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!
LOVE AND MISS THE RELISH TRAY — GREAT POST, GREAT IDEAS —
THANKS, C!
Hi Christy.
I’m fascinated by the current use of “picky eater” to describe both children and adults. It seems to be a compliment today, somewhat like saying my child/husband is soooo particular. When I grew up, no one would have thought that a compliment. In fact, no mother that I knew would have admitted it about her family. Maybe it’s because we all had relish trays?
Excellent points, Mary! Picky eater has never been a compliment in my book. But since this is a family oriented site, its better than what I really think when I say that! From the standpoint of the person who does all of the cooking and grocery shopping, my actual thoughts are pain in the…ear. 🙂
Relish trays just might have been the way folks kept this hidden, you’re right!
Your reply really made me laugh. I wasn’t really thinking about your post on introducing children to a variety of good foods — which is a brilliant idea, as evidenced by the before/after pics of the relish tray. I really had in mind recipe sites where ratings of recipes frequently begin with an evaluation of how the writer’s “whole family of picky eaters” like the recipe. Imagine shopping and cooking for such a family! As Angie’s grandmother says, “Baby, be sure you raise him so that everyone can and will love him, not just you.” =0)
“Picky eater” was definitely not a compliment to my grandmother either! 🙂 I think I was her favorite granddaughter because I was a “good eater!” The others were picky! That was probably because no one cooked special for me when I was a kid. I ate what was being served or I went hungry! The only time I might have gotten special cooking of my favorite things was when it was my birthday or I got a good report card!
Your relish tray would match my kitchen I have grapes in my kitchen so it go really well…lol…That is a good idea I’ll have to try it once my son gets about ur kids age he’s only 16 months. My hubby and I will have to do this kind of as an appitizer before dinner! I have a the perfect tray I got for a wedding gift 3 years ago. I haven’t opened yet. I love the tray I just don’t do things like this very often. Thanks Christy! I hope ur Memorial Day went well.
God Bless,
Vickie
What a great idea! I have two “Picky” eaters (ages 4 and 6) and this may be just the thing to get them eating healthy veggies. Just went shopping today, so I have lots of produce to try.
And my kids will just love the name “relish tray”. Here in the Northeast we usually call it a vegetable platter. So, a new name is a good thing!
My son just loves your comeback sauce. Eats it on lots of things, including pasta.
Thanks for your great ideas.
I had to google Jicama. I have no idea what that is?!
For dips, you could perhaps make your own healthier dips? My friend’s mum makes an avocado dip (similar to guacamole) and she just roughly mashes the avocado so it’s still a little chunky and adds a small amount of diced tomato and red onion.
I love pesto as well, although I’ve never made it myself. But I could just eat it all day with some little bread sticks. 😉
My son and I have fruit tray with every meal he lovees the dip I make to go with it
Fruit Dip
3 cups plain yogurt
1 package instant vanilla pudding mix
1 tsp. cinnamon
Fold pudding mix into yogurt. Add cinnamon. Let chill one hour. Sprinkle top with cinnamon to serve.
If you try it I hope you like it.
Hello Christy!
You are a well spring of wonderful ideas! A relish tray- I never would have thought of it!
Thank you! Now my children won’t spend all summer eating chips, gorp, and fruit rolls! Not to mention that since I don’t have an antique relish tray (or any relish tray) it will be fun looking for one!
Your casserole chart is fantastic and so very helpful! Thank you for including it today! My family and I will think of you each time I recreate one of your yummy dishes!
Maralee,
If your presence in this world brightens other people’s lives half as much as it does mine, we better get ready for an eternal sunshine!!
Thank you so much! Can’t wait til your visit to the Rocket City!!
Gratefully,
Christy