Kid-Friendly Lunch Charcuterie Boards

I'm pretty sure charcuterie boards are still a trendy thing, and I for one am still very much all about it. I can get lost in the "charcuterie board" Pinterest rabbit hole, and there are so many pretty and creative-themed versions for holidays, birthdays, brunches, you name it.

Since my kids (along with the rest of the world) are stuck at home right now, they have an almost endless amount of hours to beg for snacks and lunch and dinner and ALL THE FOOD.  Combine this current predicament with the lack of a reliable grocery run (send me some eggs, please and thank you!) and I now have a really "fun" game to play all day with all of the hungry little people in my home.

Enter: Kid-Friendly Lunch Charcuterie Boards

I like this option for lunch because it allows me to:

1. Create a pretty meal that looks exciting enough to eat with whatever is in my fridge.

2. Save on clean-up and dishwashing as everything is on one platter (or in my case--cutting board)

3. Encourage good peer pressure as they all see each other eating off the same plate and can try new things together--when they see their siblings eating celery, for example, they are much more likely to try it (and like it) as well!

4. Easily take the entire tray outside for a picnic without multiple trips to get multiple plates. (It's the little things.)

5. It's also fun to make! I look forward to seeing what I can come up with each day and my kids are always excited to sit and talk about the foods for the day.

These have been such a huge hit this last week as we've embarked on our "home-all-day-every-day" schedule. My children have all tried new foods and I've had to cover my smirk a few times as they've expressed that they actually LIKE them! Mom for the win.

I make sure to include a meat or protein, cheese, grain, and a whole load of fruits and vegetables on each tray. I'm also not above using dips and have a few on every board I've made so far. I've been using what I had on hand this week but plan on mixing it up with some new ideas after I go to the grocery store this weekend.

Here are some foods that I think are great options for these boards:

Meats/Protein:

-Sliced ham/turkey
-Meatballs
-Little Smokies
-Slicked hot dogs
-Chicken nuggets
-Quesadillas
-Mini grilled cheese sandwiches
-Mini turkey or ham sandwiches
-Mini peanut butter sandwiches or crackers
-Nuts, almonds, cashews, etc.
-Hard boiled eggs

Grains:

-Bowtie pasta with pesto (to dip)
-Pretzels (my kids love Nutella for dipping)
-Ritz
-Triscuits
-Saltines
-Nut Thins
-Gold Fish
-Veggie Straws
-Cheerios
-Mini muffins (bran or banana are my favorites!)
-Popcorn

Cheese:

-Mini-sliced colby jack or cheddar cheese
-String cheese
-Laughing cow cheese wedges
-Cottage cheese (maybe mix in ranch dip mix for crackers!)

Fruits and Veggies:

-Broccoli
-Bell Peppers
-Celery
-Sugar Snap Peas
-Carrots
-Avacado
-Apple slices
-Orange slices
-Strawberries
-Blueberries
-Banana slices
-Grapes
-Dried fruit

For quick prep-- I usually slice all the fruits and veggies in advance (like when I get home from the grocery store) and store them in air tight storage containers in the fridge so that I can just grab them as needed.

I encourage any mom out there to try this idea for lunch (Or dinner! Or breakfast!) It really makes those long days with little ones a bit easier (and more fun for you, too!) What would you add to my list? I would love some more ideas!