Decorating an Appetizer Platter

Colors

• Use bright or contrasting colors for an eye-catching display. For example, mix vegetables together by color, such as red tomatoes, orange carrots and green celery sticks. Use a single section for each color, or build rows of each color. Use smaller groups to create a larger image, such as with a puzzle. Green vegetables can create a Christmas tree outline, while red, orange, white and yellow vegetables can serve as the ornaments. Fruits, meats and cheeses are other food items that come in a wide array of colors and flavors.

Shapes

• Cut or arrange the appetizers into creative and appealing shapes. Small pieces of cheese can be crafted into a variety of shapes, such as stars, circles, squares or hearts. Meat can be rolled up to create borders around cheese, or hardier meats can be cut into complementary shapes. Use small cookie cutters to make shapes out of fruit, vegetables or finger sandwiches. Alternatively, roll softer foods, such as soft cheese, into balls, and roll the balls in crushed nuts or herbs for further decoration, style and taste.

Patterns

• Layer the food according to the type or color in a pattern. For example, create an outer ring of watermelon slices, followed by strawberries, melon slices, grapes and pineapple slices. For larger platters, you can cycle through your items three or four times if you plan each section accordingly, which works well when each of your items is roughly the same size. Alternatively, mix it up by size and color if you have a combination of larger, medium and small items.

Finishing Touches

• Little garnishments and extras, such as a center bowl full of dip or freshly chopped herbs sprinkled over contrastingly colored tidbits, can define the decorative aspect of your appetizer platters. Large green leaves, even silk ones, can serve as the backbone of the arrangement. Small bits of greenery, such as parsley, are a quick and easy way to add color and depth to the platter. Sliced citrus wedges or spiraled vegetable peels are other options. If you're really handy with a paring knife, you can carve fruits and vegetables into artful and tasty displays, such as rose-shaped tomatoes.