Kid-Friendly Charcuterie Board

I love simple traditions the gather the family and this year we've begun Sunday lunches that look just like this.  In the past I used this board to create a build-your-own-bruschetta bar and for Luke's blessing we used it to create a build-your-own grilled cheese.  Naturally it morphed into a charcuterie board.  Each week it shifts a bit, but we always keep it kid-friendly. 

I love to include cucumber wedges and hummus for dipping along with all sorts of berries and grapes on the vine.  We've made it enough that my kids can really help put it together.  They pull all the ingredients, I chop anything that needs chopping and then they help arrange.

This past week I made a big one when they had half day at school & I knew friends would be in and out all day.  I'm always a little surprised when friends are over and it's lunch time & I give them a few options...this one always gets picked.  To keep the dips separated from the rest, I use little dishes.  It makes the board stay relatively tidy and makes for an easier clean up.

To make your own, be sure you include things that you know your kids love.  Max loves pistachios so we almost always grab some of those.  Liv loves a Colby-cheddar mix, so we get that & Zack always eats all the blackberries.

Here's what usually makes our list:

strawberries
grapes on the vine
raspberries
balckberries
honey-roasted cashews
pistachios
cucumber wedges
hummus
sliced baguettes
your favorite deli meat, just roll it up fancy & your kids will be all over it
tomato basil wheat thins
mozarella pearls
ritz crackers
whole grain crackers
asiago cheese slices
almonds
pickles
black olives

Sometimes I even include apple slices + peanut butter to dip them in.  In my book, there really aren't any rules, so we switch it up quite a bit.

This time I included pretzel crisps with a cream cheese dip...quite possibly my favorite addition!  To make the dip just mix whipped cream cheese with some strawberry jam.  You'll want about a 3:1 ratio of cream cheese to jam -- an yes, I mean jam.  Perhaps you heard me on my IG stories refer to it as strawberry dressing. ha!  Glad so many caught me.

I found my board at Home Goods, but I like this one and this one too.  The bigger the better! I honestly use it multiple times a week to serve.