If you board it, they will come. And if you put snacks, appetizers, and nibbles on a board, everyone at your table will eat and enjoy every bite! Whether you call them cheese boards, snack boards, grazing boards, appetizer boards, or charcuterie boards, my guest this week has the complete scoop on how to create irresistible boards for every eating occasion. Please join me in welcoming Maegan Brown, author of Beautiful Boards, to the show.
Click the PLAY button above to listen to the show.
Love the LHT podcast?
Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and post a review
Subscribe on Stitcher and post a review
Maegan Brown is The Baker Mama and author of the stunning new cookbook, Beautiful Boards. In her book, she has themed boards for every occasion including a sensational Cobb Salad Board piled high with all the fixings and a make-your-own Pancake Board, complete with colorful berries, maple syrup, and bacon on the side! Tune in for my delightful conversation with Maegan. If you’re looking for a new way to serve food that’s fun, interesting, nutritious and easy, then this is the show for you.
“You don’t have to have a vast collection of boards to begin preparing board meals. Start small with what you have and grow your collection from there.”
– Maegan Brown
CANDY CANE BOARD. Photo courtesy Jerrelle Guy from Chocolate for Basil
IT’S GIVEAWAY TIME!
Giveaway NEWS: We are giving away a copy of Beautiful Boards: 50 Amazing Snack Boards for Any Occasion and a stunning, hand-crafted walnut paddle board. The board was handcrafted by Maegan’s dad, and the book and board bundle are part of Maegan’s new business, Boards by the Baker Mama. (Retail value of this giveaway is $99.00.) One lucky U.S. winner will be selected at random. To enter for a chance to win, tell me about your favorite way to create snack and/or meal boards … or tell me why you’d love to win a copy of Beautiful Boards. GIVEAWAY ends December 18th, 2019 (just in time for the holidays)!
COBB SALAD BOARD. Photo courtesy Jerrelle Guy from Chocolate for Basil
Show Highlights:
- Maegan’s story as the founder of The Baker Mama, a mom of four kids under the age of 8, and her life in Dallas, TX
- How Maegan’s blog began in 2012 with a focus on baking but branched out into family-friendly original recipes and entertaining
- Maegan’s food philosophy revolves around helping kids to have an appreciation for food and the work that goes into growing and preparing it
- How boards give everyone the freedom to pick and choose the foods they want to eat
- Why the 1970’s Lazy Susan was the precursor to today’s board meals
- A look inside Maegan’s book, filled with 50 creative snacks, appetizer, holiday, breakfast, dinner, and brunch ideas
- Why Maegan’s boards are produce-centric, loaded with fruits and vegetables
- How to start with a small collection of boards and grow your collection as you go
- Where to get boards: www.boardsbythebakermama.com, World Market, Crate & Barrel, Target, and Trader Joe’s
- Maegan has teamed up with her dad who produces hand-crafted boards
- How to clean a board properly with dish soap and warm water
- The secret to great boards is that there are no rules; be creative and learn as you go
- Why boards are approachable and interesting to everyone
- Maegan’s Cobb Salad Board includes: hard-boiled eggs, lettuce, pecans, roasted chicken, tomatoes, red onion, croutons, cheese, bacon bits, avocado, and dressing
- Maegan’s Candy Cane Caprese Board: mozzarella, tomatoes, basil, olive oil, and balsamic vinaigrette
- Some of Maegan’s other specialties include a Game Day Board, Rainbow Board, New Year’s Eve Board, Princess Board, Vegan Board, and Gluten-Free Board
- A behind-the-scenes look at the two weeks Maegan and team took to photograph the recipes in the book
- What’s next for Maegan? “We are enjoying the ride, and we’re working to grow the board business and take it to the next level.”
- A random question from the Mason jar about the one food that The Baker Mama just doesn’t like
LINKS:
My email: [email protected]
- The Parents On Demand Network
- www.superhealthykids.com
Follow Maegan at:
WANT TO BUY A BOOK AND A HAND-CRAFTED BOARD? CHECK OUT MAEGAN’S NEW BUSINESS, Boards by the Baker Mama: https://boardsbythebakermama.com/
Website: http://thebakermama.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebakermama/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebakermamablog
NEW YEAR’S EVE BOARD. Photo courtesy Jerrelle Guy from Chocolate for Basil (Best hack in the world: Hit up the bakery section at your supermarket and ask them to write the frosting numbers on your cheese “clock”)
Have a question about the show or a suggestion for a future show? Ask away by posting a comment below or joining my Podcast Posse
For other Liz’s Healthy Table Podcasts, check out:
Half the Sugar, All the Love with Jennifer Tyler Lee
Two Peas & Their Pod with Maria Lichty
Half Baked Harvest Super Simple with Tieghan Gerard
I love making boards for small get-togethers like book clubs and game nights. It’s a way to get creative while feeding the people you care about. I would love to learn how to up my game with Maegan Brown’s book!
