This is LIFE CHANGING! As we began the journey of swapping out crummy foods in the pantry for fresh, healthy alternatives we had to get down-right creative to get our kiddo's trying new flavors and textures. Enter....Kids Charcuterie Boards.
My kids are always STARVING...yes, STARVING mid-morning, right after school, about 30 minutes after dinner and again infamously at bedtime. A few years ago I was introduced to charcuterie boards as they quickly became all the rage at weddings (we previously owned a wedding venue). If you have not heard of charcuterie boards, they're not only a delicious way to eat, but they're gorgeous too! Charcuterie boards are usually filled with prepared meats, along with cheese, nuts, fruits and other food or spreads that compliment one another. After enjoying many a gorgeous boards from Savory 'N Sweet, I began making and enjoying them at home too. I'd make myself a small board in the evenings when I had the late-night munchies or for lunch when I didn't have much else in my kitchen.
Around this same time our family was embarking on a new way of thinking about the food we eat. Our goal was to fuel our bodies with the amazing variety that God has given us through real, fresh food. That also meant that our palettes that enjoyed processed, pre-packaged, unhealthy food had to begin to change. This was not only hard for us, but it was hard for the kids too. Then, it dawned on me that I could turn my kids incessant need to snack into an opportunity to introduce new foods without them even realizing it was healthy. I had always considered charcuterie boards a beautiful way for adults to enjoy fun and new flavors, but now saw how using the same ideas could entice my kids to enjoy new flavors.
We will share a lot more about this idea on our upcoming podcast. We will speak with true experts to get us thinking strategically about the foods we put on our kids charcuterie boards, but you don't have to wait to try out this idea at home!
Pull out a snack tray or a large plate and pile it on. Be sure to fill it with foods your kids already enjoy, then add a few new ones too. When making my kids' charcuterie boards the goal is for everything to be fuel. And then....I wait...
Their favorites disappear in an instant, but each time they pass the tray over the next 1-2 hours, they grab something new. This tray was wiped clean of the strawberries and cashews within the first 15 minutes. I left it out for them to enjoy as I started cooking dinner. It's funny how as they began to smell dinner cooking they come back around with tummy's growling and began grabbing items that didn't entice them before. I think only 1-2 asparagus stems were left, so I enjoyed them. Sometimes the foods I am introducing don't get eaten at all...that's okay. My goal is for them to slowly cultivate their palette and try new things rather than make food a constant battle.
Stay tuned as we do a whole series on Cultivating Your Palette and I'll share my favorite kids charcuterie staples. If you want to eat food as medicine too, we hope this will encourage you to see it as an adventurous and fun new way of trying new foods that are fresh and healthy for the whole family!