“Jarcuterie” and Individual Serving Ideas at Your Next Tailgate
Shanthi Appelo, MS, RD
| 2 min read
Any event, tailgating included, has looked different during the pandemic. Individual servings are a great way to reduce germs when groups are dining together, rather than serving themselves from a large pot or bowl. Enter “jarcuterie.”
This individual serving-take on the popular charcuterie board will be a portable fan favorite around the tailgate. Load a mason jar, plastic cup or low glass with a mix of healthy and indulgent ingredients. For an attractive product, consider using food items in different heights and a variety of colors. And to flaunt your team spirit, add a ribbon of your team colors around the rim.
These are some great jarcuterie ingredients:
- Spear-cut veggies, such as cucumbers, bell peppers, celery and jicama
- Fruit, such as grapes, strawberries and blackberries
- Skewers of mozzarella, cherry tomatoes and basil leaf
- Olives, salami, prosciutto and tortellini
- Cracker breadsticks
Crudité cups is another take on individual servings that’s healthy and delicious to snack on.
Crudité is a French word for cut vegetables often served as an appetizer. Place a dollop of a sauce or dip — such as pesto, garlic aioli or a Greek yogurt dip — coating the bottom of a cup. Top the dip with spear-cut veggies, such as blanched asparagus, jicama, celery, bell peppers and cucumbers. Cracker breadsticks are a great complement to this hors d’oeuvre.
Handling food safely is a great way to keep our friends and family healthy and safe. Consider some of these tips for safely preparing and handling food at a tailgate:
- Limit the number of people handling the food.
- Clean and disinfect surfaces often.
- Wash hands with soap and water frequently and use gloves.
- Offer individual servings of items, such as jarcuterie, crudité cups and mini muffins with football decor.
- Offer hand sanitizer and extra masks near the serving table
- Use masks when serving and being served food.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
Whether a tailgate or any other get-together, individual servings are a great way to handle food safely. Choosing between the jarcuterie or crudité cups is a tough choice, though. We’ll take one of each!
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