Baby romaine, fresh asparagus, radishes, small zucchini, colored pepper strips, cherry tomatoes and cucumbers ?

Green onions. Jicama sticks. Pickle some carrot sticks (never the so-called "baby" carrots.)

Maybe your tribe is different, but since I see so much waste on the veggie platter if it was me I'd go with the already prepared one at Cosco. If you don't want everyone to know that you cheated, buy the already peeled, cut ones in the bags and plate and decorate it up and no-one will know the difference. I've finally come to terms with the veggie platter expectations - there are always a small few who want it and eat it but it's usually a huge waste of my precious time.

Watermelon radishes. Also, I blanch my broccoli to give it more flavor and color. Green salsa for dipping.

Sorry, I have to say premade veggie platters (and precut veggies to be eaten raw generally) are usually awful. Tasteless, or, worse yet, tasting of fridge. I have had people bring them to my home and they end up in the trash. (it's not just me, guests eschew them too)

I'm assuming you know your audience and what they like? Do they want a veggie platter? I assume yes.

Carrots, celery cukes and grape tomatoes are definites. Asp, brocc, cauli should all be blanched but don't bother if they don't like them of course. I'd have at least 2 dips. You can buy good quality hummus (if they like that) otherwise it is pretty easy to whip up a tasty dip with sour cream and a packet if you don't want to do it entirely from scratch. Or try a flavored whipped cream cheese.

https://www.seriouseats.com/2012/06/how-to-put-together-an-awesome-vegetable-platter.html

Thank you for the great link, Mtn. I work hard on my veggie platters and appreciate more ideas on how to use the gorgeous colors and textures available.

PS I have a friend who copies Arcimboldo pictures with her veggie platters - that's too much effort for me!

Veggie platters are always a big hit here. In addition to those vegetables mentioned, we like to add sugar snap peas, radishes, and green beans (these were a last minute addition once and an unexpected favorite).

Instead of the raw celery and carrots no one eats anyway, bring a tray of 6 warm stuffed artichokes and dips.

We love carrots, celery, radish's, fresh mushrooms, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumbers, asparagus. Maybe not all at the same time or do! Leftovers make a great veggie soup too!

"Instead of the raw celery and carrots no one eats anyway"

Instead of just plain raw veggies and a couple of dips, mix it up some. Stuff the celery sticks with Boursin or herbed cream cheese (or pimento cheese), pickle the carrots...or asparagus or green beans. Add some roasted veg - they taste great cold or at room temp. Do up a few bocconcini skewers with grape or cherry tomatoes, a basil leaf and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.

Plain raw veggies and dips get ignored because they are so expected and boring. Being creative in what you serve and how it is prepared....not just necessarily raw.....can make all the difference!

Raw turnip sticks are yummy and I love various types of olives too.

You know your guests. Here, mine like cucumbers, every color pepper, and carrot sticks.

Various dips: DD boyfriend loves the Knorr spinach dip. We make it with two packages of spinach. Hummus, clam dip (my recipe) Hot spinach artichoke dip are some of our favorites.

I have to agree that the store-bought just doesn't taste fresh.

I do a vegetarian chopped liver made with peas and I like to add radishes as a vegetable.

Aside: the vegetable platter is a mixed bag. It is like we are saying, "Let's make the pretense that we are eating something somewhat healthy before we dive into the good stuff."

In addition to the excellent suggestions already made, I'd like to add artichoke hearts (pickled or not pickled), roasted brussels sprouts, pepperoncini and daikon radish.

The mini bell peppers are always a big hit with my family, and the red, yellow and orange colors are pretty with the other vegetables. Veggie trays here usually consist of the three colors of mini peppers, black olives, broccoli and cauliflower florets, small, whole white mushrooms, some green onions and radishes. Carrot and celery sticks are included it there is room on the platter. There is almost never anything leftover. The strange thing (to me, anyhow, and also frustrating) is that they only want the boring ranch dip with it. Although a couple will eat a little spinach dip if it is offered, but any other kind will go totally untouched. Strange.

Rusty

Lucille, we love carrots and celery. It all depends on who likes what really. That is why we do a variety.

Judy, if they were fixed like Gardengal suggests I'd go for them. But you are right, raw veggies (and, IMHO everything in life) depends on who likes what. Naked celery sticks just don't do it for me.

The bocconcini/Caprese skewers gardengal mentioned are always a hit for us. I've served them on a platter alongside these spinach balls that are great served at room temp. Also, these are totally make-ahead to park in the freezer until ready to bake. These disappear quickly.

Spinach Balls

2 (10 oz.) packages. frozen, chopped spinach
4 eggs, beaten
2 cups dry herb seasoned stuffing mix (such as Pepperidge Farm)
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
1 garlic clove, minced
1 small onion, minced
1 tsp. dried thyme
3/4 cup butter, melted
Salt and pepper, to taste (see Note below)

Thaw spinach and squeeze dry ( use a potato ricer if you have one). Mix all the ingredients well and chill for at least 1 hour. Roll into 1" balls. Freeze on cookie sheet, and then store in freezer bags till needed. Thaw before baking. Bake at preheated 325 for 25-30 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Note: Right after mixing you can make one ball and brown it in a bit of oil or butter on the stove. Taste for seasoning adding more salt and/or pepper, if necessary.

