Content
Skip to Main ContentAccessibility Help
Life

It's grazing season! 35 mix-and-match recipes for an epic snack spread

Make a low-key menu of dips, salads and sweets to luxuriate over in the lazy days of summer.

Make a low-key menu of dips, salads and sweets to luxuriate over in the lazy days of summer

Brittany Toole · CBC Life ·
a triptych: left, pickled peaches on a charcuterie board; middle: closeup on a man's torso holding a kimchi sandwich; right: overhead shot of plates of dips
(Photo, left: Leila Ashtari; middle: Jenny Huang)

Grazing season is upon us! And by that we mean it's the perfect time of year to spend an afternoon snacking on a spread of delicious food in the sun (or under an umbrella). Allow us to extol the delights of this dining situation: It's low-key, al fresco eating that invites us to ditch meals planned around a fancy main in favour of an anything-goes kind of curation. As long as you love it and it's not too much work to get it on the table, it's in. Instead of tossing everything in your fridge straight onto the BBQ, it's all about opting for fresh, fuss-free fare that everyone invited can contribute to. Because who doesn't love a feast that comes together so simply, but forms a sumptuous meal that you can luxuriate over for hours until the sun finally sets?

With that in mind, we've rounded up a long list of delicious dips, veggie-laden spreads and salads, quick cakes, big-batch drink options and more recipes to mix and match. From park hangs with pals to poolside get-togethers and beach days spent laying on the sand, these bites will pair perfectly with the vibe of any slow, sunny day. And for the sake of summer simplicity, most of these recipes feature make-ahead elements or can be prepared entirely in advance, so you can truly relax, too — even if you're hosting. 

Note: You'll want to keep many of these dishes cold until serving, and chilled if you're consuming them over an extended period of time. Refer to Health Canada's food safety guidelines for more details.

Borani-yeh Kadoo

closeup on a yogurt dip topped with sauteed zucchini, tomatoes and fried onions. the dip is on a dark blue plate, with flatbread sitting next to it.
(Photography by Eric Wolfinger)

Sweet Pea and Ricotta Dip; Sweet Potato and Labneh Dip; and White Bean, Garlic and Artichoke Dip 

Cauliflower Spread

Overhead shot of a plate of cauliflower spread, garnished with pomegranate arils.
(Photography by Betty Binon)

Classic Hummus 

closeup on a bowl of hummus garnished with whole chickpeas, swirl of olive oil and black pepper.
(Photography by Kyla Zanardi)

Guacamole with Grilled Jalapeños

A bowl of guacamole on a wooden cutting board with tortilla chips on it. Grilled jalapeños, sliced lime and avocado sit next to it.
(Photo: David Bagosy, Styling: Melissa Direnzo)

Chicken Liver Mousse

closeup on chicken liver mousse on a slice of baguette on a wooden cutting board. a silver knife is leaning on the slice, cherry tomatoes and a jar of the mousse are in the background.
(Photography by Peter Chou)

Mast-o Khiar

Yogurt dip garnished with pistachios, mint leaves and dried rose petals, in a blue bowl. The bowl is on a white platter on a pink napkin, on a white tabletop. Torn pieces of pita and a bowl of chips sit beside the dip.

Sarosh's Mango Chaat

Tzatziki

Closeup on a white yogurt dip on a black plate, with an olive in the middle of the dip. The plate is on a brown surface.
(Photography by Alison Slattery)

Kimchi Sandwiches

closeup of a hand holding a kimchi sandwich. the person is wearing a floral sweater and a watch.
(Photography by Jenny Huang)

Sweet Potato and Lentil Salad in a Lime Vinaigrette

A bowl of lentil salad with chunks of sweet potatoes in it, and topped with microgreens and pomegranate arils. Small bowls of pomegranate arils and salad dressing sit next to the salad.
(Photo: Shayma Owaise Saadat)

Summer Mango Black Rice Salad with Broiled Tofu

(Photography by Marcella DiLonardo)

Farro and Mushroom Salad

Overhead shot of a serving platter of mushroom and farro salad on a bed of greens. It's sitting on a white table set for dinner.

Roasted Tomato and Olive Tart

Sesame and Coriander Naan with Tomato Chutney

(The Great Canadian Baking Show)

3 treats made with pie pastry scraps

Overhead shot of 3 treats made from leftover pie dough: black sesame pinwheels, crackers and bacon pie sticks.
(CBC Life)

Vegan Vibes with Cashew Ricotta Cheese

overhead shot of a wooden cutting board on a marble surface. the board is full of vegetables, crackers, breads, olives and vegan cheese.
(Photo: Lisa Dawn Bolton)

Sweet and Sour Quickled Peaches, Tangy Quickled Cherry Tomatoes and Quickled Pizza Mushrooms

a wooden cutting board topped with cheese, meats, olives and pickles. the focus is on a white bowl of pickled peach slices. a white plate sits next to the board with more peach slices on baguette slices.
(Photography by Leila Ashtari)

Minty Pickled Celery with Apple and Beets, Curry-Spiced Fermented Cauliflower and 'Gin' Sauerkraut 

(Photography by Leila Ashtari)

Fully-Loaded Potato Chip Pie Bar

(Photo credit: Dennis The Prescott)

Carrot Cake Trail Mix

Overhead shot of a bowl of trail mix with yogurt covered pretzels, oat clusters, dried pineapple and raisins.
(Photo: David Bagosy, Styling: Melissa Direnzo)

Berry Tiramisu

overhead shot of a clear, rectangular baking dish filled with a tiramisu topped with sliced strawberries and blueberries. 2 bowls with slices of the tiramisu are sitting next to it. all of the dishes are sitting on a pale purple tablecloth.
(Photography by Steve Giralt)

Blueberry Cornmeal Scones

(Photo: David Bagosy; Styling: Melissa Direnzo)

Flourless Lemon Ricotta Cake with Almonds

Overhead shot of a cake topped with almond slices and drizzled with white icing. It's sitting on a white marble cutting board on a white table. 2 slices are cut from the cake and one slice is sitting on a white plate next to it.
(Photography by Michael Gozum)

Basbousa

Overhead shot of basbousa cake cut into squares.
(Photo credit: Andrew Rowley)

Garden Party Sangria

sangria with orange slices, strawberry slices and flower petals in a clear glass on a pink surface. a flower and blue drink umbrellas are beside the drink.
(Photography by Doan Ly)

Sumac Sun Tea 

A glass and a drink dispenser outside on a sunny day.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Brittany Toole

Brittany Toole is an associate producer at CBC Life.

    Related Stories

    Add some “good” to your morning and evening.

    From life's little projects to its big questions; the latest in food, style, relationships, work and money, home, wellness, pets and travel delivered directly to your inbox each week.

    ...

    The next issue of CBC Life Newsletter will soon be in your inbox.

    Discover all CBC newsletters in the Subscription Centre.opens new window

    This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Google Terms of Service apply.