Bariatric Friendly Charcuterie Board 101

Tiny Tummy Tips, Issue #46-- How to Make a Bariatric Friendly Charcuterie Board

In This Issue

A what?!

How to Pronounce

In case you don’t already know, a charcuterie board is simply an appetizer tray typically served on a wooden (cutting) board.

It features a selection of meats surrounded by foods that complement those meats- most commonly fruits, nuts, crackers, and dips. And it’s usually very pretty …and intimidating to think of making!

So now that the holidays are in full swing, I thought I’d not only show you how to make a charcuterie board…but how to make it bariatric friendly!

A charcuterie board is the PERFECT addition to your arsenal of weight loss tools. It will help keep you on track at any party you’re hosting or attending.

And it will WOW your guests ;)

What Goes On a Bariatric Charcuterie Board?

Fresh Fruit - Consider red or green grapes, blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, or raspberries, pomegranate seeds, or slices of apple or pears. Skip the dried fruit!

Fresh Veggies - Think cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices, mini peppers, jicama sticks, snap peas, broccoli and cauliflower florets.

Cheeses - Choose hard cheeses to spare yourself from having to add tempting crackers that are necessary to spread the soft cheeses on!

Smoked gouda, cheddar, mozzarella, or holiday cheeses that abound are good choices. I tried a Trader Joes “Figgy Cheddar” the other day at the tasting station, and it was fantastic!

Consider some…or all…reduced fat cheeses so you have plenty of bariatric friendly options. And remember to choose cheese sparingly as it’s NOT the high protein choice it’s made out to be.

Nuts and Seeds - These are a great addition, but remember to portion sparingly when you serve yourself. Like cheese, nuts are calorically dense and NOT the high protein choice they’re touted to be in bariatric circles:

Think pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, walnuts, halved pecans, pistachios, almonds. Consider using flavored nuts (cinnamon almonds, rosemary walnuts, etc.) as one “fun” choice.

Dips - Don’t forget to add plenty of low calorie dips like reduced fat hummus, salsa, tzatziki, or Greek yogurt based dips. Flavored mustards are a good choice too.

ProTips: Wow Your Guests!

• Use small bowls or ramekins for nuts, seeds, berries, and dips. Place them on the board FIRST…before you start adding meats, cheeses, etc.

-AND-

• Fan out, or roll up meats and cheeses.

• Don’t bother de-stemming. Leave grapes on the vine…it adds interesting texture!

MOST IMPORTANTLY:

Don’t leave any “white space:” Add herbs, edible flowers, clipping from your garden…whatever it takes…to make a totally full board.

Every nook and cranny should be filled in with a sprinkling of nuts, a random berry or whatever it takes! Kind of like grouting… if you’ve ever done tile work ;)

TRULY THE MOST IMPORTANT POINT:

There’s really no “wrong” way to do this if you start with the right ingredients above. A combination of lean meats, lowfat cheeses, fruits, veggies, nuts, and healthy dips make up the ultimate party companion…a bariatric friendly charcuterie board!

Pay It Forward

If you like this e-zine, please do a friend (and me) a big favor and "pay it forward" by sending the link or posting on your social media.

If you received this as a forward from a friend, and if you like what you read please subscribe by visiting tiny-tummy-tips.html

Comments? Ideas? Feedback?

See you in the next issue!

In Health,