Here's One Thing You Never Thought To Do With Your Chip & Dip Tray
It's time to put the final touches on your holiday menus—but that doesn't mean you've figured out exactly how you're going to serve everything. Chances are, you've still got to dig all the right serving dishes out of the cabinet and decide when to prepare the recipes you've picked out so that everything is ready when your family and friends arrive for dinner.
Pictured Recipe: EatingWell Crudité Vegetable Wreath with Ranch Dip
If your menu happens to include a big, delicious salad, you'll be glad to know that Yumna Jawad—as known as @feelgoodfoodie on Instagram and TikTok—has come up with the perfect solution to prepping your salad at the right time *and* serving it in the best possible dish: a chip and dip platter.
Related: Our Top 10 Vinaigrettes That Will Make You Love Salad Again
That simple doughnut-shaped tray with a bowl in the center for your dip actually works perfectly as a way to display your salad without it getting soggy. Instead of dressing her salad and putting it out in a bowl, Jawad lays her greens out in the chip section of the platter, adds the dressing to the center of the dish, and lets guests dress their own salad as they serve themselves.
This hack packs a true one-two punch of perks, since you'll be keeping your salad crisp *and* turning it into an edible wreath that will look like a million bucks on your table. For plenty of merry appeal, be sure to sprinkle on some ruby red salad accoutrement that will set off your salad greens—crunchy red apples, sweet dried cranberries and juicy cherry tomatoes are all great options.
Related: I'm a Dietitian & These Are the Salad Dressings I Make to Help me Eat More Vegetables
Choose your best salad recipe to serve up in the chip platter—whether it's an annual favorite or something classic like a big veggie-loaded chopped salad. But if you want to add something seasonal to the menu, consider making a big salad starring December produce like Meyer lemons, beets, winter squash, kale and Brussels sprouts. A simple option like our Winter Salad with Toasted Walnuts gets delicious flavor from nutty walnuts and mild fennel. For something with a sweet-savory bent, our Warm Pear & Spinach Salad with Maple-Bacon Vinaigrette might be perfect—the vinaigrette can be served warm or at room temperature, and with crisp pears, juicy bacon and sweet maple syrup in the recipe, this salad is perfect for any crowd.
You could also go for a salad that looks as festive as it tastes—the pretty pomegranate arils in our Apple, Fig & Brussels Sprouts Salad make for glamorous red and green dish that would make a great wreath. A hearty salad of greens, grains and lots of veggies, like our Farro & Hearty Green Spoon Salad, also makes a colorful option, featuring violet red onions, sunny roasted butternut squash and richly hued radicchio.
Related: 19 Side Salads You'll Want to Make Forever
You could also stick with a basic salad blend, like a simple spring mix, and choose a fun salad dressing for the centerpiece. There are classics, like our Caesar Salad Dressing and Creamy Garlic Dressing, but there are also bright, fun vinaigrette options, like this Easy Lemon Feta Vinaigrette or Grapefruit-Garlic Vinaigrette. Choose one—or two, if you decide to go with two wreaths—and set out classic salad toppings on the side so folks can design their own veggie experience.
No matter how you serve up your big bowls of veggies this holiday season, just be sure to bring enough for everyone—and be sure that your recipe is merry and bright.
