How to Build the Ultimate Snack Board
The holiday season is here! Learn how to make a balanced, Instagram-worthy snack board that will have your friends and family drooling this year.
What is a Snack Board?
A snack board is basically like a charcuterie board which is traditionally an assortment of cured meats, cheese, and maybe some pickles, jams and/or fruits.
A snack board is similar to charcuterie, but not always as fancy (in my opinion). It still contains a variety of finger-foods and snack-y options, including meats and cheeses if you wish. Really, your snack board can be as fancy or as simple as you want it to be.
Today I’ll be sharing my formula and must-haves for building a show-stopping, delicious and balanced snack board.
What to Serve a Snack Board on:
The first thing you need to make a snack board is, well, a serving board! Or at least some form of serving plate, wood cutting board, or tray.
For my own, I like to use a marble serving board that I purchased in the home section of my local grocery store. I have also used a wood serving board or even a large wood cutting board in the past.
The size of the serving board that you choose will depend on how large you want your snack board to be and how many people you’re serving. The board pictured on this post served approximately 4-6 people.
Ingredients for a Healthy Snack Board:
These are just some ingredient recommendations and ideas for your balanced snack board. Feel free to get creative, use what you have on hand, and have fun with it!
Fruits and Vegetables
- Grapes
- Berries (Blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, raspberries)
- Apple slices
- Pear slices
- Dried fruit (dried apricots, mango, cranberries, raisins)
- Sliced bell pepper
- Sliced cucumber
- Sliced carrots
- Broccoli and cauliflower florets
- Cherry tomatoes
Meats and Cheese
- Prosciutto, salami, soppressata or other cured meats
- Ham, turkey, pepperoni or other deli meats
- Hard cheeses like gouda, sharp cheddar and bleu cheese
- Soft cheeses like brie and goat cheese
Bread and Crackers
- Sliced baguette
- Assorted crackers like Triscuits, rice crackers, etc.
- Pretzels or pretzel crackers
- Pita chips
Dips and Spreads
- Jam or preserves (I love fig jam and red pepper jelly)
- Antipasta
- Hummus
- Salsa or pico de gallo
- Guacamole
Protein-Packed Extras
- Roasted nuts and seeds (almonds, cashews, pumpkin seeds)
- Candied nuts (pecans, walnuts)
- Chocolate-covered nuts (almonds, peanuts)
- Roasted chickpeas, edamame, or crunchy lentils
How to Build a Snack Board:
Now that we know what to add to our delicious board, let’s talk about how to assemble it.
Step 1: Add structure with bowls
Grab some mini bowls or mason jars. Fill them with your dip, spreads and some protein-packed extras. Arrange them on your board so that you can place other finger foods around them.
Step 2: Add large items like meat, cheese and crackers
Start by arranging the meats and cheeses around the bowls filled with dips, spreads and protein extras. Then slip your crackers or bread among the bowls, meats and cheeses. Let the crackers topple over and get a bit messy, it’s what makes these boards beautiful!
Step 3: Add fruit, vegetables and herbs
Fill in the remaining gaps with fruit and vegetables. You can also add sprigs or herbs like thyme and rosemary – these look especially nice during the holiday season. Once the board is finished, set out some cheese knives and serving spoons so your guests can help themselves. Enjoy!
Oh, and don’t forget to snap a photo for the gram’ before you dig in! Cheers!
More Healthy Snacks/Appetizers You’ll Love:
How to Build a Snack Board
Ingredients
- fruits, like fresh blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, rasberries, sliced apples, sliced pears, grapes, dried apricots etc.
- fresh vegetables, like sliced cucumber, sliced bell pepper, sliced carrots, cherry tomatoes, snap peas, broccoli florets, etc.
- dip and/or spreads, like hummus, fig jam, antipasta, baba ghanoush, salsa or pico de gallo, guacamole, etc.
- bread and crackers, like sliced baguette, pretzels or pretzel crackers, pita chips, tortilla chips, rice crackers, Triscuits, etc.
- meats, like prosciutto, salami, sopressata, ham, and other charcuterie or deli meats
- cheeses, like havarti, gouda, goat cheese, brie, sharp cheddar, bleu cheese, etc.
- protein-packed extras, roasted nuts, roasted chickpeas, chocolate-covreed nuts and dried fruit, crunchy lentils, roasted edamame, and more.
Equipment
- Serving board
- Cheese knives and small serving spoons
- Set of small bowls for dips, garnishes, etc.
Instructions
- Wash and dry produce. If appropriate, chop veggies into strips. Slice fruits, cheeses and meats as needed.
- Fill your small bowls first with your protein-packed add-ins, garnishes and dips/sauces. Arrange them on your serving board.
- Add the largest snack board elements first, like the meats and cheeses.
- Next, add the breads and crackers. Slip them among the various bowls, meats and cheeses.
- Finally, fill in the remaining gaps with your fruit and vegetables. Finish off the snack board with sprigs of herbs like thyme or rosemary (this looks especially nice for the holidays).
- If you have them, set out some cheese knives and serving spoons so your guests can help themselves!
Connect with Hannah Magee, RD!
Loved this post? Let me know in the comments!
Don’t forget to follow along on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest so you don’t miss a thing.
Thank you!!1
Anytime! Thanks for reading. 🙂