What offbeat thing goes on your snackboard?

November 16, 2023 12:49 PM

I'm bringing a grazing/snack board to Thanksgiving dinner at some family friends' place. I'm planning to do some combo of the following: two kinds of cheeses, two kinds of crackers, some fruits, some raw veggies, some nuts, some olives and/or pickles, maybe something a little sweet.

No meats, no warm/prepared foods (eg, no sandwiches, quiches, little meatballs, though I'm willing to make a dip or spread if it's worth it), no "fancy for the sake of being fancy" foods (eg, no caviar).

What are some specific tasty things (inside or outside of the above categories) I might include that are maybe a little fun or offbeat but still appeal to a wide range of palates? The crowd is something like 8 adults, 2 young teenagers, 1 elementary school kid. What would you see on this board and be like: "Oh yummy."

I don't want to compete with the larger dinner and I don't want it to be show-offy (fussy, fancy or a lot of work). I'd like it not to be messy.

posted by vunder to Food & Drink (38 answers total)

Best answer: Stuffed dates or other dried fruit?

Membrillo?

Chocolate covered nuts/fruit?
posted by corey flood at 1:04 PM on November 16, 2023 [3 favorites]

Cream cheese and pepper jelly is perfect for a snackboard -- to spread on crackers.
posted by hydra77 at 1:05 PM on November 16, 2023 [10 favorites]

Now, I know it is not necessarily viewed as a high-class food, but pepper jelly dip/spread always gets devoured with crackers at family gatherings. It's basically some pepper jelly, maybe a few red pepper flakes depending on the jelly and a block of cream cheese - you let the cream cheese warm and soften, then heat and pour the pepper jelly over it, instructions here and serve with crackers.
posted by Frowner at 1:06 PM on November 16, 2023 [1 favorite]

Best answer: If I wanted to add something off-beat and tasty to a cheese board, I'd go to my local gourmet grocery store and look at the pickle section for vegetables that aren't cucumbers. Consider pickled string beans, pickled asparagus, pickled Brussels sprouts, pickled cauliflower, or even pickled hot peppers if you're into that.
posted by Faint of Butt at 1:06 PM on November 16, 2023 [25 favorites]

Best answer: Sugared cranberries are dead simple and look very festive, plus they're sweet without being heavy or rich.
posted by We put our faith in Blast Hardcheese at 1:08 PM on November 16, 2023 [3 favorites]

People deeply enjoy those baked cheese things that are like crackers but made entirely out of cheese. Whisps is one brand, but there are others.
posted by jacquilynne at 1:18 PM on November 16, 2023 [5 favorites]

Best answer: Something crunchy+spicy is always welcome. I've been digging these buffalo wing pretzel chips lately.
posted by JoeZydeco at 1:19 PM on November 16, 2023

You say no meat - is fish ok? If yes: smoked salmon (I'm thinking the hard-cured kind) and cream cheese are great on crackers. So is whitefish spread (we get a good one at our grocery store; I think its easy availability might be regional though).

Candied nuts are easy to make and addictively delicious, toasted chickpeas could also be fun.
posted by marlys at 1:22 PM on November 16, 2023 [2 favorites]

Also, how about a bowl of pomegranate seeds? Very pretty en masse, and a special treat because usually one has to work so hard to get them out. Nice complement, too, to crackers and cheese.
posted by marlys at 1:23 PM on November 16, 2023 [15 favorites]

Best answer: Peppadews, optionally stuffed with a little tapenade or goat cheese. Stab 'em with a pickle so that people can grab them without getting anything on their hands.

Goldfish crackers.

Pickled grapesssss they are so good.
posted by punchtothehead at 1:26 PM on November 16, 2023 [7 favorites]

Best answer: My boyfriend loves Japanese peanuts. (Example) I do not.

I put them out on a charcuterie board when guests were over and they texted me the next day asking about them. So I guess I'm just the weird one.
posted by phunniemee at 1:35 PM on November 16, 2023 [3 favorites]

Pickled beets
posted by Sassyfras at 1:42 PM on November 16, 2023 [1 favorite]

Marcona almonds or feta cheese stuffed olives (you can buy jars of these, often made by Greek companies, or make them yourself).
posted by gudrun at 2:01 PM on November 16, 2023 [2 favorites]

Best answer: Absolutely a diversity of pickled vegetables.

