Buzz
From time to time, I just can't stand cooking. Or, more accurately, cooking for myself. This feeling really intensified during the peak of the pandemic and social distancing. While others were finding joy in meticulous chopping and baking, I was wiped out by the time dinner came around. Even now, it still hits me every so often, especially when I'm burned out at work or overwhelmed by the outside world, and that’s not something unique to me.
Even if food isn’t your career focus, cooking dinner takes energy, and right now, there are a lot of things draining our energy. In times like these, it’s crucial to loosen up on strict meal rules and remember that “dinner” is just a social construct. What I’m getting at is, we should all be eating snacks for supper.
The idea of a “snack dinner” isn’t something I came up with, but it’s something I do frequently. Lately, though, TikTok has rebranded it as “girl dinner,” which is odd because cheese and charcuterie don’t have a gender. It also reeks of infantilization, much like “girl math,” but maybe that’s because I spent three years studying calculus.
Charcuterie boards (or baking sheets), cheese platters, and large bowls of popcorn aren't just for women—they're sometimes all I can muster during a busy week. After years of practice, I've perfected the snack dinner. It’s simple, fun, and I bet you'd enjoy a little fun too.
A snack dinner always starts with cheese and meat.
Boards are perhaps the most iconic snack dinner, and certainly the most socially acceptable. Whether it's cheese, meats, or a mix of both, the secret to crafting a good board lies in balance: You want to engage all five taste senses in some way, and provide a range of textures for your teeth to enjoy.
Variety, however, doesn’t mean you have to visit your local cheesemonger. In fact, you can create a great cheese board with just one cheese—many of which are available at your average grocery store—by using these simple pairings:
Dubliner (or a sharp cheddar) + Tart Apple Slices + Grilled Baguette Slices:
Dubliner is a hard, aged cow’s milk cheese with a sharp, sweet, and nutty flavor, complete with delightful little crystals scattered throughout. Since it’s such a robust and complex cheese, I like to pair it with simple bread and a fresh, tangy fruit to cleanse the palate. (I’ve discovered that green apple slices keep your mouth from getting overwhelmed with dairy, which means you can enjoy more cheese for longer.)
Cambozola (or any bold blue cheese) + Fruit-Infused Crisps + Honey:
This blend of French soft-ripened triple cream cheese and Italian Gorgonzola is exactly what you'd expect—milder blue notes paired with a rich, creamy texture. I love pairing it with
these fig and olive crisps
, though a cranberry crisp would work just as well. And I’m all about drizzling honey over any blue cheese, and this combo is no exception.
Parmigiano-Reggiano + High-Quality Balsamic:
This idea comes from Bon Appetit—who also have
some fantastic single-cheese plate ideas
—and it’s a winner. Grab a thick, aged balsamic for drizzling and dipping, and you can skip the carbs altogether.
If you've got a wedge of brie, waffle it. If you’ve got leftover cheese scraps, blend them together in your food processor with butter, garlic, and a splash of wine. Once you’ve got your cheese base, consider adding a protein or two. Feeling adventurous? You can create a sous-vide terrine or chicken liver mousse. For something that tastes fancy but requires zero effort, try this spicy prosciutto spread. Or, if you want to take the easy route, simply grab some quality cured meats and lay them next to the cheese, or microwave some prosciutto crisps (or cheese crisps) if you're in the mood for something zesty.
Next, expand to other snacks.
Naturally, there are many snack options that don’t rely on meat or cheese. This board—drawing inspiration from the German custom of vesperning (snacking)—can be packed with various finger foods, and while it may include meat and cheese, it doesn’t have to. Here are a few of my top picks:
Potato chips served with crème fraîche and caviar
Blistered shishito or padron peppers
Endive topped with a spoonful of blue cheese spread
Pickled or deviled eggs
Eggs and Dip
Green onions, tossed with
bacon vinaigrette
and broiled
Any fruit that’s in season, plus grapes, because
grapes are the perfect snack fruit
Dried fruit, especially figs or dates, spread with goat cheese and maybe wrapped in prosciutto (and possibly
air fried
)
All the pickled and marinated vegetables (Start with cornichons, olives, and marinated mushrooms if you're unsure where to begin.)
Air-fried
olives
and
capers
Canned fish “nachos”
Dolmas
Radishes with butter and Maldon salt
Fresh vegetables dipped in
ramen seasoning
Hummus paired with really good pita
Black-eyed pea dip (either
refried
or
hummus-style
)
Nduja, or this
nduja-inspired spread
Labneh, drizzled with olive oil and topped with Kalamata olives
Pimento cheese, pub cheese,
fromage fort
, smoked salmon mousse or any other creamy spread
Any of
these dips
If you have olives and cheese, why not waffle them together to create a perfect salty bite? If you’ve got a can of beans, whip up a dip.
Take a look in your fridge for any extras
Every great board needs a pickle, something fruity, and a drizzle of honey. Open your fridge and see what you’ve got lingering. Snack dinner is the perfect opportunity for using up those last olives, cornichons, or bits of jam. If you’re feeling inspired, you could turn soft pears into a paste, pickle some veggies in beer or aquavit, or ferment garlic in honey (though that takes a few days). Add a bit of brightness with a raw scallion to keep things fresh.
Or just say 'forget it' and make a giant bowl of popcorn
Many people try to justify popcorn for dinner by mentioning it's a whole grain, but I don’t feel the need to justify anything anymore. Popcorn is simple to make, fun to eat, and that’s enough for me.
For extra crunchy popcorn, make sure you’re using plenty of oil—about 1/2 a cup of oil for every 1/3 cup of kernels. It might seem like a lot, but it’s the perfect amount. (If you have extra rosemary, add it to the oil while it heats up to infuse it with flavor.) Next, choose your seasonings and grind them so they actually stick to the fluffy kernels. Some of my favorites are:
Dehydrated capers with a hint of lemon zest
Sun-dried mushrooms
Tomato or bell pepper powder
Taco Bell seasoning salt
Furikake seasoning
Crispy herbs
Old Bay seasoning
Everything bagel seasoning blend
Nutritional yeast flakes
Herbs de Provence
Cinnamon-sugar mix (grind sugar first; cinnamon’s fine as is.)
Black pepper with citrus zest
Ramen seasoning mix
Parmesan and black pepper
MSG powder
Bonito fish flakes
Mac and cheese powder
Don’t underestimate the magic of compound butters: soy sauce butter, fish sauce butter, anchovy butter, maple butter, and buffalo butter (which is essentially buffalo sauce) are all delicious. Be sure to whisk them into the melted butter for an even, flavorful spread.
Can’t decide between a platter of snacks or a bowl of popcorn? Make both! Who says you have to choose? And if you're in the mood for a dessert, try this easy ganache, indulge in a bowl of fruit with heavy cream, or drizzle some store-bought ice cream with the 'pervert’s magic shell.'