A nice veggie tray is always a hit in my experience, unless composed of the stale produce from the grocery. I typically offer cucumber chips, zucchini spears, endive, green, red, and yellow bell peppers, broccoli, fresh green beans, grape tomatoes, radishes, raw sweet potato spears, and more. I have baby greens in my garden that work well. I'll make homemade tzatziki and green goddess dressings the day before.

If you have low expectations in the first place, then the results are likely to match the expectations. The veggie tray can be special.

Edited to add: by incorporating elements of a relish and charcuterie board, you can create something fabulous.

Just thinking...if you have olive fans, an olive, cheese, pepper and rosemary wreath is nice...also really easy. I've done this one for Christmas.

Just found this one.. Maybe a little more Thanksgiving-ish.

I agree with those who say the prepackaged trays are usually left barely touched because they are so vile.

I find that if I put some effort into finding good produce, people will eat it. I love the organic Persian cukes from Trader Joes and I always buy real carrots and slice in long angled rounds instead of sticks and not those gross mini carrots (some of the markets like our food-coop still have local carrots until a hard freeze). I don't usually use it, but the co-op sells really dark green tasty celery. I also like the mini peppers because they are so colorful and tender. I add home pickled cauliflower and pea pods if they are good. That covers all the colors pretty well and has enough variety for me. Add a dip and it's a hit.

On another thread I mentioned our latest favorite dip is an edamame "hummus" with wasabi. It's very pretty, bright green and is always popular. This year I saved a recipe for a butternut squash hummus that I'm going to try.

Do people like asparagus in your crowd? I recently had a vegetable platter with marinated raw asparagus, and it was AWESOME. Totally different/better flavor than cooked. The guy who made it said the key was to get it really fresh. I was surprised at how tender it was. I thought it had at least been lightly steamed, but no . . .

Here is a basic one I put together for a work retirement party, but you can jazz it up along the lines suggested above.

Another idea ;

I don't remember where I got this picture, but I've been saving it for several years, always intending to copy it. Hasn't happened yet, though.

Rusty

Love those examples from Chi and Rusty. :-) Right before Halloween I saw one formed into a skeleton that was pretty cute, too.

Don't forget to try jicama. If it's new to your crowd, I'm sure that lots of people will love it.

If you can find whole baby vegetables , those are great.

Poor maligned celery, where is the love? I like plain celery, my kids like plain celery. I eat three stalks every day as my work day snack and the first thing I do when I start to prep dinner is take out and clean a bunch of celery. It is my go to nibble when cooking.

Plus, it is so good for you. It naturally reduces blood pressure. And celery, kiwi, pineapple is an awesome smoothie

I would be so tempted to add some cheese slices and crackers. And halve the tomatoes and make the carrots into sticks. I would stuff also the celery with cream cheese and add pickles. My family would be eating cheese and cracker with veggies on them till there was not a crumb or drop left.

Localeater I have plenty of celery love. My celery is usually cooked in with onions and peppers in Cajun food.

I like celery! It's just not a top choice when I have all the other goodies to choose from on Thanksgiving. :)

I agree with Rusty, those mini bell peppers are delicious. Addicting even.

No love for celery here. Raw or cooked. I just hate it so much. Raw it tastes like dirt. And anything that has cooked celery in it tastes like dirty dish water to me. It has a distinct smell when its cooked in anything that puts me off immediately. My mom put celery in EVERYTHING. Chili, pasta,every casserole, soup or stew. No wonder I was such a skinny child. I have been making up for it as a celery-less adult.

No help with veggie tray suggestions. I think my feelings on veggie trays has been made quite clear in other threads. ;)

My SIL's husband always made fabulous marinated carrots for holidays. I would take it farther with a variety of marinated vegetables - carrots, mushrooms, mini peppers, broccoli, cauliflower (might roast those last 2 first) - maybe not green beans, they tend to get an odd color in vinegar -- served with toothpicks, maybe a little bacon garnish (depending on the marinade you choose).

I don't care for raw celery, radishes, peppers, or onions, but everyone else, including my grandkids, loves all of the above. Our veggie trays are usually laid out similar to the pics nutsaboutplants posted, but most of the time I don't include a dip. They eat it all plain. The exception is New Year's Eve, when I make my grandson's favorite--salmon spread--in a fish mold.

My father-in-law was recently craving deviled eggs, so although I think of that as a spring or summer picnic dish, I added deviled eggs to the veggie platter, for him.

I think I might do the Turkey veggie platter thing posted above, or the owl. I usually like to do my crudites in a pretty basket lined with raddichio or butter lettuce but sometimes veggies need a little extra marketing, eps to kids!

Personally, I would advise against any additions that are rich if asked to contribute a veggie platter to ThxG dinner. I think the purpose of fresh light crispy colorful veggies is as a foil to all the rich heavy dark or creamy food..

Add some pickles like in rhizo pictures!

3rd one to chime in on the mini-bell peppers. They are yummy.

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR THE SUGGESTIONS!!!!

I also agree with the baby bell peppers. Though not for Thanksgiving, I've stuffed them with a pancetta/cheese mixture for baking. Extra yummy.