Amid times of uncertainty, it’s important to make the most of small moments and find some pleasure in simple activities.

When your entire state has been plunged into yet another coronavirus lockdown. Or when your loved ones are cut off from you by borders and decisions that are out of your control.

Why not spend a lazy Sunday morning preparing a luxurious breakfast charcuterie board?

Breakfast boards are a relatively new trend inspired by TikTok and Instagram.

They’re a spinoff of traditional charcuterie boards, but instead of hosting an arrangement of cheeses, meats, dips and the like, breakfast boards are filled with your favourite brekkie foods – arranged beautifully, of course.

Diversify your breakfast board

While many popular breakfast boards are packed full of sweet treats like pancakes and waffles (which is great on occasion), it’s also a great opportunity to make healthy breakfast options more exciting and enjoyable by packing them full of fibre-filled goodness, dietitian Nicole Dynan told The New Daily.

“Fibre is not only one of the most important nutrients for a healthy gut, it’s also required for your general health – so starting your day with a fibre-packed board is a deliciously fun way to get that first dose of fibrous food,” Ms Dynan said.

Looking for a way to treat yourself at home?  Maybe try a breakfast charcuterie board.

“Diversifying your food arrangement will not only ensure that your board is Instagram-worthy, it’ll provide an array of colourful and fibre-rich foods, a great indicator of the variety in vitamins, minerals and essential nutrients that our body needs to thrive.”

When it comes to portion sizes, Ms Dynan said serving yourself from the board to a plate prior to eating helps manage portions and ensure you are getting the variety you need.

‘More to food than just nutrients’

Dietitians Australia’s Melanie McGrice told The New Daily a breakfast board embraces an enjoyment of food, over a grab-and-go approach.

Ms McGrice explained feelings of meal satisfaction are intertwined with how we eat – not just what we eat.

“People feel a lot more satisfied when they’re eating food that’s beautifully presented and sharing with others as well,” she said.

“Somebody might be sitting in front of the television with a large packet of chips but then still feel hungry because they actually haven’t felt like they did eat.

“There’s a lot more to food than just the nutrients.”

The key ingredients for a breakfast board

Here are Ms Dynan’s key ingredients for a delightful breakfast board:

1. Serving board: It’s important to keep in mind the serving size when choosing the serving board that you use to create your spread. If you’re creating a board just for you, make sure to use a small board fit for one person. If you’re creating a breakfast charcuterie board to share, adjust your board size as appropriate.
2. Variety matters:  When picking your ingredients, opt for a range of colours and flavours for your breakfast board. Where you can, include whole foods and fibre-rich foods as not only does this increase the diversity of nutrients.
3. Get creative: Decorate your breakfast board to trigger your appetite. Don’t be afraid to layer ingredients or add height with small bowls filled with fibre-rich cereal or some delicious Greek yoghurt.
4. Arrangement: Purposely arrange your food so that there’s a mix of everything across the board. Try not to cluster the same food into one big heap. Instead assemble different types of food next to one another.

For Ms McGrice, an ideal, healthy breakfast board involves a combination of the following foods:

• Veggies: Green beans, blanched asparagus, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes and carrot
• Fruits: Kiwi, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries, mango
• Protein: Greek yoghurt, hard boiled eggs, smoked salmon,
• Grains: Little pots of bircher muesli, slices of sourdough bread or sourdough olive loaf

Including healthy proteins, fruits and vegetables and whole grains is key.

“As long as you’re having all of those core foods, then it can be a really healthy choice,” Ms McGrice said.

Don’t forget about hygiene, either, she warned.

If you are going to be grazing on the board throughout the morning, it’s important to ensure protein-based foods, things such as cheese, meats or yoghurts are refrigerated.

What would you put on your ideal breakfast board? If you decide to go ahead and make one, why not send us a photo?  Send your breakfast board photos and tips to: [email protected]