Anyone tired of dishes? Need a break from cooking? Snack Boards may be the perfect solution for you and your family! Snack Boards have become a weekly tradition in our house, and something my girls love and look forward to. They are perfect for an easy Friday night or a hot summer day when no one feels like cooking or doing dishes! They are super easy and fun activity for the family to work on together. Once we’re no longer social distancing with our families, they’ll be not only crowd-pleasing but nutritious. Snack Boards are a great way to satisfy everyone’s tastes, provide choice, and are a fun way to get the kids involved in dinner prep, which is always a win.
Snack Board Ideas for Kids: Start With a Vision
I recommend starting with a large wooden cutting board or a cookie sheet. Then wash and cut all the fruits and veggies with kid friendly knives depending on age. Check out these or these if you are interested in purchasing some. For toddlers, ripping the lettuce and washing the produce is a great place to start. I like to make sure our board contains protein, veggies, fruit, starch, and healthy fats, all important parts of a balanced meal. The fun part is creating the boards, thinking about color, design, or maybe a theme. Try to find enough fruits and veggies to represent every color of the rainbow! This is a great way to encourage trying different fruits and veggies containing a variety of nutrients.
Snack Boards for Kids: Ingredient Ideas
I have included my favorite ingredients and a few of my favorite brands, as well as where I purchase them. Make sure to put any juicy fruit in bowls to prevent other foods from getting soggy. Have your children explore using different color and size bowls, if options are available. Creating boards is a great form of art and a fun challenge for the whole family. I would love to see your creations!
Protein:
Deli meat (I prefer Applegate or purchasing mine from Maine Meat, a local butcher shop in Kittery, Maine)
Goat or sheep cheese (Trader Joe’s)
Frozen Wild shrimp (Trader Joe’s)
Wild salmon salad with Primal Kitchen Mayo (Hannaford)
Cedars Hummus
Hard-boiled or deviled eggs
Veggies:
Nori for wraps
Romaine lettuce for wraps
Fermented veggies
Red, yellow, orange, or green peppers
Carrots
Cucumbers
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Green beans
Fruit:
Berries
Apples
Pears
Melon
Starch:
Simple Mills Almond Flour Crackers (Hannaford)
Lundberg Thin Stacker Rice Cakes (Hannaford or Market Basket)
Mini squares of gluten-free bread (I like Abigal’s Bakery Millet and Sweet Brown Rice bread at Hannaford in the fresh bread section)
Healthy Fats:
Primal Kitchen Ranch Dressing (Hannaford)
Avocado slices
Raw nuts and seeds (Trader Joe’s)
Looking to have your child become more comfortable in the kitchen and explore new foods in a fun, no-pressure environment? I run “Kids in the Kitchen” classes out of my home in Stratham, NH. While my classes are currently on hold, my two girls and I are having fun going live on Facebook Mondays at 1pm to do a short “Kids in the Kitchen” class. I hope to see you and your child virtually on Facebook or in my kitchen soon.