I'd always include a variety of mustards, but that's me.

A Japanese rice cracker mix is also fun. And on that note, wasabi peas would also be a good addition.
posted by edencosmic at 2:04 PM on November 16, 2023 [4 favorites]

Best answer: This is the best dip/spread thing I’ve ever made. It is popular with many palates. I’m not much of a cook, but I didn’t find it too difficult, and it was definitely worth it.

David Leibovitz’ French Mushroom Lentil Pâté
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 2:13 PM on November 16, 2023 [7 favorites]

I was gonna say horseradish, but wasabi peas is probably a better idea that hits that same note.
posted by misskaz at 2:17 PM on November 16, 2023 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Someone mentioned membrillo above. This is a guava or quince paste, depending on the culture. I get guava paste, dice it into cubes, dice cheese into similar cubes, and toothpick them together.

You can also make interesting nuts. I feel like every cookbook I own, for some reason, has a recipe for spiced or caramelized nuts with a unique spice mixture.
posted by tofu_crouton at 2:18 PM on November 16, 2023 [2 favorites]

Best answer: In addition to a variety of pickled things, a variety of dried things might be nice. Nori, sun dried tomatoes, candied ginger, and dried mango are slightly less-typical but very tasty additions.

Weird chips: plantain chips, apple chips, some of those gluten free flax seed based crisps.

For dips: pesto and baba ganoush

These are all available at my local pretty average American grocery store, and the dips aren’t too difficult to make.
posted by tchemgrrl at 2:40 PM on November 16, 2023 [1 favorite]

Best answer: A flavored popcorn is unexpected but probably welcome by all.. Check out Double Good or Poppy for example.
posted by knile at 2:42 PM on November 16, 2023 [5 favorites]

Yeah, people at fancy parties play like they don't like a dip, but check the snackboard afterwards and see. That artichoke-and-spinach-and-sour-cream dip from Trader Joe's will show heavy traffic.
posted by praemunire at 3:08 PM on November 16, 2023 [3 favorites]

Similar to the lentil pâté posted above, but even easier and OH SO GOOD: pecan pâté (add a hearty amount of nutritional yeast for even more richness).
posted by mezzanayne at 3:31 PM on November 16, 2023 [1 favorite]

Muhamara! So tasty and easy to make with pantry staples. Pomegranate molasses is the most unusual ingredient, but I have seen it at Whole Foods and my local grocery store.
posted by brookeb at 4:16 PM on November 16, 2023 [3 favorites]

Best answer: Popcorn and/or sweet potato chips. Both vegan, gluten-free and tasty!
posted by Athanassiel at 5:17 PM on November 16, 2023 [2 favorites]

Best answer: Bake a round of Brie so it gets melts, and halfway through put something sweet on top (honey, apricot jam, etc). It’s sooo good and really easy.
posted by nouvelle-personne at 5:55 PM on November 16, 2023 [1 favorite]

There's a restaurant in Portland called Cheese & Crack that does excellent cheese trays, and there are two kind of unusual things they have that I absolutely love and so has everyone else I've shared them with:

- The little wedge of brie is bruleed by sprinking the wide cut side with sugar and lightly torching it
- There is a tiny metal spoon with a bit of intensely rich chocolate ganache (maybe sprinkled with a few grains of salt, or maybe I just added this touch myself when I adopted the idea and forgot?)

I'm also always delighted when there's chocolate-covered almonds on a snack board, especially the kind that aren't too sweet (but this is of course subjective).

+1 to the sugared cranberries suggestion, too--some friends used to make these for their holiday brunch every year and they were always devoured. And they're so pretty! And pretty easy.

And yeah, +1 to pepper jelly-over-cream cheese, it's easy and fantastically delicious. If pepper jelly is going to be too weird for some guests, you can go with an interesting jam like fig jam or sour cherry jam.
posted by rhiannonstone at 5:59 PM on November 16, 2023

Pitted green olives stuffed with blue cheese are an absolute flavour-bomb. Probably too strong for the youngster, but great for adults.

