I love bringing veggie or charcuterie boards to holiday parties for a few reasons.

First, most holiday parties have plenty of heavy appetizers and sweet treats. Second, as someone with dietary restrictions, I love having a whole tray of veggies and drips that I know I can eat! These boards are easily customizable to suit any dietary restrictions and promote gut health. Lastly, making these boards is fun and creative.

Here are my top tips for making a gut-healthy veggie board:

Think color!

Colorful fruit and veggies make a beautiful board and their diverse antioxidants support our gut bacteria. Each color represents a different phytonutrients or antioxidants. Some of my favorite examples:

• Polyphenols in pomegranates, berries, and citrus fruit have been shown to increase some of the most important gut bacteria strains such as Lactobacillus spp., Bifidobacterium spp., and Akkermansia muciniphilia.
• Red bell peppers and cherry tomatoes contain lycopene, a carotenoid that can aid in reducing inflammation in the GI tract.
• Deep green broccoli and cucumbers are rich in chlorophyll which may help with detox, digestion, and decreasing inflammation.

Add in prebiotic fibers

Prebiotic fibers are food for beneficial gut bacteria, helping them thrive. Incorporate prebiotic-rich veggies such as:

• Kiwis – with the skin on!!
• Chickpeas
• Artichokes
• Jicama
• Nuts and seeds

Make it Gluten or Dairy Free

If you are gluten or dairy-free, it’s easy to design your veggie board to make it inclusive and easy on digestion. Here’s how:

• Use gluten-free crackers. My favorites are Mary’s Gone Crackers, Simple Mills, and Crunch Masters Multi-Seed Crackers or Terra Vegetable Chips.
• Stick to Dairy-free dips. I like to use a variety of dips, including hummus, guacamole, baba ganoush, and dairy-free spreads from Kite Hill.
• Focus on fruit and veggies. Boards don’t need to have many gluten/dairy-free alternatives. Focus on bright fruits and veggies and naturally gluten, and dairy-free foods.

I hope you have as much fun creating these beautiful and healthy boards as I do!

~Tamara