Encourage your kid to try new foods with a dinosaur crudite board! It’s easy to make, full of crunchy vegetables, and a perfect way to introduce healthy snacks to kids.
How to Make a Dinosaur Crudite Board
- Form the dinosaur: Using the photo below as a guide, arrange the cucumber slices in the shape of a dinosaur. Place the carrot triangles along the back of the dinosaur.
- Make the grass: Place the broccoli florets around the bottom half of the cucumber dinosaur. Decorate with cherry tomatoes and radish halves.
- Make the sky: Place the purple cauliflower florets around the cucumber dinosaur in the top half of the tray. Arrange the white cauliflower florets to make the clouds.
- Make the sun: Place the bowl of hummus in the upper right corner of the tray. Arrange the yellow pepper strips around the bowl to form sun rays.
Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions
To Make Ahead: Dinosaur crudite boards can be made up to six hours in advance. Make sure to securely wrap the tray to prevent excessive moisture loss and wilting.
To Freeze: It’s best to use fresh vegetables to make the tray. Frozen vegetables tend to turn mushy when defrosted.
Recipe Variations for Dinosaur Crudite Boards
Tropical twist: Swap cucumbers for pineapple slices. Add mango chunks and kiwi slices between the broccoli for the grass.
Mediterranean edition: Replace hummus with tzatziki. Add olives, feta cheese cubes, and roasted red peppers.
Tex-Mex twist: Substitute hummus with guacamole. Add black beans, corn kernels, and jalapeño slices.
Asian version: Replace hummus with peanut sauce. Include edamame, water chestnuts, and snap peas for an Asian-inspired crunch.
Garden crudite board: Swap cauliflower for asparagus spears. Add cucumber slices, cherry tomatoes, and bell pepper strips for a fresh garden twist.
Fall vegetable twist: Replace hummus with pumpkin or sweet potato dip. Include apple slices, pear slices, and pecans. Drizzle with honey or maple syrup.
Rainbow twist: Substitute cauliflower with rainbow chard leaves. Add bell pepper strips, shredded carrots, and purple cabbage for a colorful display.
Italian inspiration: Replace hummus with pesto. Include marinated artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, and mozzarella balls for an Italian-style antipasto crudite board.
Protein edition: Swap hummus with white bean dip. Add hard-boiled egg slices, roasted chickpeas, and cucumber rounds for a protein-packed snack.
Ocean treats: Substitute cucumber with seaweed sheets. For a sushi-inspired twist, add avocado slices, cucumber matchsticks, and sesame seeds.
Dinosaur Crudite Board
Ingredients
- English cucumber, sliced
- 1 medium broccoli head, cut into flowers
- red and yellow cherry tomatoes
- radish, halved
- 2-3 large cauliflower florets
- purple cauliflower, cut into flowers
- store-bought or homemade hummus
- yellow bell pepper, cut into strips
- carrot, cut into small triangles
Instructions
- Using the photo as a guide, arrange the cucumber slices in the shape of dinosaur.
- Place the carrot triangles along the back of the dinosaur.
- Place the broccoli florets around the bottom half of the cucumber dinosaur.
- Decorate with cherry tomatoes and radish halves.
- Place the purple cauliflower florets around the cucumber dinosaur in the top half of the tray.
- Arrange the cauliflower florets to make the clouds.
- Place the bowl of hummus in the upper right of the baking sheet.
- Arrange the yellow peeper strips around the bowl to form sun rays.
Notes
- Vegetable selection: Choose firm and fresh vegetables for optimal presentation and taste.
- Hummus placement: You can put the hummus bowl anywhere you want the sun to go. The upper right corner of the tray is best for easy access and will complement the dinosaur theme, but it’s not a must. For left-handed people, you can move it to the left of the tray.
- Personalization: Feel free to customize your crudite board with additional vegetables or dips according to preference and dietary needs.
