These Two Old-Fashioned Serving Dishes Can Make or Break Any Southern Occasion

When hosting family and friends, it's easy to feel stressed about making sure everything is perfect, down to the very last detail, from freshly cut flowers on the counter to tables set to-the-nines. Luckily, the food alone handles more than half the battle of Southern hosting, and how that food is served can affect the success of a spread. Every dish—whether appetizer, casserole, or dessert—has its rightful serving counterpart, especially when it comes to distinct Southern recipes.

Really, what's a holiday meal without including time-honored traditions like divinity served in a cookie tin, chowchow sitting pretty in the relish tray, and a pre-softened stick in a covered butter dish? Above all, Southerners will never turn down a well-stocked deviled egg platter, no matter if on Easter, July Fourth, or Christmas Day.

Deviled eggs find their way onto our tables for reasons aplenty and can always rise to the occasion. The bite-sized staple can be dressed up or left casual, but there's no questioning that deviled eggs need to travel and be served with care. Because these suckers—albeit delicious and oh-so creamy—are more slippery than Crisco on a doorknob and less than ideally shaped to sit politely on just any tray.

For the first, you need a reliable deviled egg carrier. For the latter, you need a go-to deviled egg tray. While many obtain these very necessary serving pieces when their mothers or grandmothers graciously pass down their own, you can never have too many backups. The last thing you need is a clumsy disaster in the car ruining your hard work, nor do you ever want to see Uncle Ted accidentally slipping his finger into the pale yellow dollop of a neighboring egg while sneaking his third one before the meal has even started.

The perfectly shaped dips and grooves of a deviled egg platter keep those bites of creamy, paprika-topped goodness in check and prettily displayed. If you're in the market, go for our guide of the Prettiest Deviled Egg Trays To Shop Now. It's got everything from nostalgic patterns to classic options that go with any season.

When it comes to transporting your deviled eggs from point A to point B, a traveling deviled egg carrier is a must. Invest in this two-layer, stackable carrier that holds two dozen eggs. It even comes with removable egg trays, making it useful for different dishes.

While these two pieces will make serving your deviled eggs a breeze, we can't guarantee you'll be admiring your work for long. Deviled eggs disappear mighty quick at any Southern event.