Build the Perfect Board - Dietitian’s Twist Just in Time for Holiday Entertaining!

by Tara Sallee MS, RD, LD

     Enjoying the holiday season and staying on track with your health goals can feel complicated – especially when attending holiday gatherings chocked full of delicious treats. You may have seen the increasingly popular butter board trend this holiday season. So how can you take this trend and amplify the nutrition? Hy-Vee registered dietitians are here to breakdown how to build a more nutrient-dense board perfect to share at your holiday gathering and help keep you on track with your health goals!

1. Start at the base: Choose a more nutrient-dense base such as Greek yogurt, nut butter or hummus – all of which contain protein to help fill you up faster and help with blood sugar management.
2. Top it wisely: Toppings used on your board should be as eye-catching as they are nutritious! Choose toppings such as fruit or vegetables to add a pop of color along with vitamins, minerals and fiber to help keep you full longer and prevent rapid spikes in your blood sugar. For that satisfying crunch consider adding nuts. Containing healthy fats, fiber and protein, nuts make for a nutritional powerhouse of a topping! Finally, use spices and herbs to flavor your board without the salt shaker; this helps keep sodium in check and achieve better blood pressure control.
3. Select what to serve with it: Boards such as these need something to use to gather up all that delicious dip! Choose fresh fruit, vegetables and whole grains – all packed with fiber – to help with appetite control and prevent you from overindulging on all the other holiday treats!

     Ready to try your hand at building the best board? Check out this Hy-Vee dietitian recipe below for our Holiday Greek Yogurt Board.

Holiday Greek Yogurt Board
 
All you need:
2 cups plain Greek yogurt
½ cup pistachios (or substitute chopped pecans or walnuts)
½ cup pomegranate arils
2 tbsp Hy-Vee honey
Sprinkle of cinnamon (optional)
To dip: Apple slices, pear slices, graham crackers
 
All you do:

1. Using the back of a spoon spread dollops of Greek yogurt out across a cutting board or serving platter.
2. Sprinkle evenly with pistachios, pomegranate arils, drizzle with honey and sprinkle with cinnamon (optional).
3. Outline your board with dipping options: apple slices, pear slices, graham crackers.

 
Recipe source: Hy-Vee dietitians
This information is not intended as medical advice. Please consult a medical professional for individual advice.
​