at first thought, it may be tricky to come up with a list of foods that are red, white or blue… but when you stop to think about the options, really there are quite a few. this is a shared board that we enjoy putting together for america’s birthday. i love it because it’s so festive + unique from most combinations. the fact remains that whenever we put food on a board, it presents a wonderful opportunity to create interest for new foods as well as an avenue to explore savoring our food instead of just shoveling it down. when we all slow down with our food experiences, we enjoy it more + it becomes less likely to overeat (so long as the board is proportionately sized).

when we make a board, whether an original, toddler charcuterie (mini size) or a larger, shared (family size) board, the food vanishes. today’s board may not be one of the healthiest we’ve put together (we really needed a few veggies here!), however there’s room to grow this one next time. the kids requested we put this (red, white + blue board) together + bonus, they helped place everything here. i love that their engagement with these meals is growing + hope to continue to share more ideas from them in the near future! a note: this was not intended to be a replica of an american flag. instead, we decided to group foods by color for this pattern + what we got reminds me more of the pattern you see on a windsock.

for now, enjoy the colors, textures + shapes we brought together here. hope you had a fun, festive day enjoying the things you love + appreciate about our country.

building blocks:
(serves 4-6)

(from top to bottom)
blueberries
blue potato chips (yes, naturally blue!)
blackberries
yogurt pretzels
raisin rosemary crackers
raspberries
dried cherries
gummy fish
strawberries, sliced + whole
red vines
snack crackers
wheat thins
goat cheese
white chocolate bar, divided
dried cranberries
mozzerella pearls
peanuts
pepperoni slices
salami slices

a few other items that would be at home on this board or used in place of other items:
hummus, pita chips, pita bread, red peppers, radishes, homegrown tomatoes, watermelon slices or stars!, rhubarb spread (why not?), twizzlers, other red, white + blue candies, blue tortilla chips, tomato salsa

directions: 
(5-10 minutes)

there are as many ways to put this board together as there are people with an idea how! for this board pictured, we started by discussing how we hoped it would look at the end. i wanted to include the kids + let them have most of the say on what went where, with my only suggestion being that we group the colors together to create a pattern of sorts.

additional suggestions for some variety: using a different shaped board (such as a circle), or scattering the red, white + blue colors throughout the spread. we create at least one red, white + blue board each year + it’s always a little different depending on the foods we choose as well as how we arrange them. ultimately, the usual board guidelines apply, choose a board/platter/dish/layout that accommodates the amount of food you are aiming to serve, with consideration for portion size per person ahead of purchasing your supplies + don’t skimp on what you are putting out. the key to making a great looking spread is not having any empty spaces– these shared boards are not for those who don’t like their food to touch…i like to think of this as “the cournucopia effect”. also this is one of the ways toddler charcuterie will eventually help your child ease into the concept of mixing foods on a plate + not being afraid to try those new items they maybe haven’t seen before or as often.

serve it up: makes sure everyone has a small dish or cutting board to place their selections from the main, shared board as this is good ettiquette for shared food items such as a board. once everything is set, place any extras or anticipated refills in a bowl or extra dishes for easy grabbing once the snacking has started + enjoy! our favorite part of shared boards is calling out + sharing the many combinations our family will taste + try out during our mealtime. we all savor the food + the time together a little more this way + i just LOVE seeing what our kids will eat when it’s served on a board.

when you serve your kids their next snack or meal on a board, please, won’t you tag us on instagram @porchesandpillowfights or @pencilandinkcreative ? we’re always excited to see the combinations you guys will come up with too!

as always, this board was TODDLER TASTED, PARENT APPROVED

happy birthday america!