Getting ready for a Fourth of July Cookout? Make your food the hit of the potluck with amazing decorations

Not all of us are amazing artists, but we all know the difference between foods that look delectable and passable. Help put your Fourth of July dishes in the better category and learn how to spruce up your food by adding some decoration!
Consider this: most food needs to be served in a bowl or on a platter at your holiday gig. Make that bowl or platter an unconventional item to add some interest to your dish! Making a fruit salad? Cut your watermelon in half lengthwise and carve out half, making sure that the melon sits steadily on a flat surface. If it doesn’t sit, cut a small flat surface on the watermelon. Then, simply fill it with the fruit salad for a really interesting presentation!

If you’re making something like KFC Cole Slaw use some of the original ingredients to spruce up the top of the dish! Create a border around the dish with your extra grated carrots, or make an elaborate design in the center using the carrots and a few springs of fresh parsley. Use what you have in your garden or fridge to fashion a centerpiece that will have your guests thinking you’re a pro.

For dessert, we recommend something like Deluxe French Silk Pie but this tip can be used for even simpler desserts like ice cream or brownies. Use chocolate (milk, dark, white… whatever you want) as a garnish! Carefully run a knife along the edge of a chocolate bar to form a small curl. This will take practice, but you can achieve amazing curls with which to decorate any sundae, pie, or baked treat!

Remember, just be creative! If you have an extra pepper after you make Salsa Mexicana, use strips to make a sun or fireburst! It’s often good to think of a simple pattern and try to make it. Just use what you already have at home in the theme of your dish, and you’ll be wowing guests with your attention to detail and awesome skills!