Veggie Christmas Tree Platter

What you need

• Broccoli, 1 head
• Cherry tomatoes, 1 cup
• Soft veggies (peppers, cucumber), 1
• Soft veggies (peppers, cucumber), 1
• Soft veggies (peppers, cucumber), 1 cucumber or 2 carrots
• Celery, 2 sticks
• Sharp knife (grown-up only), 1
• Cutting board, 1
• Plate or tray, 1
• Dip in a small bowl, about 1/2 cup

How to do it

Grown-up prep: Gather the veggies, a cutting board, a sharp knife for grown-up use only and a big plate. Check the dip label for allergens before serving.

1. Wash your hands, then rinse all the veggies in cool water.
2. A grown-up slices the veggies and cuts every cherry tomato in half. A grown-up does this
3. Lay broccoli florets in rows to make a big triangle tree.
   Ask: How many rows do you think your tree will need to look tall?
4. Dot tomato halves and red pepper pieces on as shiny ornaments.
5. Zigzag cucumber or carrot rounds across the tree like a garland.
6. Put the yellow pepper star right on top of your tree.
   Ask: Look at your tree. What do you think it still needs?
7. Lay a celery stick below the tree as the trunk.
8. Set the dip bowl beside the trunk like a present, then count your ornaments.
9. Share your tree with friends or guests and dip away! What will you build next?
   Ask: Which veggie on your tree was the tastiest, and what shape should we make next time?

Play it again

• Snowman platter: make a snowman from cucumber rounds with carrot buttons.
• Pattern tree: every row of ornaments must follow a color pattern.
• Eat the ornaments: take turns eating one decoration and say how many are left.