How to Put Together an Epic Platter

A platter is one of those entertaining essentials, don’t you think? They just seem to fit every occasion — family get-together, barbecue, picnic. 
 
Putting together platters doesn’t have to be expensive. You don’t HAVE to search for special providores or cheeses (unless you want to, of course!). The deli department of any supermarket or your nearest market are good places to explore too. 

How to put together a platter

For the best ingredient ideas to make an amazing platter, keep reading!

Hummus

No platter is complete without a dip. I love to use hummus; it’s healthier than a lot of other dip varieties and is still delicious! Check out my recipe for beetroot hummus, which is not only fantastic as a dip, it is awesome for adding to sandwiches too!
 

Pita triangles

These only take a few minutes to get ready, and you can serve them cold or warm! Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F). Grab your pita and cut them into triangles. Drizzle with a little olive oil and bake in the oven for around 10 minutes.  

Chopped vegetables

Perfect for dipping, or for snacking on their own, chopped vegetables (known as crudités) are a must for your platter. Add some colour and texture by using a range of vegetables, such as cucumber, celery, radishes, carrots and grape tomatoes.  

Cold prawns

Fresh cold prawns are a great healthy substitute for processed meats, which can be high in preservatives and salt (check out this blog for other deli meat substitutions!). Try squeezing a little lemon juice over the top of the prawns, or eat them on their own!

Cheese

What’s a platter without some cheese? We all have our favourites, which is why it’s good to have a few different types. Classics like a sharp cheddar, something aged and a nice creamy cheese (like brie or camembert) are usually really popular. 
 
To get the most flavour from the cheese, try to serve it at room temperature. Take the cheese out of the fridge about half hour before serving, and use a different knife for each variety to avoid mixing up the tastes!

Grapes

Some fresh fruit on your platter is always good! Grapes are a great choice because they come individually portioned (thanks Mother Nature!) and complement most cheese varieties. 
 
Not a fan of grapes? Try slices of fig, pear, strawberries or dried apricot instead. To keep the overall cost of your platter down, try to pick seasonal fruits if you can. 

Make your own tasty platter

One more secret to putting together an amazing platter — don’t try to make it neat and tidy. Serve your platter up on some nice servingware or on a chopping board and let people help themselves!
 
What are your favourite foods to add to a platter? Let me know in the comments!
 
Love, Kayla xx