Skeleton Veggie Tray

This skeleton veggie tray is an easy, healthy Halloween snack made with colorful vegetables, dip and black olives arranged into a spooky skeleton. It’s especially fun for kids’ Halloween parties and gives everyone a fresh option alongside all the candy and sweets.

You can use the vegetables shown here or swap in your family’s favorites, and most of the prep can be done ahead of time. For another colorful, fresh Halloween option, try my Halloween Fruit Salad.

Ingredients

You only need a handful of vegetables, black olives and your favorite dip to make this skeleton veggie tray.

• Red, orange and yellow bell peppers – great for adding bold color and a crisp texture to your tray. These form the ribcage.
• Celery – 4 stalks should be enough for the skeleton’s arms and legs. The leftover celery can be used in this Chicken Bolognese I just posted.
• Cucumber – use this to create the spine and pelvic bone. If you don’t like bell peppers, you can slice cucumbers lengthwise and arrange them in rows to resemble ribs.
• Large carrot – I used this for the hands.
• Little tomatoes – cocktail tomatoes or other small, round tomatoes work best for the joints or even as eyes.
• Dip – use whatever whitish dip you like to form the skull. 
• Black olives – these can be used for the skeleton’s eyes and mouth, adding a dark, spooky touch.

What to serve it on

For serving your skeleton veggie platter, it’s best to use a large, flat surface that gives you plenty of room to arrange the vegetables. My skeleton was 13.4″ x 19.7″ (34 cm x 50 cm).

If you have some kind of huge surface, and you can add legs to your skeleton, you can certainly do that. But if you only have room to do the thighs, like I did, I think it still looks great.

Here are a few options.

• Large serving platter – a large rectangular serving platter works great and keeps the design compact and tidy.
• Baking sheet – if you don’t have a large platter, a rimmed baking sheet provides ample space and helps keep everything in place.
• Wooden board – a large wooden cutting or charcuterie board adds a rustic touch and gives the platter a sturdy base.
• Tray covered in parchment paper – for easy cleanup, you can use a large tray lined with parchment paper to serve the veggie skeleton.

 

How to make it

To make your skeleton veggie platter, start by laying out the dip where you want the head of the skeleton to be, then work your way down the body. Use celery for long bones like arms and legs, while smaller items like tomatoes or olives work great for details like joints or eyes.

Keep the arrangement simple by sticking to basic skeleton shapes, focusing on the head, ribs, arms, and legs.

Make sure to slice everything evenly for easy dipping and a neat presentation.

 

Make ahead

If you’re preparing this veggie skeleton tray for a special event, you can cut all the vegetables the day before and store them in airtight containers in the fridge.

I recommend storing the bell peppers in one container. The carrots, cucumber, and tomatoes can go together in another container.

I would cut the celery right before serving. 

Then, when it’s time to serve, simply arrange the vegetables into a skeleton shape. It’ll save you a lot of time on the day of the party, so you can focus on enjoying the fun and not be in the kitchen the whole time. 

I spent 1 1/2 hours of our last Halloween party in the kitchen, making pizza from scratch. So, so stupid.

I’ve learned my lesson and will prepare as much as possible in advance this year. I’ve already got the dough for these Spider Cookies in the freezer and a dry mix for these Spider Cupcakes already made, so I just have to add the wet ingredients and bake. I’m also making a large batch of these Witches’ Brew Cocktails the night before to make sure they’re thoroughly chilled and ready to go.

How to store 

If there are any leftovers from your vegetable skeleton platter, you can refrigerate the veggies in airtight containers for up to two days. Store them separately, as I mentioned above.

Or throw it all together (minus the dip) if you don’t mind everything tasting of bell pepper.

Variations

• You can swap out the vegetables for fruit if you want to make a fruit skeleton platter instead.
• Try using broccoli florets or cauliflower to create hair or extra texture for your skeleton.
• If you’re looking for a vegan option, be sure to use a plant-based dip that pairs well with your veggies. I’ll be using this Vegan Ranch Recipe for this year’s Halloween party.