Spring has a way of making us want to get outside. The doors are open. The sun is hanging around a little longer. Friends start appearing with the very casual, “Want to come over for a drink?” And suddenly you need something to put on the table.
Now, you could spend half your Saturday making complicated recipes, or you could take the much more sensible approach.
Buy good food. Put it on a platter. Let everyone help themselves.
Our favourite place to start?
Macadamias.
Here’s your fuss-free Nutworks shopping list for building a platter that feels generous, looks beautiful and, most importantly, is made from real food.
1. Start With the Star: Macadamias
Every good platter needs something that keeps people coming back. Enter the macadamia. They bring that unmistakable buttery flavour and satisfying crunch that makes them brilliant for grazing. For your spring platter, choose a couple of styles to give everyone something to discover.
Add to the trolley:
- Raw macadamias for that simple, creamy crunch
- Macadamias in shell – perfect for social events.
- Roasted macadamias for extra texture and flavour
- A seasoned variety for a little something different
- Around 30g per person if the platter is part of a larger spread
And don't be shy about putting a generous bowl right in the middle.
It won’t stay there for long.
2. Bring in the Fresh Stuff
This is where your platter starts looking like something you’d actually want to photograph. Think colourful, fresh and easy to pick up. Grab a selection of:
- Grapes
- Strawberries
- Blueberries
- Crisp apple or pear
- Carrot and cucumber sticks
- Cherry tomatoes
You don’t need every fruit and vegetable in the shop.
Three or four good choices are plenty.
The trick is variety. A little sweetness here. Something crisp there. Lots of colour. Suddenly, your snack table looks very clever indeed.
3. Add Something Creamy
Every great platter needs a little contrast. Something creamy works beautifully alongside the crunch of macadamias and fresh fruit and veg.
Try:
- Hummus
- Natural yoghurt dip
- Labneh
- A simple herb dip
Keep it uncomplicated. The whole point of this platter is that you can assemble it without turning the kitchen upside down.
4. A Little Something Savoury
Now we’re getting serious. Add one or two savoury elements to give the platter a bit more depth. Think:
- Olives
- Good-quality cheese
- Wholegrain crackers
- Sliced avocado
- Roasted vegetables
And here’s where you can have a little fun. Don’t feel like everything needs to match.
Crunchy. Creamy. Salty. Sweet. Fresh.
That’s what makes people keep reaching across the table.
5. Something Sweet — Without Going Overboard
You can absolutely have something sweet on the platter. Because real food doesn’t mean pretending you don’t enjoy dessert. A few squares of dark chocolate pair beautifully with macadamias, especially alongside fresh berries.
You could also add:
- Medjool dates
- Dried apricots
- Fresh figs when available
- A few squares of good-quality chocolate
The trick is to keep it as one part of the platter, rather than letting the sweet stuff take over. After all, we’re building a platter, not a lolly shop.
The Spring Nutworks Shopping List
Want to make it even easier? Screenshot this before your next grocery run.
The Crunch
- Macadamias
- Wholegrain crackers
The Fresh Stuff
- Strawberries
- Blueberries
- Grapes
- Apple or pear
- Carrot
- Cucumber
- Cherry tomatoes
The Creamy Stuff
- Hummus
- Natural yoghurt dip or labneh
The Savoury Stuff
- Cheese
- Olives
- Avocado
The Sweet Stuff
- Dark chocolate
- Medjool dates or dried fruit
That's your platter sorted. No complicated recipes. No twelve-step preparation. Just good food, a chopping board and about 15 minutes.
How to Build the Platter
Now for the fun bit. Start with your biggest items first. Put your bowl of macadamias somewhere central. Then add the cheese, dips and other larger pieces around it. Fill the gaps with fruit and vegetables. Scatter the smaller things around the edges. And don't worry about making everything perfectly symmetrical.
The slightly messy, abundant look is half the charm.
You want people to look at it and immediately think: Yep. I’ll have some of that.
The Real-Food Swap, Platter Style
There’s something else we love about a platter like this. It changes the way you think about snacking. Instead of opening packet after packet of highly processed snacks, you can put real food in the middle of the table and let everyone choose.
A handful of macadamias. Some fresh berries. A few crunchy vegetables. A little cheese. A square of dark chocolate.
It’s colourful. It’s social. It’s satisfying. And nobody needs to feel like they’re “being healthy”.
They’re just eating good food.
The best entertaining food doesn’t need to be complicated. In fact, we reckon the best kind is the food that lets you spend less time in the kitchen and more time around the table. So this Spring, keep it simple. Grab some Nutworks Australian-grown macadamias, fill the trolley with colourful real food, put it all on a platter and invite a few good people over.
That’s our kind of spring entertaining.
Fuss-free. Full of flavour. And just a little bit smug.
