People really do "eat with their eyes," and the proof is in the crudité platter. They're an easy, hands-off way to keep your party guests fed—and they happen to be gorgeous, too.

Large party platters have gotten a makeover in the past couple of years, with orange cheese cubes and deli meats giving way to fresh, vibrant crudité dishes. They are easy to prepare in advance, quick to replenish, and allow you to actually enjoy your time with your guests instead of fussing over assorted canapés. 

They're highly customizable based on what's available in-season or at your local market, so you can experiment with whatever looks good rather than following a strict list of ingredients or instructions. We're sharing some of our favourite tips for building the ultimate crudité platter below, but the most important rule is just to have fun with it!

Sabra

Don't skip the dip:
Sauces, dips, and spreads make an excellent focus point for any platter. You can use an assortment of different spreads (like our Kale and Cheese Dip, Dill-icious Dip and Herbed Crab Dip) or try a variation on a theme (such as three different types of hummus) for your guests to have their choice of flavours. If you're looking for a quick and easy option, pick up Sabra's hummus in a variety of flavours such as Classic, Caramelized Onion & Smoked Paprika, and Greek Olive Hummus. Transfer the spreads from their containers to small serving bowls (ideally about three per platter, depending on the size) and space them in different corners, so that guests can easily access them from all sides. This also allows you to arrange your veggies and crackers around the dips for a lovely visual effect. 

Taste the rainbow:
With crudité platters, colour is the name of the game. Try to get an assortment of in-season produce, and use as many different colours as you can! Cucumber, celery, and fresh snap peas are terrific for a burst of green. Consider buying colourful heirloom varieties whenever they're available, such as mixed baby tomatoes, rainbow carrots, watermelon radishes, purple or green endives, purple or cheddar cauliflower, romanesco, and assorted bell peppers. 

Savoury loves company:
In addition to your savoury items, make space for some fruit on your party platters for balance. Try to choose fruits that are in-season, and that will keep reasonably well at room temperature, such as grapes, plums, strawberries, figs, or citrus. If you aren't able to find quality fresh fruit, dried fruit works just as well; apricots, dates, prunes, and dried apple slices are all terrific additions for a party. 

Cure it, pickle it, grill it:
The word "crudité" technically means "raw," but don't be afraid to put cured or cooked produce on your platter as well. Pickles are a wonderful addition to any platter, particularly less common ones, such as gherkins, caper berries, string beans, artichoke hearts, and asparagus (or you can make your own out of just about any vegetable if you prepare a couple weeks ahead of time). Cured treats are also welcome, such as sundried tomatoes and an assortment of olives. Grilled vegetables are also terrific (particularly sweet potato or zucchini wedges, and shishito peppers). 

Get creative with your carbs:
A good platter should always have an assortment of different crackers, but you can really kick it up a notch by using Parmesan twists, grissini (Italian breadsticks) wrapped in prosciutto, or homemade pita chips, which are perfect for dipping. You could also pre-assemble a variety of crostini with virtually any toppings of your choice, or pre-toast some slices of baguette and set up a platter for guests to make their own. 

Already planning your party spread? Learn more about Sabra hummus and the lineup of mouthwatering it comes in. It's the perfect addition to any party platter.