If you have been following any kind of food pages on social media then you are probably no stranger to girl dinner, picky bits, toddler lunch and other snack plate style meals. These meals usually consist of a number of colourful fruits and veggies, a variety of dips, some kind of carb or leftovers, and is finished with herb garnishes and often, flakey sea salt. If you’re lucky, you might get a glimpse of the various combinations these creators make up with the various parts of their snack plates – a cucumber dipped in hummus and topped with kimchi, an egg topped with a bit of tinned fish and hot sauce, a piece of cheese eaten with a bite of pear and a piece of honeycomb. Not all of them may appeal to you, but that’s the beauty of a snack plate – you add ingredients you like, and you eat them in combinations you like.
So how do you make a snackplate? The answer seems obvious – 1. rummage through your cupboard and fridge and pick out things you like, 2. slap them on a plate. And so I did just that – I pulled out crackers, cheese, some fruit, a few nuts and a mini chocolate bar and spent far too much time arranging them on a plate, only to eat the entire thing and end up still hungry an hour later. This happened again and again, no matter how much I added to the plate – more crackers and cheese, different types of nuts, switching the chocolate out with dates, adding veggies. I had a well-balanced plate in front of me, or so I thought, so why was I not feeling satisfied?
The key here is quality, not quantity. Although my plates were visually full, they were filled with unsatiating foods, foods that looked good and seemed healthy, but ultimately were not providing me with the nutrients I needed that a complete meal would. The plates I made and ate were severely lacking in protein, complex carbs, and fiber – all the things you need to keep yourself full. I slowly realized this over time as I continued making and eating snackplates – at first I worked on adding more protein, and then increasing fiber, and finally putting it all together after learning what amounts actually kept me full, as it’s different for everyone.
After a few months of building snackplates, I started to notice a pattern of what ended up on my plates. Although the ingredients themselves were different every time, I found the perfect formula of what I needed to create a plate that would give me a great variety of foods to mix and match together and at the same time keep me satisfied until dinner. Through this formula, I’m able to give myself a ton of fiber and protein in one go, while also keeping the plate fresh and interesting, and finding new combinations along the way. Here’s that exact formula:
- Protein, protein, protein
The key to making a snack plate that keeps you full is to choose foods that make you full – and most of the time, this means protein rich foods that will continue to fuel you long past that last bite. Instead of choosing a main protein, like a chicken breast or a steak, I instead opt for three, smaller, still protein-rich options to keep the plate varied and exciting. My go-tos are a jammy boiled egg (or two) topped with a healthy pinch of flaky sea salt, a healthy dollop of hummus drizzled with olive oil, a portion of whatever cheese is hanging around in the fridge, or an old favourite – kidney beans simply sauteed with a little onion, lemon juice, and spinach.
- 3 a plate
You know the old adage “5 a day”? How many of us are actually eating that many fruits and veg in a day, really – and be honest here. Unless you’re an avid smoothie drinker or someone who just loves to eat a big salad every single day (personally not a smoothie lover but did go through a big salad phase), the chances are you’re not getting those five in. I have struggled for years to consistently get my 5 a day in, especially as someone who would rather reach for a carb or sugar heavy snack instead of reaching for an apple or banana. But when I incorporate fruits and veg into my snack plates, it’s like a flip is switched in my brain and instead of feeling forced to eat them I’m excited to try out new combinations of the foods i front of me, and I actually enjoy eating them. My favourite combinations include apple and cheddar cheese, pear and muenster cheese, and any berry with greek yogurt on a cracker (like a deconstructed cheesecake).
- Dip your heart out
An exceptionally easy way to incorporate more variety into your snack plates is to keep a fun variety of dips or dip ingredients on hand. They make it much easier to try out fun new combinations, mix up boring ingredients, and are a great way to test out new flavours. I tend to include dips as needed to complete my plate after adding the other components, but no plate is complete without one. I almost always have some kind of hummus in the fridge, right next to the perpetual greek yogurt tub – mix with a little salt, pepper, and olive oil and you’ve got a great, 30-second veggie dip. If your tastes lean more sweet, add a spoonful of peanut butter or a jam, and if you’re feeling really adventurous try a chutney or a roasted veggie dip like muhammara.
- A craving crusher
For me, a snack plate is never complete unless it has something I’ve been craving on it. It could be something healthy, but more often than not it’s something deliciously unhealthy. But it’s fine – the rest of the plate balances it out, and that’s what life is all about – finding that balance. This could literally be anything your heart desires – a serving of those chips you’ve been eyeing in the pantry, or a few squares of chocolate, or maybe a handful of gummy bears. This portion of the plate is about giving in to those desires, but still showing restraint. Pairing these foods with the rest of the protein-rich, nutritious other foods on the plate ensure that you’re getting all the good things your body needs, while at the same time feeding those cravings so they’re not hanging in the back of your mind the rest of the day.
Optional:
Something fermented
As a certified pickle lover, I often have something sour on my plate, whether that’s a bog-standard pickle, some mini cornichons, kimchi, or another pickled veggie of some kind. They add a great, strong flavour to the plate as well as a nice crunch for some added texture.
Something liquid
A quick and easy way to add extra variety to your meal is to add a fun drink, or two, or three. I am a serial water drinker, and you’ll never catch me at home without a glass by my side, but adding a fun drink like a juice, soda, or smoothie can elevate your meal with minimal effort.
Something old
Leftovers are always welcome in my fridge/freezer. I almost always have some kind of leftovers floating around that can be easily re-heated for a quick meal, but on those days where I have just a scoop of this or a few scraps of that – not quite enough for a full meal on their own – they are a welcome addition to a snackplate.
And there you have it! A guide to making the perfect snackplate. You don’t have to adhere to this formula exactly – hunger needs greatly vary from person to person, so what it takes to keep me full might not be what it takes to keep you full. Experiment, play with the ratios, and work out what works best for you and your body. If you decide to give snackplating a try, let your creative side take over while keeping these tips in mind and who knows – you might end up surprising yourself with a new favorite food combo. Now go forth and snack!
xx,
girlwhocooks
