Do you have trouble getting your kids to eat vegetables? This turkey veggie tray will put an end to that! It so cute and inviting that your children will get their daily dose of vegetables in no time flat!
This is the time of the year when the pounds get packed on with all the holiday eating and can also be a time when kids eat way too many sugary things because of Halloween candy and Thanksgiving desserts.
This cute centerpiece of vegetables still has a holiday flair but none of the empty calories that come from eating sugary concoctions.
It makes a great option for a Thanksgiving appetizer to bring to a gathering, because it is made in the image of one of the main symbols of Thanksgiving – the turkey!
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Making this turkey veggie tray
To start, assemble your ingredients. This turkey platter can be put together using whatever vegetables your family (and you children) like, but I chose to use some of our favorites:
Ingredients
- cucumber, sliced
- red bell pepper
- yellow bell pepper
- orange bell pepper
- green bell pepper
- broccoli florets
- sugar snap peas
- baby carrots
- 2 large raisins
- 2 celery stalk ends
You will also need some toothpicks and scissors as well as a round platter when you start to assemble the turkey vegetable platter.
How to make the vegetable turkey
You can use any kind of round platter you have on hand. I had a sterling silver plated platter, so I chose this since Thanksgiving is a special occasion.
Start at the top of the turkey, placing the broccoli florets. It helps to slice each floret in half, since gives the piece a flat end to sit on. 
You will need to trim the florets slightly when you reach a curve for them to sit neatly. The extra pieces can be used to “fill in” the outer row of turkey feathers.
Next, layer the baby carrots and sugar snap peas in two rows, stopping about a third up the edge.
To give the turkey a lot of color in the feathers, I bought a package of stoplight peppers. I cut the peppers into rings and then cut the rings in half and layered them over the carrots and sugar snap peas.
Then I added the sliced cucumbers and placed them in a ring to make the turkey body. The turkey platter is coming together nicely!
To make the turkey head, I chopped off the bottom of a green pepper and turned it over. One reserved piece of yellow pepper made the turkey nose and a slice of orange pepper made the craw.
A toothpick cut in half through two large dried raisins gives the turkey some eyes!
The final step is to use the two pieces of celery ends for the turkey legs. They are perfectly formed for the job!
This fun turkey vegetable tray makes a great party appetizer. Just add some of your favorite dip for dipping and you have a seasonal, fun and whimsical way to get the kids to enjoy their veggies.
This seasonal cream cheese pumpkin dip would be perfect!
Pin this turkey veggie tray for later
Would you like a reminder of this turkey serving platter? Just pin this image to one of your holiday boards on Pinterest so that you can easily find it later.
Admin note: This post for my turkey tray first appeared on the blog in October of 2013. I have updated the post to add all new photos, a printable project card and a video for you to enjoy.
Turkey Veggie Tray - Thanksgiving Vegetable Platter for the Holidays
This turkey platter is made totally of vegetables and is easy to put together. It's a fun way to get kids to eat their vegetables
Materials
- 1/2 cucumber, sliced
- 1/2 red bell pepper
- 1/2 yellow bell pepper
- 1/2 orange bell pepper
- 1/2 green bell pepper
- 10 broccoli florets
- 20 sugar snap peas
- 20 baby carrots
- 2 large raisins
- 2 celery stalk ends
Tools
- Serving platter
- Toothpicks
- Scissors
Instructions
- Cut the broccoli florets in half so that you have a flat end. Arrange them at the top half of the platter in a semi circle. You may need to trim them as you come to corners.
- Layer the baby carrots and then the sugar snap peas in another half circle.,
- Cut the sweet peppers in rings and then halve the rings and ad them over the top of the peas.
- Cut the cucumber into slices and arrange in a circle at the middle bottom to make a turkey body.
- Cut the green pepper in half and use the bottom section upside down to make a turkey head.
- Cut toothpicks in half and use them to anchor the raisins as eyes on the green pepper.
- Cut a small piece of yellow pepper and anchor it for a nose.
- Cut a long strip of pepper and anchor it on the turkey head for a craw.
- Place the turkey head over the cucumber body and place the two pieces of celery ends to act as legs.
- Serve with your favorite party dip for dipping.
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