Black olive tapenade goes with all kinds of cheeses.

those baked cheese things that are like crackers but made entirely out of cheese
It is super easy to make those. That linked recipe calls for Cheddar, but if you've got a wedge of Parmesan to grate, it's unearthly good.
posted by Pallas Athena at 6:38 PM on November 16, 2023 [3 favorites]

Honey. Jam. Especially if it's spicy honey or jam. Dried fruits like figs, cranberries, golden raisins. Chocolate chips because they're fun.
posted by ellerhodes at 7:07 PM on November 16, 2023 [1 favorite]

A little pile or dish of these cherries or similar would be great.
posted by praemunire at 7:23 PM on November 16, 2023 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Fig jam! Cornichons!
posted by potrzebie at 8:47 PM on November 16, 2023 [1 favorite]

spiced apple rings (recipe, but we always just bought a jar)

maybe these are too finicky, but a couple of mozzarella olive penguins are hella festive, and the rest of the containers of olives/mozzarella balls/carrots are good snacky items - can also use cream cheese or goat cheese in lieu of mozz if preferred

white chocolate peppermint pretzels (recipe again, but just buy one of the numerous brands that have a version of these)

my personal favorite veggie dip for this kinda tray is one packet zesty italian dressing seasoning mixed into one 16 oz sour cream
posted by the primroses were over at 8:49 PM on November 16, 2023

Annie's Homegrown makes both organic Cheddar Bunny crackers, and a few different flavor of Bunny Graham crackers. Both are about the side of your average goldfish cracker.

Getting a nice selection of those may make for some entertaining snacks on the board.
posted by spinifex23 at 10:43 PM on November 16, 2023 [2 favorites]

Best answer: Costco blue cheese on ginger snaps is something I scoffed at until I tasted it. But you have to show people that it gets eaten together: Fix a few snaps with the cheese already on it, then provide the wedge, the snaps, and the knife, and watch their eyes get big when they taste it.
posted by ImproviseOrDie at 5:14 AM on November 17, 2023

Consider going Dutch by making some traditional Dutch borrelhapjes. (In Dutch, but the photos will make it all clear.)
The basic idea is to take something savory, which is often a tiny block of cheese, and then put something sweet or fresh on top (typical examples are a tiny pickled onion or gherkin, a cherry tomato, a grape, a piece of pineapple or a bit of preserved sweet ginger) and secure it with a toothpick or one of those tiny flags.
posted by Too-Ticky at 5:22 AM on November 17, 2023 [1 favorite]

Highly recommend caperberries….I had never seen them before and they are unusual, crunchy, tangy and delicious!
posted by victoriab at 5:39 AM on November 17, 2023

I almost always have fig preserves on my board. SO good with sharp cheese. Honey also works.

I had one recently that had some probably 65% cacao dark chocolate, and it looked like they'd just kind of bashed it in the wrapper so it was in various-sized shards and scattered it amongst the other items.

Whipped feta dip. Also, you can do the pepper jelly thing with goat cheese instead of cream cheese.

Some rockin' mustard, something zingy.

The only edible tomatoes this time of year are grape or cherry - I pierce them so they don't explode and then roast with olive oil. You can go hot and fast and kind of blister them without breaking them down completely, or roast until jammy.
posted by Lyn Never at 6:11 AM on November 17, 2023 [2 favorites]

Definitely membrillo (guava paste) -- it goes wonderfully with cheese.
A couple of dips would be a great addition -- pesto, hummus, romesco are all good options.
I am extremely partial to Stonewall Kitchen's Roasted Garlic Onion Jam.
posted by ourobouros at 7:00 AM on November 17, 2023 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Perhaps not all that offbeat, but I really like to include pistachios (flavored or regular) on grazing boards because shelling them people something to do/fiddle with in addition to being a tasty snack - particularly good if you're around people that are a bit awkward with each other or just need something to keep them busy.
posted by mosst at 10:27 AM on November 17, 2023 [5 favorites]

I would also include hummus and baba ghannouj, prepared in this fashion:

1. If store bought, transfer into different bowls.

2. Make a crater or moat in the dips.

3. Get some high quality olive oil, and drizzle on top of the dips.

4. Sprinkle on top of it all some sumac. You don't need very much!

This will elevate store bought hummus and baba ghannouj into something divine.
posted by spinifex23 at 6:19 PM on November 18, 2023 [3 favorites]