It’s that time of year again! These platters I made for my niece and nephew’s dual grad party – one graduating from college and one from high school.

This crudite/cheese board I made with a homemade white bean dip (on my blog) and a store-bought red pepper dip (from Trader Joe’s). Honestly, the entire platter was created from items/veggies I bought from Trader Joe’s. One main idea to keep in mind is to create a color balance, in this case: yellow, orange, red/purple, cream, and tones of brown. I stayed within the confines of those colors and added some greens for an earthy and organic vibe. This platter was a HUGE hit. I wish I added a bigger fig jam because it vanished so quickly. I did a small amount of cheese as this board was outside. I also have a mesh canopy attached to it to keep out the flies. I hope this inspires you to create a cheese board for your next party or gathering. Everyone LOVES to snack!

I made another veggie board for a pool party that I posted on Instagram and the Oprah Magazine commented on! Apparently they think Oprah would love this spread. I am beyond flattered and commented that I would happily make Oprah a platter any day!

Next, for this yummy candy platter. I had a red/pink theme as you can see here. I combined all sweet treats including some delicious sweet strawberries and raspberries. Hand-dipped chocolate strawberries would have been a great addition too, provided the platter stays inside. This candy platter was a great idea, because everyone snacked on it through out the entire evening. I combined some faves like Swedish Fish, cherry licorice tied into large knots, strawberries some cut in half to show the gorgeous inside, raspberries and the Pocky candy sticks that I found at the Asian market. The thyme added an earthy vibe and coordinated well with the green stems of the strawberries. I hope this sparks your creativity!