I’ll tell Maegan she needs to create a Book Club board!!!
I love how beautiful these looks. I would have these for every holiday, get together and even tuesday dinners.
I love doing boards for get togethers with family and friends! Everyone loves to snack, right? And no one feels guilty for not staying and helping clean up. Maegan’s boards are inspired.
These are such fun ideas. I have never served food like this, but did just make a turkey out of crudites and served on a glass plate for Thanksgoving. I would try the NY Eve theme for my daughter’s party.
Hi Liz! With two kids ages 1 & 2, we end up hosting a lot at our house after they go to bed. Sometimes being so busy, makes it hard to come up with creative ideas and I’d love to have a go to book to help with that. And who doesn’t love a great board?! 🙂
Sounds like you’re so busy. And just imagine how much fun your kids will have eating your board creations when they’re a little bit older!!
What a beautiful concept!!! I want to start entertaining and I think this would be a fantastic And glamorous way to present simple appetizers… what a conversation starter.
I would love to learn how to make snack boards using healthy ingredients and Maegan’s book has so many ways to make a themed board and options for ingredients! Would love this bundle!
Her themes are so prefect. On New Year’s Eve, I’m planning to make her New Year board!
I love Maegan’s boards- they are so lively and draw in a group to gather ! I wonder if she makes a ski house themed one ? This would be a great book to give at a yankee swap of girlfriends !
I’m bringing her book to a Yankee Swap in a few weeks. And I love your ski house themed board idea. I’ll pass it along to Maegan. I also would love a Book Club board!
I love making boards for every occasion and I love cookbooks. This would be the perfect addition to my kitchen!
I’ve been seeing boards everywhere and would love to win this book! In conjunction with a new board, I could try this right away! They are so beautiful and just seem like a more fun and intimate way to share a meal. I hope I can win!
I love creating boards for family and friends. They’re so easy and delicious!
I would love to make a fun snack board for my 3 year old & a cheese board for my fiancé & our guest! This would be an awesome Christmas gift!
Hi Liz! I’m a new podcast listener and am LOVING your episodes – I have listed to the past 4 and each has added such a happy and fun element to my day. As a fellow RD and chef, I love that the episodes focus on so many facets of food – travel, cooking tips, recipe development, nutrition – SO much to enjoy. It also feels like I have a friend in my kitchen talking “foodie shop” because you do such a great job of being relatable and letting your personality shine through. Keep up the great work!
My husband’s favorite meal is actually a “board meal” – we love to build boards with homemade pickled veggies we make in the summer or fruit spreads. I feel like the condiments offered on a board are just as important as the food!
Thanks for reaching out. I’m SO happy to hear you’re enjoying the podcast. As for those condiments… I agree that they need more attention! What are your favorite condiments? So curious 🙂
I have become obsessed with snack boards lately! I mainly make cheese boards because they’re my favorite. I actually have her book on my Christmas wishlist! I’d love her book and board set because it will help me better my board skills!
I’m obsessed too. They are so fun!
Hey . I live in norway and would like to have somthing that halps me with ideas . Vi are used to have guest very often , i eold like to surpreise them with bords ☺️
My six-year-old recently has taken an interest in wanting to help me in the kitchen. He loves using his tablet and making “videos“ to send our family. We spend time together looking for the perfect recipe that he can help me create, and then does everything but work the oven! Naturally having a hungry little boy we like snacks. So creating a one of Maegan’s snacking board looks to be in our new future, aka this weekend!
I see a new video in your future. So happy to hear your 6-year old is taking so much interest in cooking!
I finally found something I can do. I can’t bake, craft, paint or anything like that. Making boards and grazing tables has become my thing. I want to make a board for every meal.
I have followed our favorite bakermama for years and have always admired her creativity in her boards. They really make her get together and bring together whomever she is engaging whether it’s her kids or friends! I would do they same with all her fun ideas from this book! I think it is so amazing she has made it a family affair by adding her dad’s handmade boards!
I know. Isn’t that so cool to include her dad!?
