We think the after-school scramble deserves better. With a quick 10 minutes, you can create a platter that will satiate with healthy, probiotic dairy-free cheeses and a daily dose of veggies to hold over the kids until dinner. 

This crowd-pleasing snack board might even buy you 20 quiet minutes before "I'm hungry" starts back up…

Luckily for this board, there's barely a recipe to follow. Two dairy-free cheeses carry the flavor, and everything else just fills in the color and crunch around them.

Why we love this board

Smoked Pimento brings that smoky, tangy Southern-classic flavor kids and grown-ups both go back for. Lusty Mustard adds real heat from actual Lusty Monk mustard, so there's something mild for one kid and something more full-bodied for the adventurous eater.

Both are already creamy and ready to serve straight from the container. Proof that the best vegan cheese doesn't need a dress-up recipe to prove itself. It just tastes darn good.

 

Why this board works

A lot of snack boards overcomplicate the process and ask you to shop for a dozen small things, tying them together with a loose string. This one skips that. We know the cheese is the star and we’re happy to show them off. Our Smoked Pimento Dip and Lusty Mustard Wedge pack major flavor and we simply want to accentuate that with what’s easiest for you. Simple veggies will do the trick!

The best part is that all that’s required here is assembly, not cooking. Slice a cucumber, open a bag of pretzels, rinse some grapes, and you're done. Ten minutes start to finish, cleanup included. Great snacks can be easy too. 

The magic ingredients

Smoked Pimento Dip

This one is our best selling vegan cheese for a reason. Smoked Pimento Dip brings nostalgic flavor with a smoky twist. Simply created from whole ingredients, like cashews and roasted red pepper. No dairy required.

Lusty Mustard Wedge

Our Lusty Mustard wedge is a celebratory collaboration with our local flavor friends at Lusty Monk Mustard, another dedicated woman-founded brand. A perfect pair for pretzels, almonds, green grapes, pickles… I could go on, really.

Fresh veggies

Cucumber, snap peas, and grapes aren't filler here. They're what makes eating vegetables fun when they're sitting right next to something as good as cheese!

Crunchy sides

Crackers, pretzels, and wild rice sticks fill the gaps and give little hands something to grab that isn't the cheese itself. Though, we won't stop them.

Darë's tips for the best snack board

Use a platter, not a plate

You need room to spread things out. A cutting board or sheet pan works fine if a dedicated platter isn't in the cabinet.

Group by color, not by type

Cluster the grapes near the peas, the crackers near the pretzels. It displays like a spread instead of a pile once the colors break things up.

Prep the pieces the night before

Slice the cucumber and portion the crunchy snacks ahead of time. Same-day assembly takes 5 minutes instead of 10. Wow! 

Let picky eaters build their own

Set the components out separately instead of fully arranged if you've got a kid who doesn't like foods touching. Same board, less negotiating.

Get creative

Swap in our Pepperjack wedge for a milder option next to the mustard kick. It plays well with the same veggies and crackers, and it's another one of our fan favorites.

Already making our Creamy Veggie Snack Wraps for lunches or snacks this month? This board is the easy follow-up. Same two cheese-forward flavors, zero extra shopping.

Running low on fresh veggies?

Swap in whatever's in the crisper drawer. Bell pepper strips, cherry tomatoes, and baby carrots all work.

Perfect for

• Easy after-school snacks for the hours between school and dinner
• Playdates where you need something delicious and dairy-free that works for every kid on the guest list
• Packed lunches, portioned into containers the night before
• Sports practice snack duty

Common questions

Is this snack board nut-free?

No. All Darë cheese is cashew-based, so this board isn't nut-free even though it's dairy-free. If you're packing for a nut-free classroom or a friend's nut-free house, save this one for home.

Can I make this ahead of time?

Yes. Slice the vegetables and portion the dry snacks up to a day ahead, then arrange everything on the platter right before serving.

Is this gluten-free?

It can be. All Darë products are gluten-free on their own. Just choose gluten-free crackers, pretzels, and rice sticks to keep the whole board GF.

What if my kids don't like mustard?

Swap the Lusty Mustard wedge for Darë's Pepperjack or Smoked Cheddar. Same board, milder flavor.

Storage

Keep any unused Smoked Pimento Dip and Lusty Mustard wedge in airtight containers in the fridge. The dip holds for about 7 days, the wedge closer to 10. Once the board's assembled, plan to eat it same-day since the cut veggies won't hold up much longer than that.

Ingredients

• 8 oz container Smoked Pimento Dip
• 6 oz wedge Lusty Mustard
• 1 large English cucumber, sliced
• 1 small box artisan crackers
• 1 small bag pretzels or pretzel thins
• 1 cup sugar snap peas or snow peas
• 2 to 3 small clusters green grapes
• ½ cup wild rice sticks (or another bite-sized savory snack)
• ½ cup plant-based cheese crackers (or another bite-sized savory snack)

Directions

Set the cheeses.

Place the Smoked Pimento Dip and Lusty Mustard wedge on a large serving platter first. Everything else builds around them.

Add the cucumber.

Slice the cucumber and tuck the rounds in next to the cheeses. Cut them into shapes with a small cookie cutter for extra credit with the kids.

Bring in the crunch.

Scatter the crackers and pretzels across a few spots on the platter, not just one pile.

Fill the gaps.

Add the sugar snap peas and grape clusters between the bigger pieces.

Finish it off.

Tuck the wild rice sticks and plant-based cheese crackers into whatever gaps are left.