If You Want To Bring Vegetables To A Potluck, Skip The Basic Veggie Tray

As a self-proclaimed hard core veggie monster, I'll be the first to say vegetable trays need to be outlawed, at least from potlucks anyway. Many others share this sentiment, which is why these platters made our list of shadow banned potluck dishes. First and foremost, I'd like to know who thought it was a great idea to normalize bringing a tray of cut raw vegetables accompanied by a tub of goopy ranch dressing to a gathering where everyone else is typically bringing a variety of hot dishes. 

Let's be honest, most of us aren't bringing a veggie tray because we want to go through the trouble of buying a variety of vegetables which then need to be cleaned, cut, and assembled on a platter. We're buying pre-made veggie trays at the grocery store as a quick way to contribute with the after-thought that it's also a healthy option.

While there's nothing wrong with a veggie tray for everyday snacking, who wants to eat plain, often times dried-up veggies at a potluck of all places? No one is really yearning to grab some raw broccoli and start crunching unless they feel obligated to a few bites of something healthy amongst all the other appetizing dishes. Speaking of crunching, what did you say? Sorry, I couldn't hear you over myself gnawing on these carrots. Raw veggies create so much noise that it's hard to even have a conversation with another guest.

This isn't necessarily a hit piece against bringing vegetables to a potluck, though. In fact, vegetable dishes add brightness to a table when they're next to other potluck classics like mac n' cheese, potato salad, baked beans, and chili which tend to lack color. Instead of a boring veggie tray, try dressing-up veggies with rich-tasting ingredients or using different cooking techniques to transform the vegetables' flavors. 

The easiest veggie appetizers you'll ever make start in the freezer aisle with frozen phyllo dough shells or puff pastry cups that only require a quick bake in oven. When it comes to filling these little crevices, try spooning Greek salad with feta cheese crumbles into phyllo shells or adding a pre-made spinach and artichoke dip into puff pastry cups. 

Alternatively, there's something about putting veggies on a skewer that make them taste so much better than if they were just laying there raw, which is why veggie kabobs are a potluck hit. Zucchini, yellow squash, eggplant, bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, onion, and mushroom all sliced approximately 1-inch thick make great "skewer-able" options. Once assembled, they can be brushed with a marinade or olive oil and then sprinkled with salt and pepper. Once prepared, grill them for a smokey flavor or roast them in the oven if cooking indoors. If you can't find wooden skewers, try this genius skewer swap that will take your veggie kabobs to another level.