I’ve loved to entertain/have friends over since I was a teenager (many moons ago) and host parties, girls nights and gatherings regularly still! As a busy mom of three, a few times a week I create a fun new board for the kids for a snack when they get home from school! Everyone has different tastes and making one giant board that I know will cater to each of them is fun for all of us! My girls now will make their own boards on the weekend for a snack or a light lunch and it makes me smile every time they ask for one. In the years that I’ve followed Meagan, I’ve made many of her inspirational creations and look forward to seeing what she cooks up for us every season!! I would LOVE her Beautiful boards book for me, and to pass down to my girls eventually.
I love how everyone gets to add their own taste preferences to the boards. Such a great idea and a cool way to please everyone without being a short order cook!
I love to make beautiful boards, I’ve made some for large dinner parties, but also kids play dates and home date nights! I love Maegan and would love to get new ideas from her book!
I love to be creative. I have so much fun creating food boards to serve to guests that come over or even to take to peoples houses. I can look all day at ideas because I can’t wait to recreate it or make another. This book looks perfect!
The trend is so awesome and I think it’s here to stay.
I have just started into the world of charcuterie boards. I’m in LOVE!! I’ve only made them at home for a fun lunch. My 4 year old calls them “snacky lunches”. This book and board would be amazing! I’d love to see all the ideas and possibilities. I’m sure they’re endless.
“Snacky Lunches.” That’s brilliant!
Boards are an extra way to be fun and creative and low hassle to entertain guests! My boards lately have consisted of using $5 target dollar section plastic platter to put items together. A beautiful board like this would be perfect to use!
I need to get to Target. They have such cool (inexpensive) stuff 🙂
I love a cheese board with different cheeses, fruits, crackers and some comb honey!
Love the honey comb!
We have a monthly potluck in the rural community where I live. I’d love to have her book for inspiration (not to mention her dad’s gorgeous board!) so I could be the star of the show! What a great guest and what great ideas! 🙂
I like a board with cheese spreads, meats, relishes, and pickled onions.
These boards are so beautiful and make your food look like works of art. It’s a great way to display food because it eliminates the need for table decor. I would love to win this beautiful board to use at my parties.
I am so fascinated with meal boards!!!! I have never created one, but grew up serving snacks from baskets and food bowls (such as putting dips in hulled out cabbage heads, for example). I always thought presenting food in baskets was so much fun, but these boards are just over the top and I am so excited to learn more! Thank you for the opportunity with this giveaway!
We love a snack/cheese board and when I can make one that my kids also enjoy is a great feeling! This would be great to win, thanks for the chance.
Great show, she made it sound so fun and easy! Great tips too!
I like to use a board to create and serve a simple meal that my husband and I can take outside or to the tv room to enjoy.
I love to create a sweet and savory board that kids and adults will enjoy! Grazing boards are my favorite so I would definitely enjoy the cookbook! Thank you for the chance & Happy Holidays 🙂
Happy holidays to you too!
This cookbook looks really beautiful. I would love to get some fresh ideas for boards to not only take to a party but serve at home to my family as well!
Your boards make the food look so inviting and delicious. I would love to do some of your boards for the holidays to impress my friends. Thank you for the great ideas.
Love these food boards, so creative. I would love to win, this would make the new year healthier and fun.
Last board I made was for my son and girlfriend as a snack before a dar al dance. It was a big hit with them! I would love a copy of this book for more ideas.
I love making boards because they make a meal more of an interactive experience, and bring people together. I like to take anything that is considered a “build your own” kind of meal ie salads, Buddha style bowls or we will do a board of “mix-ins” for snacks ie popcorn. I have really been wanting to dive in to your book after seeing Maegan’s creative holiday boards on Instagram.
LOVE making boards for charcuterie, salads and desserts! Love seeing more new ideas to try in the new year!!
My favorite way to create a board is with a variety of cheese, sausage and grapes
What an awesome podcast. I never thought to use a board for other foods other than cheese and crackers. I think my grandchildren will enjoy eating snacks this way. Thank you very much for the ideas.
Would be happy to win the cookbook for more ideas. Thank you for your wonderful podcasts Liz.
You are SO welcome!
I love boards for dinner and snacks for kids. It makes it so much easier and the kids feel like they have options!
I would love to start including boards in my dinner rotation. It will make dinnertime so much easier to meet all of my kids preferences!
hi Liz, Maegan’s boards are gorgeous! I love the way simple foods are displaced to resemble art. So very creative and a great way to excite people about adding different foods into their diets. Thank you for introducing this concept to me.
Have fun with it. I’m hooked!
