Hoda Kotb’s Favorite 2-Ingredient Snack Is a Tasty New Take on a Classic

Is there any simpler pleasure in life than snacking? For me, there isn’t. Snacking is the easiest way to fulfill a craving, and, unlike cooking a labor-intensive meal, it provides instant gratification.

That’s probably why Americans are snacking more than ever before, and concepts like “girl dinner"— where you fill your plate with a few easy, no-cook foods and call it dinner—are trending. It’s no secret that everybody snacks, but what they snack on is where things get interesting—and as an avid snacker, I’m always on the lookout for some tasty inspiration.

While reporting on the "girl dinner" trend for a “Today” segment, a few of the women of “Today” shared their go-to snack plates. Between Savannah Guthrie, Jenna Bush Hager, Hoda Kotb, and Sheinelle Jones, all four plates had one thing in common: cheese. But, Kotb’s snack caught my attention because it wasn’t just a simple cheese and crackers platter—like Guthrie's and Hager’s snacks—there was an added element.

“Mine’s super simple, and it involves 15 seconds in the microwave,” Kotb says. “I take a Ritz, I put a thing of [cheese], and I melt it.” 

I’m not really sure what’s up with people cooking their already-cooked crackers—first Erin Napier, now Kotb—but the other three “Today” anchors raved about Kotb’s two-ingredient melty Ritz, which made me want to try it even more. And, let me say, I'm so glad I did.

I Tried Hoda Kotb's Go-To 2-Ingredient Snack

The cheese on the “Today” segment looked like Cheddar, so to keep it authentic, I slapped some Cheddar cheese pieces on a few Ritz crackers and heated them for exactly 15 seconds in the microwave, just like Kotb said. They came out incredibly gooey, so I did let them sit for a few seconds to ensure the cheese wouldn’t slide right off when I picked up the crackers. 

Honestly, I don’t know why I never thought to melt cheese on my crackers before. It really does give your typical cheese and crackers a whole new flavor. The only thing that was missing was a piece of pepperoni—though, then we are getting very close to my beloved Selena Gomez snack.

Kotb may call this “better-than-Ritz Ritz” her girl dinner, but I call it a game-changer on my next charcuterie board. From now on, in addition to cold Manchego and Gouda, you’ll find melty Cheddar-coated Ritz on every one of my snack plates.