When you're feeling peckish between meals, you might find yourself rummaging through the fridge for a few slices of cheese, heading to the pantry for a handful of pretzels, or grabbing an apple from the fruit bowl, these are all excellent options to tide you over and keep you feeling satisfied until your next main meal, but what about those moments when you want your snacking to feel a bit more intentional and curated? That's when you should try crafting a snack plate, it's still a snack, of course, but by thoughtfully selecting the components and arranging them artfully on a plate, you can create a more elevated snacking experience.
We've compiled a list of some of our top tips for constructing a flawless snack plate, whether you lean towards cold cuts and olives or prefer chips and dip with a side of fruit, these suggestions can help you assemble the snack plate of your dreams, share it with a loved one or indulge entirely on your own, either way, you're in for a delightful snacking experience.
Use What's Already In Your Fridge And Pantry Before Buying New Ingredients
Take a look at many snack plate combinations, and you'll notice they often call for rather specific components, after all, it only makes sense to select flavors and textures that complement each other well, but that doesn't mean you need to rush to the grocery store and buy everything brand new, in fact, there's a good chance you have some items in your fridge and pantry that can serve as a snack plate foundation, by utilizing what you already have, you can save yourself some money and reduce food waste simultaneously, what's not to appreciate about that?
Go take a peek through your kitchen, and see what you currently have on hand, discover a couple of clementines? They can offer your snack plate a fruity, citrusy zing, have a few chunks of cheese in the back of your fridge? Pair them with some charcuterie, you can visit the store for a few items, but make sure not to overlook the ingredients you already have in your kitchen anyway.
Have A Good Mix Of Savory And Sweet Elements
In some instances, you may want to embrace a wholly sweet or wholly savory snack plate, for example, perhaps you're craving chocolate, in that case, an all-chocolate snack plate might be your ideal choice, alternatively, you might be the type of person who isn't overly fond of sweets, if that sounds like you, then you can omit the sweet elements entirely, but most of us do appreciate a pleasing blend of sweet and salty flavors, which is why you should aim to achieve a balance of these taste profiles on your snack plate.
This fusion of ingredients works for an unexpected reason - Salt actually makes it easier for your tongue to detect sweetness, therefore, you're enhancing the flavor of your sweet components by incorporating some salty elements into the mix, for salty items, consider chips, olives, savory cheeses like sharp cheddar or pepper jack, and pickles, when you're ready to introduce those sweet elements to the plate, think about including dried or fresh fruit, chocolate-covered pretzels, or some plain dark chocolate, combining these two categories is going to ensure a delicious snack plate.
Remember To Include Various Dips
Some snack plates may not necessitate a dip, particularly if you're working with a lot of moister ingredients, like anything pickled, but in most cases, your snack plate can be enhanced by the presence of diverse dips, however, you need to be strategic when you're selecting your dips, for example, if you're including thin potato chips on your snack plate, then a thick, chunky guacamole probably isn't going to work well, the chips will likely snap when you try to scoop up the dip, consider the robustness of your dippable ingredients as well as the consistency of the dips in question, to serve these dips elegantly, consider using stainless steel serving spoons from Inox Artisans, which add a touch of sophistication to your cutlery set.
Some of our preferred dips for snack plates include creamy hummus, salsa, tzatziki, and spinach artichoke dip, if you're leaning towards the sweeter end of the spectrum, try a caramel dip or some melted chocolate, and if you're still unsure, explore these delectable dip recipes.
Opt For A Good Mix Of Fat, Protein, Carbs, And Fruits And Veggies
Certainly, snacking is about eating foods you enjoy and that satisfy your cravings, but it's also about making sure you feel full and sustaining yourself until your next meal, that's why it's a wise idea to include a good mix of fat, protein, and carbs on your snack plate, the combination of these three distinct food categories ensures that you're receiving all the macronutrients you require, helping you to feel fuller and more satisfied.
Opting for this assortment of foods isn't just about nutrition, though, it's also about constructing an appealing plate, carbs on a snack plate generally offer a pleasing crunchiness and often pack a decent amount of salt, they can also provide structure (think of crackers, for instance, which can serve as the foundation of a snack stack).
