Top 10 Ways to Spice Up Your Parties with Fruits & Veggies

A Healthy Dessert. Top mixed fruit with a dollop of sorbet or sherbet for dessert.

Meat Substitutions. Make vegetable lasagna for non-meat eating guests. Instead of the meat layer, try spinach, eggplant, broccoli, carrots and mushrooms, or your favorite combination.

Fruity Condiments. Serve fruit chutneys and relishes as condiments.

Healthy Appetizers. Serve appetizers that use vegetables and fruits.

• De-seed a cucumber and fill with tabouli, hummus, or tomato bruschetta. Slice into ½ inch pieces.
• Top party rye with a thin layer of low-fat mayonnaise, a cucumber slice and a dash of lemon pepper, or spread with Tuna Vegetable Dip.
• Marinate mushrooms in your favorite low-fat vinaigrette.
• Top a thin slice of French bread or a melba toast round with a thin slice of part-skim mozzarella and sun-dried tomato.

Be Prepared for Guests. Keep frozen and canned veggies on hand in case of an unexpected guest or last minute invitation. Check out our “Top 10 Ways to Cook Anything” for some quick and tasty preparation ideas.

Create a New Tradition. Make a new veggie recipe … a new holiday tradition. Our Crazy Curly Broccoli Bake makes a great seasonal side dish (and it’s a hit with kids), Asparagus w/Lemon Sauce is a light and tangy side dish, and Fava Beans and Red Onion Salad is a delicious combination accentuating the bright colors of spring! [See Recipes]

Add Some Sparkle. Offer 100% fruit or vegetable juice as a beverage. For a healthy and fun party drink, use seltzer instead of water to make juice from 100% fruit juice concentrate.

Healthy Snacks & Gifts. Don’t forget dried fruits! Add to a cheese platter or mix with nuts for snacking. A dried fruit and nut combination makes a great gift too! Also try assorted dried fruit such as cranberries, raisins, apricots, cherries, blueberries and apples with mixed nuts.

Trays of Crudités. What’s a party without crudités? Include some different veggies on your vegetable tray such as jicama, turnips, zucchini or steamed green beans. If you’re pressed for time, pick up fruit and vegetable trays already assembled from the supermarket.

Decorate & Enjoy. A basket or bowl of fruits and veggies is a festive decoration or gift for the host of the party.

Fruit & Veggie Nutrition Database
Key Nutrients in Fruits & Veggies
Ask The Expert about Fruits & Veggies
Fruit & Vegetable Recipes