All About The Appetizers: A Plant-Centric Snack Plate For Thanksgiving

There are no hard and fast rules here, so please feel free to play around with what you put on your snack plate based on preference and what's available to you. Here are some guidelines to steer you in the right direction:

A good snack plate should have a little bit of everything: sweet (dried or fresh fruit), salty (olives, dips), freshness (herb-infused dips and crackers), peppery (some fresh sliced radishes). Each bite should get you excited for the main event without overwhelming you.

Just like flavor diversity, things are way more exciting when you're combining different textures. Crispy crackers love creamy dips, and chewy dried fruit loves the crunch of toasted seeds and nuts.

Here's what's going on our snack platter this year:

Here are some recipes to get you started:

Any raw and crunchy veggie will do. Just make sure everything is cleaned well and sliced into bite-size, dip-friendly shapes like rounds or spears. Some of our favorites include:

There are lots of great gluten-free and grain-free crackers out there that taste great (even to the gluten-tolerant). You can also make your own:

There are so many different varieties to try. Seek out a market with an olive bar and try a few different types like green Sicilian olives, black olives with herbs de provence, or chili-marinated kalamatas.

Toasted nuts and seeds are great, but take it a step further with spices and seasoning:

Or get some crunch from roasted chickpeas with spices.

Fresh apples, pears, and figs are great to pair with cheese, nuts, and crackers, as are dried varieties like apricots, dates, and cherries. Plus, these all help make a plate look vibrant and seasonal.

For more delicious Thanksgiving recipes and ideas, click here.