A Budget-Friendly, Kid-Friendly “Charcuterie” Board

 I’m going to cut right to the chase – I love and adore Grocery Outlet.

If you haven’t been, pause for a moment and find your closest one, then plan to go ASAP. Because, trust me, Grocery Outlet is a goldmine when it comes to quality food at an amazing price.

Now, I’m not talking about the regular kind of grocery sales. I’m talking about organic granola bars your kids will love for $1.50/box and yogurt marked down to 28 cents a package. There are fancy cheeses at affordable prices and brand name sausages you don’t have to feel bad about stocking up on. Grocery Outlet is the best, no doubt in my mind.

I snuck away the other evening for some mama only shopping time. I needed to pick up my new glasses at the eye doctor and grab some groceries. I told Dominic I’d be back in an hour. No reason to push my luck leaving him solo with four kids :)

With a small shopping list in hand, I stopped by Grocery Outlet and decided to gather some lunch items for the kids and I in addition to the basics we needed. This was Thursday and around here, Fridays have been named “Fun Friday”. Each week we try to do something a little extra special to end the week – an outing, new movie, special craft, etc. That particular Friday it was fairy land and dragon lair building in the backyard and a snack lunch.

Snack lunches are always a win with the big kids. They love the mini buffet aspect and Grocery Outlet provided the perfect ingredients for the kid-friendly “charcuterie” board I had in mind.

Traditionally, charcuterie boards are full of meats, cheeses, fruits, and nuts. I’m a lover of all those things and Grocery Outlet could definitely deliver if that’s what you were aiming for, but, in my case, I wanted something that appealed to little ones. My goal was a balanced board – protein, produce, carbs – with lots of bite-size snacks. Grocery Outlet, especially their NOSH aisle (which stands for natural, organic, specialty, healthy), came through beautifully.

Thank you Grocery Outlet for making our family’s Fun Friday extra delicious without breaking the bank!

Here’s what my budget-friendly, kid-friendly “charcuterie” board included:

• Sliced hard-boiled eggs
• A swirl of monterey and colby jack cheese squares
• Cucumber slices
• Blueberries
• Chobani vanilla Greek yogurt for fruit and bar dipping
• A plate of granola bar bites … banana bread Larabars, maple cinnamon KIND Breakfast Protein Bars, peanut butter and honey Bear Naked granola bites, caramel sea salt Larabar bites, and purple power Clif Kid Zbars 
• Gluten-free crackers with goat cheese (Reid’s favorite)
• Banana and nut butter “sandwiches”

While the littles created their fairy land and dragon lair outside, I sipped a Kevita pomegranate kombucha (from you guessed it … Grocery Outlet!) and prepped our lunch. It’s so simple to spread bite-size snacks on a large plate or cutting board and since it’s different, it’s exciting! When a meal is exciting, everyone eats better … at least that’s how it works in our family :)

Grocery Outlet’s NOSH aisle boasts brands and products you already know and love at unbeatable prices. There is a freezer full of quick lunch items like evol burritos (yum!) and staples like coconut oil and agave syrup. The list goes on and on while the shopping bill barely adds up. When I wrapped up my purchases my receipt told me I had saved more than $70 off retail prices. SEVENTY DOLLARS.

Thanks to Grocery Outlet I don’t have to wince when I choose organic or pace the boys when they fall in love with a particular kind of bar. Love ’em!

Kick off your savings with a $3 off coupon. You can also find your local Grocery Outlet’s circular here. Look specifically for all the great buys in the NOSH section. It honestly blows me away at how easy it is to find healthy options at budget-friendly prices.