Healthier Meals? Bring Back The Relish Tray!
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Nowadays, with our focus on getting kids to try new things and eating more healthful foods, this is the perfect time to bring back the old custom of having a relish tray at meals, with a modern twist to tailor it to our own tastes. Don’t go thinking this is just for kids though! Adults love relish trays almost as much, if not more, than the wee ones. My mother always slices up cucumbers and carrots while we’re cooking at family get togethers. We nibble…and nibble..and then have to make a brand new relish tray before the meal because we’ve ate it all!
This also helps keep our portions of more caloric fare to a minimum as we’ve already partially filled up on the good stuff.
My typical relish tray includes: cucumbers, bell pepper strips, carrots, cherry tomatoes, and of course a little ranch dressing!
Now I know some of you are looking at this and thinking “That’s a veggie tray”. Well, its not. Why? Because I said so.
The reason I call this a relish tray is that the dish I am using is called a relish plate and I actually serve these things alongside my meals as a form of condiments so technically, in a highly technical fashion, this is a relish tray. It would just look more like one if my family ate pickles, but we roll with what we got here.
When the kids want a little snack, just pull the handy dandy relish tray out of the fridge and set it on the table.
This is a GREAT way to get your little ones to try out new things. Just set the tray out and go about your business. Without the watchful eye of a parent, you’d be surprised what kids will try!
Relish Tray Ideas:
- Carrots
- Tomatoes (sliced or mini)
- Peppers, sliced
- Green onions
- Diced onions
- Jicama (a new favorite of mine)
- Apples
- Spiced apple rings
- Canned fruits or veggies
- Pickles (all varieties)
- Banana Peppers (hot peppers if only for kids)
- Marinated mushrooms (soak mushrooms in Italian dressing..YUM!)
- Radishes
- Grapes
- Berries
- anything you can come up with!
You can include dips if you like but if you’re going for healthy, that muddles up the picture considerably. 🙂
If you enjoy Southern Plate, please tell a friend!
I have the same tray! We are all special!
WOOHOO! We need to all get together and bring our trays filled with food! lol
And you’re darn tootin, you’re special!! I sure appreciate you!
Gratefully,
Christy
What a great idea. My kids, too, have to ask before they get anything from the fridge or cabinets. Maybe I should start the relish tray idea – maybe add cut melon or grapes to it as well! Thanks for the idea!
Oh now see fruit is our downfall. I buy it but there is never any left for the tray! We seem to eat it all instantly! lol
Melons are a personal favorite. I have been known to buy a watermelon and hide it to eat all by myself when the kids are in bed and the husband is working late!
Shhhh! Don’t tell!
Hi – My Grandma always had a relish tray/vegetable plate at every meal I can remember. She canned pickles, beets, spiced apples and pears and so many other things plus vegetables fresh from the garden. She always had a bowl of sliced tomatoes. It was all go good! That’s eating healthy.
Karen, you are so right! Now we’re talkin’ good stuff!
Bless your grandma! I wish I could try her spiced apples, I bet they were amazing.
Peanut butter and celery is one of my favorite lunches. We never have a holiday without a relish tray that includes celery stuffed with homemade pimiento cheese. Look at that tray on that granite in that new kitchen!!! 🙂 Happy Memorial Day!
Hey Susan!! I am just having such a wonderful time in my new kitchen. I can’t even tell you how much I enjoy it. I love waking up and going in there each and every morning. The kids sit at the table throughout the day as I cook and clean and we talk and just have the best time enjoying our home!
You know what is CRAZY? I have never had pimento cheese in celery! I know it would be amazing. Making out my grocery list now!
Gratefully,
Christy 🙂
Those younguns are just too cute!! Love a veggie tray and never think to do one. Shame on me!
Thank you!! I just love that picture!!! I keep pulling up Southern Plate so I can see it. They just look so precious there. I’m not biased at all now..but UGH! I just adore those kiddies!!!!
I want to do a relish tray just for me one of these days, lol! BUT I did get Brady hooked on bell pepper strips!!! TWO POINTS FOR ME!!
Gotta have olives-black and green.
LOL! I’ll have to get some of those!!! I don’t eat olives but my Katy LOVES black ones. She puts them all on her fingers and makes monster hands first, of course! lol
I love this idea!!!! I think my children would really love to have a free pass to a snack such as the relish tray! They hate asking first!!!!
Also, I have that exact same relish tray! It must be a Southern thing!
You know, I have no idea where I got that tray but I saw a ton of them last week at Old Time Pottery near my new house! It really is a pretty one, isn’t it?
My kids LOVE the free pass thing! lol
I like it too, so much less hassle!