Simple Food Presentation Tips

5 Presentation Tips to Make Your Recipes Feel Decadent

A decadent meal is all about setting the atmosphere and having a bit of fun with your food. You don’t have to use fancy ingredients – in fact, the simplest of foods can create the “fanciest” meals. To help spark your creativity, try using these 5 tips to transform your next dinner…

Presentation Tip #1: Use Cookie Cutters!

Use cookie cutters for our Grain Free Waffles. Bake the batter in a sheet pan at 350°F, then use a cookie cutter to cut out perfect circles. Use a fork or spoon to drizzle melted dark chocolate and warmed peanut butter over top. Garnish with fresh fruit for a tasty (and stunning) dessert or sweet breakfast treat.

Presentation Tip #2: Use Tools to Serve Foods in New Ways

• Try using a “crinkle cutter” to chop carrots or sweet potatoes into ruffled circles.
• Use a melon baller to create mini watermelon, honeydew, or cantaloupe “balls” (these are perfect for fruit kebabs).
• Use a spiralizer to serve zucchini like “noodles”.
• Use a grater to grate fennel into an elegant salad (like this).

Presenting foods in new ways can add visual appeal and make simple ingredients feel like new and exciting dishes.

Presentation Tip #3: Plate Food Beautifully Before Serving

Plating your food can be lots of fun. Let your creativity run wild and build a beautiful plate with colours and height. Here are a few ways to make your plate stand out…

1. Use height. In the culinary world, height brings a “wow” factor to dishes. Use a small bowl to make a “mound” of brown rice or whole grains. Use tongs to serve and pile your greens/salad high. Or, make mini waffles and serve them as a stack for a stunning brunch plate.
2. Add color. Seasonal vegetables can be a great way to bring colour to your plate. Serve an orange carrot purée, roasted purple beets, or blanched green beans for a vibrant look. If you’re feeling extra “extravagant”, try using a squeeze bottle to squeeze small dots or drizzles of a colourful sauce around your plate.
3. Play with texture. Texture is both appealing to our eyes and our taste buds! Add a dollop or a swirl of crème fraîche on top of a tomato soup along with a few walnuts for a creamy and crunchy texture contrast. Add a bit of goat cheese to your salad for a creamy contrast to the crisp vegetables. Or, experiment with sprinkling parmesan crisps (homemade -just melt some parmesan in piles in a hot cast iron skillet and cool) over of Mashed Fauxtatoes for a fun topping!

Adding height, colour, and texture to your dishes can make for an appealing dish – both for your eyes AND for your tummy.

Atmosphere Tip #1: Spend a Bit of Time Setting the Table

Setting the table in an elegant manner sets the atmosphere for a beautiful dinner. Lay out a tablecloth and fold napkins neatly on the dinner table (you can research a few different “styles” of napkin folding online to spark your creativity). Use your “nice dishes”, light a candle in the centre of the table, and lay out forks, spoons, and knives in the proper manner.

These small changes to your dining setting can make your meal feel extra special – without even touching the food!

Atmosphere Tip #2: Set the Ambiance

Similar to setting the table, setting the ambiance can be a nice way to create an elegant feel for your meal. Dim the lights, and play light music in the background. Serve your dishes one at a time (multi-course meal) to enjoy and savor each bite.

What are your favorite ways to serve an “elegant” dinner? Let us know in the comments – we’d love to hear how you “jazz up” your at-home meals.