If you hosted or attended any holiday gatherings as 2016 came to a close, chances are good you enjoyed the ultimate convenience: a ready-to-serve party tray.
The party tray concept is more convenient than ever. Although you can still order a party tray from your favorite grocery or deli and many restaurants, grab-and-go options are proliferating. For example, Hormel Foods, based in Austin, Minn., now offers nearly a dozen stock-keeping units in its Gatherings brand. Three relatively recent additions to the Gatherings line, Culinary Pairings, combine dried fruit, nuts and cheese with slices of Italian dry salami, sopressata or hot sopressata. The rest of the Gatherings lineup consists of two party trays with two meats and two cheeses plus crackers, a larger Supreme Party Tray and five smaller snack trays. When the party starts, each rectangular tray doubles as a serving platter.