Treat Yourself To A Solo Snack Plate That Feels Like A Special Occasion

It's your inner child, it's the spirit of girl dinner, it's the fact that you totally forgot to eat lunch. Myriad reasons can inspire you to deeply crave a snack, but they all end the same way: With a delicious, chaotic snack plate. And sure, you can do a random pantry hunt to put together slightly stale goldfish, shredded mozzarella cheese, and the classic apples and peanut butter, and sometimes that messy conglomeration is just what hits the spot. But Jessie-Sierra Ross, a former ballerina turned food and lifestyle blogger, as well as TV food segment creator, encourages all of us to make our solo snack plate feel like a special occasion and splurge on some fancy cheese or chocolate to help us savor the moment.

"Even if you're preparing a meal for just yourself, don't skimp on the ingredients or flavor combinations. You deserve a beautiful plate of food!" Jessie-Sierra says. She noted that this can be a way to have a truly enjoyable meal for yourself while still allowing you to take a break from the elaborate meal planning you may be used to. You can still scrounge up the fruits and crackers you have available, but add one or two more gourmet ingredients — every day deserves to be treated like a special occasion.

Onboard with the concept, but unsure where to begin? We've got you covered. Let's begin with the basics. To each their own, but cheese is arguably the most essential element of any snack board. You're never going to go wrong with sharp cheddar, but consider branching out into Brie, Gouda, or as Jessie-Sierra Ross suggests, truffle-infused goat cheese. This can be pricey, but you don't have to try all of them at once — just indulge in one per snack plate.

As for crackers, don't settle for Ritz or Triscuits. Those are good, but your crackers don't just have to serve as a plain base for you to stack flavor on top of — they can be part of the flavor themselves. Trader Joe's has some exciting charcuterie-board centric crisps, from their strawberry jalapeño crackers to the seasonal pumpkin cranberry flavor. These pair beautifully with strawberries, grapefruit, honey, salami, prosciutto, nuts, and essentially anything else you might garnish your snack plate with. 

And don't forget the wine — we hear Aldi's fan favorite Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon is pretty good. Jessie-Sierra's tip for the cherry on top? "Bring out the good chocolate for a special last bite," she recommends. "Eating well is a form of self-care, not self-indulgence."