when you see images of all the beautifully arranged boards out there, the idea of making a one for your toddler can seem a little daunting at first glance. our goal in sharing toddler charcuterie is to not only make mealtime easier but also a go-to meal choice in your home.

a board doesn’t have to be specialty ingredients (though sometimes encouraged) when enjoyed with the youngest members of your family. a few things we usually keep on hand that you may already commonly have right now in your pantry or fridge may also be the beginnings or finishing touches of a board.

a simple start can be apples, cheese, a salty cracker, a drizzle of hummus or honey + a new food added in for color + variety–perhaps a vegetable you’ve been trying to introduce! a few items we always have on hand, are the building blocks anytime we need to throw a board together oftentimes the key to making a board an easy meal option!

• apples
• wheat thins
• cucumbers
• carrots
• honey
• hummus
• pickles
• cheese
• ritz crackers
• goldfish

these ingredients are in no way the only options used to create a board, but we have found them to be our tried + true favorites that will disappear from the arrangement every time.

one tip we’ve found that helped us get started, is taking a simple drive-thru order of chicken nuggets + pairing them with any of these staple items to round out a meal that otherwise would have been supplemented with fries + juice, with the only vegetable in sight being ketchup. this is our go-to board on a busy week night, planned or improvised!

if you want to begin serving boards, start here.