The Urban Grid Snack Platter

# What You'll Need:

→ Streets

01 - 20 long pretzel rods

→ Cheeses

02 - 3.5 oz mild cheddar, cubed

03 - 3.5 oz gouda, cubed

04 - 3.5 oz mozzarella, cubed

→ Meats (optional)

05 - 3.5 oz salami, sliced

06 - 3.5 oz smoked turkey, cubed

→ Vegetables

07 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

08 - 1 cucumber, sliced

09 - 1 yellow bell pepper, diced

10 - ½ cup baby carrots

→ Dips & Spreads

11 - ½ cup hummus

12 - ½ cup ranch dip

→ Extras

13 - ½ cup mixed olives

14 - ½ cup roasted nuts (almonds or cashews)

# Steps:

01 - Lay the pretzel rods on a large rectangular serving board in a grid pattern to form streets and blocks resembling a city map.

02 - Fill each grid block with designated ingredients: cheeses, optional meats, vegetables, dips, olives, and nuts, arranging them neatly and separately for easy access.

03 - Place dips in small bowls positioned within or alongside the grid for convenient dipping.

04 - Present immediately to guests allowing them to pick and mix from the different sections.

# Expert Advice:

01 -

Everyone builds their own flavor combinations, so no one's ever picking around something they don't like.
The grid layout somehow makes people slow down and actually look at what they're eating instead of just grabbing.
Zero cooking required means you can throw this together while guests are arriving.

02 -

Cut your cheeses and veggies about thirty minutes before serving so they're fresh but not sweating on the board.
If you use a wooden board, the pretzel rods won't slide around as much as they would on marble or glass—and the warmth of wood somehow makes the whole thing feel more intentional.

03 -

Chill your board in the freezer for ten minutes before loading it up—the cold keeps everything fresher longer and makes the whole thing feel polished.
Use a long rectangular board instead of round whenever possible; the geometry just works better with pretzel rods.

The Urban Grid Snack Platter (Printable Version)