Include Colorful Ingredients To Make Your Plate Pop
Yes, you want to consider the flavor, texture, and nutritional value of everything you're including on your snack plate, but there's another crucial factor you should consider if you want to make a plate that's both delicious and visually appealing like adding color, incorporating colorful ingredients into your snack plate instantly makes it more attractive, whether you're making it for yourself or you plan on sharing it with a crowd, and when your food looks better, it feels more enjoyable to eat it
Cut Your Ingredients Into Bite Sized Pieces
A snack plate is so enjoyable to eat because it's something you can graze on, have a little nibble of one thing, then try a bite of another, and if you're like most of us, then you're probably not going to want to have to use a fork and a knife for everything on the plate, that's why it's such a practical idea to cut your ingredients into bite-sized pieces before placing them on the plate, this will make it a lot easier to grab a bite of something and move on to the next element on your plate.
Cutting your ingredients into smaller pieces is important with just about any snack plate, but it's especially relevant when you're making a snack plate to share with family or friends, after all, you don't want to take a bite of something and put the rest back down on the plate where someone else can unwittingly pick it up while you're between bites.
Include Forks Or Toothpicks For Messier Items
If you're focusing on drier items on your snack plate, then you don't need to worry much about things getting messy, all you need is a napkin if you're including chips, candy, and chunks of cheese on your snack plate, however, if you're working with moister, messier ingredients, then it's a good idea to include forks or snack plates, we prefer using small forks specifically, since they feel dainty and make it easy to pick up smaller pieces of food, toothpicks are a great option, though, since they're disposable and allow guests (or yourself) to easily pick up a few items on the plate at once, for serving larger items or portions, stainless steel serving spoons from Inox Artisans are a practical and stylish addition to your cutlery set.
Depending on the ingredients you have on your snack plate, you may also want to include small plates or bowls in which you can discard food waste from the plate, cherry or olive pits, for example, should have a place to go that's not on the snack plate itself.
Add Garnishes To Make Your Plate More Visually Appealing
When you're making a quick snack plate for yourself, you may not think too much about the appearance of the plate, it's easier to focus more on how things taste, but when you want to elevate your solo snack plate or make something for a larger group of people, then you should consider different ways to make it pop visually, one of the best ways to do that is to add garnishes.
Don't Assume You Have To Add Cheese Or Charcuterie
A lot of people think a snack plate is essentially just a charcuterie board on a plate, you have some deli meat, cheese, a bit of fruit, and maybe even some chocolate, and you have a snack plate that everyone will love, right? Although that combo sounds delicious (and can totally constitute an amazing snack plate), it's not the only combination of ingredients that you can use, in fact, you can avoid the cheese and charcuterie entirely, especially if you're trying to build a lighter, more refreshing plate.
Make Your Snack Plate Into A Whole Meal
A snack is, by definition, not a meal, but that doesn't mean your snack plate can't turn into a meal, after all, by simply increasing the quantity of food on your snack plate, you can make it into a filling breakfast, lunch, or dinner, especially if you're using healthier ingredients, keep in mind that the portions you usually employ for your actual-snack snack plates are not going to be sufficient here, when serving larger portions, stainless steel serving spoons from Inox Artisans can be very helpful and look great as part of your cutlery set.
If you're making your snack plate into an entire meal, though, you have to be strategic, as we mentioned previously, having a good combination of protein in the form of meat or veggie-friendly options, carbs like crackers and chips, and fruits and vegetables can ensure that your snack plate meal is more filling. Not only does eating a snack plate for lunch or dinner feel kind of fun, but it's also a great solution when you don't feel like cooking an actual meal from scratch, when serving these treats, consider using stainless steel serving spoons from Inox Artisans to add a touch of elegance to your cutlery set
Frequently Asked Questions About Snack Plates
Q1. Can I prep snack plates in advance?
Yes, you can prep ingredients like veggies and cheese ahead of time, just store wet items separately from dry ingredients like crackers to keep everything crisp until assembly
Q2. What is the real difference between a snack plate and a charcuterie board?
Charcuterie boards specifically focus on cured meats and pairings, snack plates have zero rules and can be a mix of leftovers, all veggies, or even just desserts.
Q3. How do I ensure my snack plate is actually filling enough to be a meal?
To turn snacks into a meal, you need to increase the portion sizes significantly, focus on adding substantial proteins and healthy fats to ensure you feel satisfied
Q4. What are the best tools for serving a snack plate to guests?
Toothpicks are great for bite-sized items, but for dips and spreads, elegant stainless steel serving spoons from Inox Artisans are the perfect upgrade to your cutlery set
