When you think of charcuterie boards, fancy dinner parties may come to mind, but you don’t need a special occasion to make any meal or snack into a board. Pick a meal and deconstruct it to its essential parts with a focus on using a variety of flavors and textures.
A snack board is also a fun, way to present picky eaters with fruits, veggies, or a new food. Having choices empowers kids to put what they want on their plate and explore new flavors.
If you’re looking to shake up the dinner routine or put a playful spin on dessert, here are five ways to rethink charcuterie.
Lunchtime Board
A traditional charcuterie board puts the focus on meats and cheeses. To make this into a more nutrient-dense lunch, limit the meat and cheese to 2-3 choices and amp up the fruits and veggies. Add fresh, crunchy green beans and carrot sticks with hummus or a creamy dressing for dipping. Grapes, berries, and dried fruits work well for added sweetness. Include whole wheat crackers, nuts, and a few antipasti choices like olives and artichokes. It’s easy to put together, and you don’t have to turn on the oven. The best part is everyone will happily graze the way they want.
Breakfast Board
Imagine everything you love about breakfast on one big tray. Sounds like heaven! Try a board with small pancakes and waffle sticks with a few different syrup flavors to sample. To prevent a total carb and sugar overload, add hard-boiled eggs, or egg cups, chicken sausages, and fruit. Oranges, berries, grapefruit wedges, and melon all make delicious choices for a vibrant breakfast board.
Movie Night Board
If movie nights are a regular event in your house, try this twist on the usual bowl of popcorn. Create a snack board of popcorn, dried and fresh fruits, nuts, pretzels, and movie theatre candies. Your movie-goers can fill a small bowl with their favorite choice or create a yummy snack mix. You can even make your gourmet popcorn and candied nuts at home with our Electric Pop & Stir!
S'mores Board
It’s fun to say and fun to eat. Toast up some marshmallows ahead of time and load up your board with graham crackers and little chocolate bars. You can get adventurous with tons of decadent add-in and flavor combinations. Did someone say peanut butter-banana s’mores?
Call it a platter, a snack board, or charcuterie, it doesn’t matter because this style of eating gives you a ton of creative options. So why wait for a party to set out a spread? It’s one of the easiest, no-fuss meals or snacks you can put together. Share your beautiful (or simply delicious) snack board creations using #letsgetcooking. We can’t wait to see what you come up with!
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