how to build the ultimate kid friendly snack platter lunch

Snack platter lunches are one of my favorite ways to serve up a variety of foods.  Today I’m sharing how to build the ultimate kid friendly snack platter lunch.  It’s a balanced way to make food super fun!

Are you ready for an exciting lunch?  One that’s fantastic for both kids and adults?  I sure am!  I love a good snack platter lunch, and my kids do too.  Maybe it’s the fact that they can grab what they want (which is always everything I serve up).  I find having foods served in a snack platter form gives them the power of choice, which then just makes it more fun and they feel in control of their meal.

I am all about giving kids the power to make their own decisions, and this is a great place to start!

How to build the ultimate kid friendly snack platter lunch

First let’s start with the basics – what to serve this lunch on?  A simple large open platter will work, but I love my divided serving platter.  We got it close to 10 years ago from target as a wedding gift, so I’m not sure if the exact one is still available.  If you like the idea of having a center spot for dip + 4 open sections for the other foods, check out this similar serving platter.

Five foods to include in your snack platter lunch

Let’s build a snack platter lunch!  I build mine with 5 basic categories: a dip/sauce, a protein, a vegetable, a fruit, a cracker/chip

Dip/Sauce

For my center section I love to add a dip or sauce.  This makes vegetables more interesting, and my kids just LOVE to dip foods.  For them the combination doesn’t have to make sense… like watermelon in ketchup… yum?  Kids are funny.

Dips and sauces to try out: hummus, homemade (or not) ranch, dressings, bleu cheese dip, roasted red pepper sauce, tzatziki, chimichurri, peanut sauce, guacomole, ketchup or mustard.

Protein

I like to make sure every snack platter gives the option to have a balanced meal filled with protein, carbohydrate and fat.  Protein gets it’s own section.

Protein choices to try out: chicken sausages, lunch meat rolls, leftover meats from previous dinners (steak bites, chicken strips, shredded pork, drumsticks), cheese, beans or tuna.

Vegetable

Vegetables are the perfect vessile for that yummy dip you add.  I usually keep it easy with fresh vegetables, but sauted vegetables or even pickles vegetables would be fantastic too!

Vegetables choices to try out: cucumber slices, celery stick, grape tomatoes, radish sticks, baby carrots, zucchini sticks, lettuce leaves, bell pepper strips, jicama sticks, pickles, roasted mushrooms, fresh mushroom slices or pickled carrots.

Fruit

My kids love fruit, and so do I!  It’s a simple carbohydrate source to add to their plates, and tastes delicious!

Fruit choices to try out: apples, watermelon, kiwi, banana, all varieties of berries, pear, oranges, grapefruit, cherries, mango, pomegranate seeds or grapes.

Cracker/chip

Just like vegetables, crackers and chips are fun to dip in.  Plus anytime we have crackers out the kiddos go wild for them, so it’s an easy win.  If crackers and chips aren’t your thing, think outside the box – roasted potatoes, plantains, roasted sweet potatoes.  Make it work for you!

Cracker/chip choices to try out: rice crackers, nut/seed crackers, whole grain crackers, food should taste good chips, vegetable chips, plantain chips, tortilla chips, toast strips or roasted plantains/potatoes/sweet potatoes.

My favorite part about a snack platter lunch?  You can use whatever you have on hand, and build some new choices each and every time!  I hope you feel inspired to give a snack platter lunch a go!

I would LOVE to hear how you would build your snack platter lunch.  If you share a picture on Instagram tag me so I can see it (@fitmamarealfood)! 

Heather