Super cute Christmas Appetizer alert! Everyone loves this Christmas Tree Veggie Tray with Homemade Buttermilk Dip. An easy and healthy holiday recipe.
These are the kinds of recipes that make me happy. This cute Christmas appetizer is fun, healthy, and kids are delighted by it. I am delighted that my children are getting extra vegetables in during a season of indulgences and what can be excess when it comes to treats (candy canes anyone?!).
The homemade buttermilk dip is not to be skipped! I used hearty and healthy Greek yogurt with lots of fresh herbs to amp up the flavour and give a little extra nutrient boost.
When I was testing out the recipe for this cute Christmas appetizer, I couldn’t quite get it to look the way I wanted it to and was sending texts to my husband for commenting. Turns out, you really need a tree trunk for it to look right!
I like the freeform placement of the vegetables as it gave me the right shaggy Christmas tree feel. If you wanted to tighten this up, by all means, play around and have some fun with it. So yes, this is a great recipe to get your kids let your kids play with food and get involved in the kitchen (this post has lots of info on cooking with kids if you’re looking for some extra tips).
I used basic veggies that are widely available year round and that can be found at bulk warehouses (like Costco). I also used veggies my kids like the most. The cucumbers are mini cucumbers as we like those a touch more (they have a thinner more delicate skin that my kids find more palatable, and they are almost seedless).
If there’s a veggie your kid adores that isn’t involved then switch it up. All green veggies like broccoli, green bell peppers, and snap peas would work well.
This Christmas Tree Veggie Tray can be made ahead of time (hello time to prep for holiday parties!) and involves no cooking. It’s a simple chop and stir for the dressing kind of deal.
Besides being a make ahead Christmas appetizer, I think it’s one of the better finger foods for a party. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good cheese board, but sometimes you need some refreshing green vegetables to lighten the food offerings up.
Other tasty and cute Christmas Appetizers:
- Snowman Cheese Snack
- Grinch Fruit Kabobs
- Apple Pomegranate Wreath
- Mini Turkey Meatballs with Cranberry Dip
- Cheese, Ham and Olive Bites
This festive Christmas Tree Veggie Tray is a cute Christmas appetizer idea. Healthy, delicious and FUN!
- 1/2 cup buttermilk*
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup thick plain Greek yogurt or mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh chives
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 10-12 mini cucumbers
- 1 bunch celery
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 1 small orange bell pepper
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In a small bowl, mix all ingredients together.
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Serve or refrigerate for up to 3 days.
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Cut cucumbers and celery into 2-3" long thin pieces.
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Alternate between rows of cucumbers and celery to form a tree shape. Add peppers at bottom for the "tree trunk" and cherry tomatoes as the Christmas ornaments**.
* I hardly ever buy buttermilk any more. I simply add 1/2 tsp of lemon juice and mix with 1/2 cup whole milk (3.25%) to get buttermilk made in my kitchen in about 2 seconds.
** Wrap tightly if not serving immediately.
Enjoy! xo
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