Several years ago, I was wandering the aisles of the local Airman’s Attic when I saw an old, five-section, chip and dip plate. At that moment, “The Snack Plate” became ours. Pea green and painted with palm trees, it was not exactly eye-catching kitchenware. But this lackluster plate became our ultimate summer snack hack. Its magic is multifaceted, easing snack time woes for both kids and parents.
The Snack Plate is essentially a kid friendly charcuterie board. Put simply, it is fun! Plates and bowls are used so frequently that when a different way of serving food is used, the novelty brings excitement to the experience. Even an old chip plate. To add to the fun, the plate is loaded with a variety of snacks, but the sections keep them from touching! Kids love to pick their own snacks, and with multiple options, each child can choose what they want to eat from the plate. They also get to decide how much they want to eat. Over the years, I have found that my kids are more likely to choose and eat fruit and vegetables when they’re offered alongside an Oreo or potato chips. This one plate transformed snack time into a fun opportunity to foster independence and practice listening to their bodies for signs of feeling full.
For parents, the Snack Plate eases the burden of preparing and serving the snack. Though I still fill the plate with multiple snacks, I am only preparing one plate. For some reason, this seems easier to me. I don’t have to decide how much to give each child. I don’t have to remember what each person wanted. I don’t have to worry about my kids’ friend’s particular food preferences. I don’t get frustrated when my youngest sees her sister with animal crackers and suddenly realizes she also wants animal crackers (even though she promised she did not…) My mental load is lighter because my job as the preparer is to make one plate and set it on the table.
At first glance, offering multiple options for a snack seems like it would be more costly. But actually, the opposite is true. I would guess that your pantry, like mine, has multiple bags of chips, graham crackers, etc. that are almost empty. There definitely isn’t enough for a full snack, but it also seems wasteful to throw it away. When you put these together on the snack plate, they become part of something bigger. Opportunities are truly endless when it comes to the Snack Plate. I like to include at least one fresh fruit or veggie, something salty, something sweet, something chewy, something crunchy and maybe a dip. I aim to hit both nutritional and sensory needs so that everyone is happy. The Snack Plate helps you clear out your pantry and fridge by using what you have, reducing both waste and cost.
This summer, we upgraded our snack plate, but the dingy original will always hold a special place in our house. It may seem silly that a simple plate brought peace to our table. But if you are a parent of young kids, you understand feeling overwhelmed by endless summertime snacking, or like you may scream the next time you hear “Can I have a snack?” Try making a Snack Plate. You won’t regret it.
