We've all been there. It's 9 o'clock on a Saturday, and the regular hunger pangs shuffle in. But you just don't have the energy to whip up an honest meal, or maybe you have a hankering for some healthy, fresh finger foods you can chow down on guilt-free while watching late-night television.
Either way, you need a good snack plate or " girl dinner " in modern parlance. Slightly different from a crowd-serving charcuterie board, a good snack plate is smaller and full of filling, healthy(ish) bites. The key to a great snack plate is already having all your favorite fruits, veggies, and other snackums stocked .
Daily Meal spoke to Jessie-Sierra Ross, a former ballerina turned cooking & home entertaining author, TV food segment creator, and food & lifestyle blogger at Straight to the Hips, Baby , who gave us a dizzying list of excellent snacks to keep on hand, which can all be boiled down to some basic categories. Medium and hard cheeses are ideal for a simplified cheese board because, she says, they "..
.have a longer shelf life than most soft cheeses and can add that amazing umami element to your snacking plates." Of the medium and hard cheeses, also called semi-firm and firm , Ross likes to keep Spanish manchego, parmesan, and sharp cheddars on hand.
She suggests, "Pair [them] with your favorite ground wheat crackers, green grapes, and roasted red peppers for a quick and easy meal for one or two people." More details on the best snacks to keep stocked Jessie-Sierra Ross is also a.
