A Veggie Train with veggie dips is the perfect healthy and family-friendly appetizer!

While making gingerbread houses is a far more traditional December activity, we made these “Santa Veggie Trains” with veggie dips and the kids seriously loved them just as much, if not more! And while the boys *may or may not* have eaten cookie dough for lunch today, I’m taking their affinity for these veggie trains as a major December win.

Here’s the thing — my toddler would honestly pick veggies and dip over gingerbread houses any day and I’m not exaggerating here. A few weeks ago he saw a pre-made veggie platter at the store and begged me to get it. At first I said, “No, you won’t finish it,” but I ended up caving since, he was begging for VEGGIES after-all.

In two days, he finished the ENTIRE veggie tray all by himself and begged me for another one.That’s when I had the idea to make these Santa veggie trains together and it’s definitely going to be a holiday tradition now. The boys and I had a blast making our trains and even more fun dipping them in ranch dip and eating them!

More Holiday Appetizers:

Ornament Veggie Platter

Pistachio Crusted Goat Cheeseball

Christmas Tree Veggie Platter

5 from 9 votes

Santa Veggie Trains

Santa’s Veggie Train is nutritious, fun, and sure to be a hit with the whole family. Loaded with colorful veggies and served with a tasty dip, this festive train is perfect for holiday parties or a fun family night!
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 8 servings, depending on how many trains you make

Ingredients 
 

  • 4 to 5 bell peppers in a variety of colors
  • 1 English cucumber
  • Toothpicks
  • Veggies to fill up the pepper “trains” such as carrots, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, celery, olives, and/or mushrooms
  • Your favorite veggie dips such as Ranch, Dill, Light Dill, Light Ranch, Southwest Ranch, and/or Blue Cheese

Instructions 

  • Wash and dry the veggies.
  • Lay peppers down and vertically slice off the top 1/3 of each pepper (slice straight down in front of the stem). Cut out the ribs and remove seeds. Discard.
  • Slice an English cucumber into even-sized coins and attach 4 cucumber “coins” with toothpicks to each corner of the bell pepper to resemble wheels. Repeat until you have as many trains as you want.
  • Add your favorite washed and cut veggies to the bell-pepper trains. Serve with your favorite veggie dips. 
  • Place the trains on a platter with each stem facing the pepper in front. 

Recipe Notes

Nutrition Note: Nutrition facts will vary depending on how many trains are made, what veggies are used, and what/how much of the dips are used.
Storage: Platter best made within 1–2 hours of serving. Keep chilled and covered in the fridge.
EASY Holiday Veggie Platters!! Two easy ways to dress up your holiday veggie platters! A Christmas Tree and an Ornament made out of veggies with delicious dips! via chelseasmessyapron.com

Two easy Holiday Veggie Platter Ideas to dress up your veggies this holiday season! We’re making a Christmas tree and an ornament with veggies and cheese.

video tutorial

EASY Holiday Veggie Platters!! Two easy ways to dress up your holiday veggie platters! A Christmas Tree and an Ornament made out of veggies with delicious dips! via chelseasmessyapron.com

Holiday Veggie Platter Ideas

For me, the holidays are all about cookies, candies, and treats galore (we’d never miss out on this honeycomb candy, toffee, or these chewy chocolate chip cookies!)

So, there is always a need for more veggies and these holiday veggie platter ideas are just the thing to get them in!

EASY Holiday Veggie Platters!! Two easy ways to dress up your holiday veggie platters! A Christmas Tree and an Ornament made out of veggies with delicious dips! I chelseasmessyapron.com

EASY Holiday Veggie Platters!! Two easy ways to dress up your holiday veggie platters! A Christmas Tree and an Ornament made out of veggies with delicious dips! Platters from chelseasmessyapron.com

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Holiday Veggie Platter Ideas

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients  

Christmas Tree

  • Broccoli
  • Cauliflower
  • Cherry Tomatoes
  • 10 stick pretzels
  • 3-4 slices Cheddar Cheese
  • 2-3 slices Swiss, Provolone, White Cheddar, or Pepperjack
  • Miniature Christmas cookie cutters optional
  • Marzetti Veggie Dips

Ornament

  • Mini Carrots
  • Cherry Tomatoes
  • Cucumber
  • 3-4 slices Cheddar Cheese
  • Red and/or white pipe cleaner

Instructions 

Christmas Tree

  • Chop the broccoli and cauliflower into bite-sized pieces. Slice the stems of the broccoli and cauliflower very straight so they will stand up on the platter.
  • Lay out the broccoli in the shape of a Christmas tree.
  • Place cherry tomatoes to look like strands of ornaments.
  • Place the cauliflower at the bottom of the platter to look like snow.
  • Arrange pretzel sticks in between the broccoli tree and cauliflower snow.
  • Using a small cookie cutter (or cut with a knife) cut out shapes in the cheese to decorate the tree. I use cheddar cheese for ornaments and the star on top and provolone for snowflakes outside.
  • Serve with Marzetti veggie dip of your choice!

Ornament

  • Fold a pipe cleaner to form a circle. Tape on to the back of a circular plate.
  • Arrange miniature carrots around the top of the plate.
  • Add cherry tomatoes below the carrots.
  • Add a row of sliced cucumbers.
  • Repeat: cherry tomatoes and then carrots.
  • If desired, cut out shapes in the cheese to decorate.
  • Serve with Marzetti veggie dip of your choice!

 

Meet Chelsea


Hi there! I’m Chelsea–the recipe developer, photographer, writer, and taste tester behind Chelsea’s Messy Apron (although my little ones help me out quite a bit with the taste testing part!). I LOVE getting creative in the kitchen and then posting my creations here for you to enjoy.

Thanks again for stopping by!

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21 Comments

  1. Casey says:

    I love using the dips to make a quick spread for a meal when I don’t feel like cooking.