Savvy party-givers always provide some low-calorie snacks. A platter or basket of crudités (croo-dih-TAY, French for raw vegetables) attracts dieters, vegetarians, the generally health-conscious and those who are reminded that they should be eating more veggies.

While there’s nothing wrong with the standard repertoire of baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, celery sticks and broccoli florets, you can dazzle by trading up to specialty produce:

EAT THE RAINBOW

Look in farmers markets and specialty produce stores for maroon and yellow carrots; green, purple and yellow cauliflower; baby broccoli (a cross between broccoli and Chinese broccoli); baby heirloom tomatoes (the size of grape tomatoes in colors from yellow to purple); yellow and white beets; watermelon radishes; radicchio di Treviso (which looks like red romaine); baby summer squash; and oyster mushrooms.

And look in your supermarket for Red Celery, a brand-new, all-natural variety of celery developed from heirloom seeds by Duda Farm Fresh Foods, the world’s largest grower of celery. It’s available year-round. Learn more at DudaFresh.com.

Available in supermarkets from coast
to coast. Photo courtesy DudaFresh.com.