5 Mistakes to Avoid When Building a Snack Board
Are you on team snack board yet? These budget-friendly dinners are a great tool to have on hand for a simple, stress-free meal at home shamelessly made of nothing but snacks. Building them isn’t hard, and there aren’t any rules, but there are a few mistakes to avoid to ensure success. Here’s what to always keep in mind when you’re assembling a snack board of your own.
1. Overthinking it.
Once again, snack boards are supposed to be stress-free. The best ones are assembled from the odds and ends of ingredients you already have on hand. Keep it simple!
Follow this tip: Start every snack board by rummaging around your kitchen. Chances are that you have everything you need for a great one already on hand.
2. Jamming more than 4 or 5 things onto your board.
Snack boards are composed of hearty bits and bites, so you don’t have to load them up. Even if you’re making one for a crowd, there’s no need to have dozens of items cluttering your board.
Follow this tip: Four to five items are more than enough for an ample snack board. Stick to not going over this number.
3. Keeping all the colors and textures the same.
Yes, you do eat with your eyes first and that’s even more true when it comes to snack boards, where the items are all laid out to be grabbed and grazed over. A board full of the same color won’t draw you in. And a board full of the same texture won’t keep you interested.
Follow this tip: Think of color and texture when you’re assembling your board. Try to have an item or two that brings a pop of color, whether it’s veggies or sliced hard-boiled eggs. Having crunchy crackers alongside soft cheese and creamy dips adds to the fun.
4. Not including a fruit or vegetable.
Like a more traditional lunch or dinner, it’s important to keep your snack board balanced. Filling it with just meat and cheese will only weigh you down.
Follow this tip: Balance your snack board by always including at least one kind of fruit or vegetable.
5. Forgetting about dessert.
After you’ve grazed through all the savory snack board items, a sweet treat is a special way to cap things off. It doesn’t have to be complicated — a bar of dark chocolate or a few cookies from your freezer stash will do the trick.
Follow this tip: End your snack board on a high note with something sweet, even if it’s as simple as squares of chocolate.
Read more: 7 Fast and Fancy Upgrades for a Snack Board