Why Overthinking Your Snack Board Is A Big Mistake

The snack board may well be the most inclusive, versatile way to serve up practically anything you can imagine. It serves equally well at a Superbowl party and for a summertime poolside nibble. Snack boards can be customized for a weeknight dinner for kids and adults alike, and they're also perfect for accompanying a flight of fancy-pants wine for connoisseurs. Snack boards can be laden with foods from any cuisine on the planet, and they're a fun way to serve up both delicacies and humble, everyday fare, sometimes even on the same platter.

In fact, there's really only one way to mess up your snack board, and that's by overthinking it. Perhaps the single biggest mistake you can make when assembling your snack board is to think it requires a shopping trip. Because a snack board is meant to offer up interesting combinations of flavors and textures, most home kitchens already contain plenty of options for a tempting array with no grocery list required. Snack boards don't have rigid rules, which makes them ideal for using up odds and ends in your refrigerator or pantry.

Snack boards invite us to create a variety of delectable bites and combinations of flavors, and they can also serve as a means of reducing food waste. Two slices of bread left? Toast them up and cut them into cute triangles that not only look appetizing but also make the most of the tail end of a loaf of bread. The last few kalamata olives in a jar can serve as a complement to the final portion of deliciously crystallized aged gouda cheese. The last few stalks of celery in your crisper can be trimmed and sliced for crunchy fresh veggies to scoop up the last half-cup of your homemade hummus. Find yourself with three nearly-empty boxes of crackers? Consider it an assortment and serve them up for a snack board array with plenty of flavorful choices. 

When you're assembling your snack board, don't forget to shop your kitchen for condiments as well. The last few tablespoons of maple syrup can add just the right hint of sweetness to sharp cheddar and toasted almonds. Spicy mustard that you made for one recipe can find a home on your snack board too, adding a kick to your other kitchen finds. Building a snack board is one of the best ways to find a fresh perspective on the foods you already have on hand, making them not just delicious, but also cost-effective.