The Simple Way To Keep Your Deviled Eggs Cold At Any Party

When Easter time rolls around, we're on an egg hunt. Forget the plastic ones hidden under the bed — we want hard-boiled egg halves, filled with a creamy mayo, mustard, and pickle juice filling, topped with a light dusting of paprika. When you're serving deviled eggs to a crowd, the last thing you want to do is keep them hidden — after all, how will anyone know to eat them if they're cowering in the fridge? But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that eggs go in the fridge after sitting out for two hours, or after one hour if you're in a backyard where it's above 90 degrees Fahrenheit. So what can you do?

You can, of course, place them on a plate on top of a bowl of ice. There is also such a thing as an egg platter specifically made to be on ice, like this one from Amazon. And while these devices may be useful and effective, they're not exactly aesthetically pleasing. After spending all that time making your deviled eggs look pretty, try this tip to make their resting place photo-worthy too.

To keep your deviled eggs ice cold and looking fresh, follow these steps: First, place your bag of ice in a serving container like you normally would. Then, arrange big butter lettuce leaves over the top of the ice so that it gets covered completely, and let them serve as a plate of sorts for your deviled eggs. When your guests arrive, all they'll see are Instagram-worthy eggs — they'll never know there's a mountain of ice beneath.

In fact, this clever hack can keep any of your appetizers cool and photogenic. So whether you're serving crostini, whipped feta dip, or creamy dill potato salad, you can place your apps on top of lettuce-covered ice to make them look as appealing as they taste (just make sure to put any dips in a bowl, of course). To ensure max cooling, you can also try chilling your bowls ahead of time or serving food in small batches, rotating them in and out of the fridge. And if you really have time to think ahead, you can make a solid rectangle of ice by letting water freeze overnight in a disposable aluminum pan.

But to keep it simple, just grab a head of butter lettuce the next time you make deviled eggs, and you should have all you need for a cold and pretty serving tray.

Static Media owns and operates Tasting Table and Mashed.