#Ad My kids are tracking out of school very soon (they are on a year-round schedule, which means they have 5 short weeks for summer break).
We try to cram in a LOT when they are out of school because five weeks passes very quickly! And this summer, I am finally on top of my game.
I have the entire summer break planned out, including plenty of downtime to relax.
he kids don’t know the full “schedule,” but I like to keep one for my sanity so I know what we are doing most days. 🙂
I am trying to make my life as streamlined as possible, and my latest focus has been on meal planning. Ya’ll know how much I like a good weekly menu plan!
For our summer break, I’m planning the easiest, yet healthiest menu I can think of that the kids will still eat. LOL
I want to make a 7-day plan and simply repeat it every week of our five week break. That seems the easiest in my mind.
It can be difficult finding food that the whole family will eat without complaining, so I’m keeping it super simple.
I’d like to show you my first idea today – and that’s to create a really pretty SUMMER CHARCUTERIE BOARD for lunches!
#walmart #premium #crackers #premiumsaltinecrackers @walmart
KIDS CHARCUTERIE SNACK BOARD IDEA
A traditional charcuterie board has a big variety of meats & cheeses. I don’t know about your kids, but mine aren’t so fond of mystery meats or soft cheeses. They like specific types of cured meat + mostly hard cheeses.
So I played off their tendency to be picky and kept things simple!
THINGS TO PUT ON YOUR KID-FRIENDLY CHARCUTERIE BOARD
Kids charcuterie boards are easier to make than the ones for adults because they NEED to be simpler.
- The first thing I did was grab a cracker they like. I like to do a lot of our grocery shopping on the Walmart website, so I wanted something that I could easily find there. These Premium Saltine Crackers are always in stock + are my daughter’s favorite type of cracker, so I chose this classic cracker as my kid-friendly option.
- The next thing I did was add cashews and strawberries + grapes. You can never go wrong with a lot of fruit!
- After that I found a sweet treat for the tray – candied pineapple!
- Rolled up prosciutto & folded salami with two different types of cheese (muenster + cheddar) rounded out the tray.
Arrange the items neatly on a smaller board, by making your way around the board with a pile or row of each individual item. And that’s all you have to do!
PRO TIP: You can never have too many crackers in this situation, so make sure you have extra on hand in addition to what you have on the tray. We always run out of crackers before toppings!SANITY SAVER: If you can’t find the candied pineapple at the store, just grab any candied fruit you can find. Dried fruit could also work. Candied apricots and dried strawberries or apples are favorites in our home.
EASY SUMMER CHARCUTERIE BOARD – GREAT FOR PICKY EATERS!
What’s great about making this for lunches in the summer is that we can treat it like a picnic & eat it outside, but ALSO we can take advantage of the beautiful berries in season!
I made this in early summer, so I grabbed the freshest ever strawberries. If you make this later in the summer, then blackberries & blueberries are the perfect seasonal fruits!
I find that almost any kid will eat the fruit, crackers and cheese. That combo makes a great snack meal on it’s own, so if little kids eat the meat & nuts, even better! I consider that a bonus. 🙂
Because my kids have grown up eating snack meals like this for lunch, they are used to the selection, so they will eat it ALL.
Even if you have a younger child who boycotts most foods, keep trying at it, Mama!
Even the pickiest eaters will eventually learn to like most foods that they are reintroduced to over and over again.
SIMPLE OPTION FOR COOKOUTS & SUMMERTIME PARTIES
My first rule for food in summer months is that if we can eat it outside, we will!
I think when the weather is warm, eating outside is a great plan because it results in zero dinner cleanup (other than the prep) AND it’s so much fun.
A beautiful summer charcuterie platter is a great way to get even the pickiest of eaters to try foods of different colors. That’s always the goal, at least!
And if you need a quick & easy item to bring to a pool party or other summertime gathering, this snacking tray is a fun & impressive thing to bring.
The best part having a charcuterie board as your go-to dish is that it can technically count as a main dish OR an appetizer.
Just remember to keep the food cool until it’s time to eat or the cheese could get yucky in the summer heat.
I usually just ask to use the host’s fridge OR bring the board in a large cooler on ice.
NEXT UP:
I’m thinking of making one night each week a movie night and serve a “make your own” style dinner. I’m thinking tacos? Everyone loves tacos.
Still thinking on the full menu, and I will be back to share the full summer meal plan once I have it figured out. Stay tuned!
More Ideas From What Mommy Does
- Delicious Snacks For On The Go Toddlers
- 3 Easy Wholesome Snack Ideas For Busy Families
- 7 Wholesome Snack Pairings Ideas
- 13 Unique Charcuterie Board Ideas For A Birthday Party
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