The Best Ways To Elevate Your Store-Bought Veggie Platter

When it comes to parties and gatherings, picking up a pre-made veggie platter while shopping for other items is certainly the most convenient option. However, store-bought platters often leave much to be desired regarding presentation and veggie selection. To ensure your next shindig is an unbridled success where snacks are concerned, Daily Meal consulted with Priyanka Naik, TV personality, author, and self-taught vegan chef. Naik shares her immense culinary wisdom via her website, Chef Priyanka, which features lots of great vegan recipes and helpful tips.

As for store-bought vegetable platters, Naik recommends giving yours an aesthetic upgrade. The chef encourages party planners to select a new tray that's "either wide and round or long and rectangular" and to relocate all the vegetables onto it. Additionally, you should "transfer the dips to cute ramekins that will fit well on your platter," which increases convenience as well as visual appeal. Dips can also be upgraded by adding the perfect garnishes, such as bright green herbs and edible flowers, for some pops of color.

According to Priyanka Naik, you want to give your vegetable selection a nice little bed to rest on. In this case, place a layer of leafy greens on the tray to "make it feel full and lush." For more insight, here's how to choose between arugula and spinach when reviewing your leafy greens selection. Naik also recommends that you "rearrange the veggies in a gradient of colors," which is an eye-catching way to present snacks to your guests.

Before actually placing vegetables onto your bed of greens, Naik urges you to assess your veggies. While store-bought trays typically feature vegetables that have been pre-cleaned, give them a once-over to be certain. And you should clean any fresh vegetables you're adding to the tray to remove lingering impurities. Next, pat the vegetables with a paper towel or clean cloth to remove excess water. Dry veggies are easier to handle as your guests are snacking, and they also prevent any dips you're including from becoming watered down.

While freshness is key when selecting veggies for your platter, Priyanka Naik also highlights some fun and tasty selections to offer your guests something unique. She encourages the use of whole radishes and carrots with leafy tops included, stating, "Everything is edible!" Whole radishes are particularly enticing, as they're "slightly spicy, beautifully crunchy, and gorgeous on a platter!" Persian cucumbers are another great inclusion and pair beautifully with a dash of salt and chili powder. In addition to being smaller with thinner skin than their English counterparts, Persian cucumbers are also longer lasting.

For bolder flavors, be sure to include some mini gherkins, which offer "a great vinegary and salty bite," in addition to upping the cuteness of the plate. Dried fruits and dates add a bit of chewy texture and pair well with lots of dips, including those that use Greek yogurt as a base. Veering away from a strictly vegetable assortment, Naik also recommends including "a few pieces of focaccia and/or toasted ciabatta" for dipping. Thanks to Naik's advice, you can create a stunning veggie platter for your guests without exerting too much effort.