Urban Grid Snack Platter (Printable Version)

A visually striking snack with pretzel rods, cheeses, meats, and fresh vegetables arranged in a creative grid.

# What You'll Need:

→ Streets

01 - 20 long pretzel rods

→ Cheeses

02 - 3.5 oz mild cheddar, cubed
03 - 3.5 oz gouda, cubed
04 - 3.5 oz mozzarella, cubed

→ Meats (optional)

05 - 3.5 oz salami, sliced
06 - 3.5 oz smoked turkey, cubed

→ Vegetables

07 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
08 - 1 cucumber, sliced
09 - 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
10 - 1/2 cup baby carrots

→ Dips & Spreads

11 - 1/2 cup hummus
12 - 1/2 cup ranch dip

→ Extras

13 - 1/2 cup mixed olives
14 - 1/2 cup roasted nuts (almonds or cashews)

# Steps to Follow:

01 - Place pretzel rods on a large rectangular serving board, laying them out in a grid pattern to create streets and blocks resembling a city map.
02 - Distribute cheeses, optional meats, vegetables, dips, olives, and nuts into separate sections within each block of the grid for visual appeal and easy access.
03 - Transfer hummus and ranch dip into small bowls and position them within or near the grid for convenient dipping.
04 - Present the platter for interactive snacking, allowing guests to pick and combine their favorite blocks.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It looks so striking that guests actually comment on it before eating, which never happens with regular platters.
  • The pretzel rod structure makes it feel interactive and fun, like you're building your own perfect bite instead of being served.
  • Zero cooking required means you can spend your energy on arrangement instead of stress, which changes everything about hosting.
02 -
  • Prep everything before you arrange it, because once the board is built you can't easily chop a tomato without disrupting the whole design.
  • Put dips in bowls instead of spreading them directly on the board, otherwise they turn the pretzel streets into soggy chaos within minutes.
  • Cut everything slightly smaller than you think you need to—these are meant to be eaten in combinations, not solo bites.
03 -
  • Prep everything the morning of and store it in containers in the fridge, then assemble the board 30 minutes before guests arrive—this keeps everything fresh and you avoid the stress of last-minute chopping.
  • If you're bringing this somewhere, lay it out on a board that has a lid or can fit in your car without shifting, and just leave the dips separate in containers to assemble when you arrive.
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