 g sugars, 2 g protein, 30% vitamin A

LAYERED MONTEREY PUMPKIN DIP
Yield: about 45 servings, 2 tablespoons each 

• 1 can (15 ounces) pure pumpkin
• 1 package (8 ounces) 1/3 less fat cream cheese, at room temperature
• 3 tablespoons sliced jalapenos
• 1 container (8 ounces) reduced fat sour cream
• 1 can (4 ounces) diced green chiles
• 2 tablespoons chopped, sliced jalapenos
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped
• 1 can (2-1/4 ounces) sliced ripe olives, drained
• 2 green onions, sliced
• 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
• Tortilla chips

1. Combine pumpkin, cream cheese and jalapeno juice in medium bowl. Spread into 8-inch-square baking dish.
2. Combine sour cream, chiles, jalapenos and garlic salt in small bowl. Spread over pumpkin mixture. Top with tomato, olives, green onions and red onion. Cover; refrigerate for 2 hours.
3. Serve with tortilla chips.

Nutrition information per serving: 25 calories, 15 calories from fat, 2 g total fat, 1 g saturated fat, 5 mg cholesterol, 65 mg sodium, 2 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 1 g sugars, 1 g protein, 25% vitamin A

More ideas: VeryBestBaking.com
Courtesy of Family Features

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