Do-it-yourself dips are the secret to easy entertaining. You don’t even need to turn on the oven to prepare these flavourful dishes, which do triple duty as snacks, appetizers or sides.

Most of the ingredients needed to make these dips are fridge or pantry staples, which means you’ll always be ready for last-minute guests or family meals on the patio. And all of them can be made ahead — good news for hosts who want to chat with company instead of fussing in the kitchen. Here are some more reasons DIY dips are a great idea.

You’re the Boss

When you make dips from scratch, you have control over the ingredients, including the quantities of sodium, fat and sugar — not to mention the intensity of flavourings such as fresh herbs, garlic and lemon juice.

Appealing to All Ages

It’s no surprise children love dips as much as grown-ups. Even “I can do it myself” toddlers who struggle with knives and forks can handle dips and crudités without much help.

Wallet Pleasers

Buying beans, yogourt, sour cream, mayonnaise and fresh vegetables (such as eggplant or spinach) in bulk to whip up batches of your favourite dips is often more economical than buying ready-made.

Best of the Season

When there’s an abundance of fresh seasonal produce, you have your pick of delicious raw veggies such as celery, carrots, broccoli florets and cucumbers. These are perfect to chop up and serve with your homemade dips.

Try It at Home

Here are some of our favourite dips, along with inspired ideas for what to serve on the side.

• Classic Hummus Dip
  This creamy Mediterranean snack or side is a long-time favourite among vegetarians and vegans. The base ingredients are chickpeas, tahini, garlic, lemon juice and olive oil, but you can play around with variations, such as adding grilled eggplant, cumin, pomegranate seeds, or fresh parsley or cilantro. Warm pita bread triangles are the classic side for dipping, but chips and fresh vegetables go well, too.

• Tzatziki
  Light, refreshing and zesty yet creamy, tzatziki is a beautifully balanced treat. Mix rich-tasting Greek yogourt with grated cucumber, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil and chopped fresh dill. Cucumber sticks are a natural dipping choice, but you can mix things up by serving it with grilled chicken skewers, on top of baked potatoes or spread on pork sandwiches.
• Classic Baba Ghanouj
  A smokey blend of grilled eggplant, tahini, olive oil and lemon juice, this Middle Eastern dish is delicious served with tomato wedges and flatbread strips or chips.
• Classic Ranch Dip
  A creamy mix of sour cream, mayonnaise and buttermilk with fresh parsley and dill, this classic dip is best complemented with crudités such as cauliflower, broccoli florets and carrot sticks. Tip: Thin it out with a touch of olive oil and fresh lemon juice for an instant iceberg lettuce dressing.
• Classic Spinach Dip
  A party favourite, smooth, tangy spinach dip is often served in a hollowed-out pumpernickel or sourdough loaf with pieces of bread on the side for dipping. To make it more colourful, serve crunchy raw vegetables such as carrot sticks, and slices of sweet red and orange peppers on the side.