What a fun concept to put meals and snacks in an artistic way on a board. I have several boards and different shapes of trays, as well as platters. My four grandchildren, aged 5 to 9, would love to help build these food for boards with me or with their parents in the kitchen. A great way to build family memories, while trying new foods. I always learn so much from your blog and or a podcast. Thank you.
Thanks for stopping by. And if you start making boards w/ your grandkids, please send me a few pics. I’d love to see your kiddos in cooking action 🙂
I LOVE the board idea! I listened to the podcast on my way to school today (I’m a teacher) and couldn’t wait to pull the podcast notes up on my computer when I had time. The pictures are beautiful! My favorite part is how produce heavy the boards are. Thank you, Liz, for sharing wonderful ideas and bringing authors, like Megan, to our lives. I would love to win this cookbook to start learning how to make these amazing designs.
I would love to win this Bountiful Meal Board combo to appeal to the picky eaters in my family in a beautiful way! 🙂 The board idea is quite brilliant as it allows people to choose what they want!
This is idea for serving food is fabulous. I have recently taken to serving family style. I find those are the best way to serve my family. It allows them to see all their choices. These boards described in this book provide a new perspective on serving a variety of foods and in anaesthetically pleasing way!
Family style is the way to go… and boards make that so much easier.
I have just recently started making snack boards. I have seen them all over the internet and they are so pretty. I would love a new board for my snacks when I have family and friends over. I know the book would be so helpful since I am new to this new found love I have for creating snack boards.
I love the idea of getting your kid’s buy-in by putting the food out and letting the children choose what they want to eat
I love to include some homemade goodies on mine–tomato jam, fresh baked bread, etc., which helps to push it up a level of impressive!
My daughter and I love to make charcuterie boards together. I’d love to learn how to incorporate more fruits and veggies! I need this book, hope I can win it!
I would love to get her book. Boards just make things fun. I could use fun ideas. That board looks gorgeous.
My husband and I are new empty nesters. I have discovered that we I don’t always have to cook dinner with the kids gone. However we have gotten into the habit of making a charcuterie board at night. This board and book will help us stay on track to eat more fruits and veggies!
I love making “snack dinner” boards for my kids on movie night at our house. This book looks so beautiful!
I am just discovering boards, but still need to find a beautiful wood board or two. We usually use a sheet pan, but my boards look nowhere near as cool as these. I need to get my hands on this book-this would be the ultimate meal prep ahead if I could prep the ingredients on the weekend and then assemble the boards with the kids as we chat about our day to reduce the dinner drama.
I love to do a taco board because we just love tacos of all kinds. I never really knew that was what I was doing on taco night until I heard this episode. I want to do more board meals! They seem to be such a crowd pleaser.
I’d love to win a copy of this Beautiful Boards. Boards are my favorite thing to serve when family and friends come over and I’d love to show off my skills with the help of your book and board!
Wow! These boards are so creative and beautiful! I can definitely see how these arrangements would encourage eating more vegetables. I don’t have much experience with snack boards, so I would love to win the book for even more great ideas. I can’t wait to make the tomato mozzarella candy cane!
I made the candy cane board for a holiday part this past weekend. It was pretty easy!!!
I loved this episode so much I recently have started to be interested in the board craze! I’d love to learn more especially from someone as fun as Megan. Her fathers boards are amazing I’d live to ha e one to display my creation on.
It was one of my favorite episodes! So fun…
I love to use a long board to serve smoked salmon with sliced toasted
baguettes. My board is wide enough to set a small bowel with Tazeki
sauce on it.
I am also RD to be! I love the idea of the Candy Cane Board! I can’t wait to try this for my friends who are coming to New York to celebrate New Year with us. I also use the boards as breakfast plates when I want to make it special. I always use olives, smoked turkey, feta and mozzarella cheese and cherry tomatoes on board. Good luck with the GIVEAWAY to everyone! and Thank you for this lovely podcast episode!
Glad you enjoyed the podcast. I made the Candy Cane board last week for a holiday party. It was a huge hit, though people were initially shy about eating it. Ha!!
Oh my goodness! That salad board! Seriously. I’ll be right over to share it. 😉 As a mom of 3 littles, I LOVE this idea of serving family style in such an inviting and welcoming way! Thank you for the inspiration!
It’s such a cool trend and a sure way to get kids excited about eating their veggies!
It’s such a fun/creative way to create a beautiful board that everyone wants to eat but needs a picture of first. Creates conversation and brings compliments. I would love a copy of this to show off to my friends and find easier ways of bringing boards to parties.