Growing up, I came from a very DIY-friendly family. Whether it was food or a porch swing, we made things instead of buying them pre-made. While I’m pretty good at DIY myself, I’m much more open to using easier options and having less pressure on making everything from scratch … like with pre-made trays from the grocery store!
Much like my background in DIY projects, I’ve also been an avid Giant Eagle shopper for as long as I can remember.
In fact, it was one of the highlights when I moved to my husband’s hometown — knowing that while we didn’t have many shopping options, I knew I would be ok since there was a local Giant Eagle.
I spent my teenage years working my grandmother’s catering business. Where, of course, I made tons of beautiful meat, cheese, veggie and fruit trays. While I still occasionally make them up myself, I do not hesitate to grab cheese and fruit platters at Giant Eagle to save precious time.
But, here’s the thing — I use them as a starting point, not as the final piece. I love the ease and convenience of the pre-cut cheese cubes, crackers, and fruit all in one purchase, saving me time in the kitchen and making my shopping trips quicker.
And, the quality at Giant Eagle is always the very best!
I take each part and use it on my own plates to give it the homemade feeling.
Placing the crackers on a rustic wooden tray, transferring the cheese onto my divided tray and kabobbing the fruit — in less than 15 minutes, you’ve magically transformed a purchased tray into a more custom display perfect for your holiday parties.
Then, to kick up those fruit kabobs, give them a drizzle of dark and white chocolate for a seemingly labor-intensive dessert that won’t sabotage anyone’s healthy diet!
Can you serve the kabobs on a plate or tray? Sure, but don’t forget I’m from a DIY-obsessed family. So I headed out to the backyard and found an old 4×4 post from our garden fence. Then, I cut a footlong piece and drilled holes in it to hold the kabobs!
So, when you’re planning your next holiday get-together, save yourself some time and grab a pre-made tray. Then, use it to create something beautiful on your own dishes. Drill some holes in old wood. Make it special in your own unique way.
A little effort goes a long way. Let someone else put the time into cutting up fruit, veggies and cheese so you can do the fun things that your guests will remember.
Wishing you and yours a happy holiday.
Yours in Health,
