These delicious and simple grazing platter and charcuterie board ideas are the perfect way to feed a crowd without spending hours in the kitchen. Not only can they look like a work of edible art, they are easy to put together and take with you to parties and events too!
Get inspired with different charcuterie board combinations, grazing platters to suit large and small crowds and something for every occasion.
What is a Charcuterie Board?
Charcuterie (pronounced “shahr-ku-tuh-ree”) is the French tradition of preparing and assembling cured meats.
The word translates to “Pork-Butcher-Shop”, however, modern-day charcuterie boards include a range of meats, including ham, bacon, sausage, as well as non-meat products, such as fresh fruit, cheeses and nuts.
How To Make A Charcuterie Board
The perfect charcuterie board brings together a mix of complimentary and contrasting flavours, textures and colours.
A variety of different cured meats make up a traditional charcuterie board, which works best by adding chewy meats alongside softer ones, spicy and mild and so on.
For a modern-day charcuterie platter that combines cheese, fruit, nuts and more, aim for a mix of flavours that work well together that will also appeal to a variety of individual tastes.
This is the key to the best grazing platter!
Add your grazing platter items in small sections, so your perfect party platter is aesthetically pleasing, as well as delicious. Adding a variety of textures, different shapes and colours.
Pro Tip: Start with your larger items or small serving bowls with dips, sauces and nuts, then add in your next largest items in sections. Continue to do this until you fill most of the platter.
Finish off your grazing plate with decorative items that are edible, such as fresh sprigs of herbs or small bunches of grapes.
Charcuterie boards and party platters are the perfect ideas for any party theme!
From a baby shower to girls’ night, corporate functions or 40th birthday celebrations... any occasion!
Essential Grazing Platter & Charcuterie Accessories
Before we kick off with grazing platter inspiration and charcuterie ideas, let’s first make sure you have everything you need to create your own edible masterpiece!
Here are the essential accessories you need for creating charcuterie boards and grazing plates:
- A board or tray – Choose a wooden board size to suit the number of people you are entertaining, or you can have more than one grazing platter board with different varieties of food.
- Cheese knives – If you are serving up cheese or antipasto, make sure you have a set of quality cheese knives.
- Small bowls – Use little bowls, small containers and dishes for sauces, dips, nuts, seeds and other small items you want to keep separate on the platter.
- Toothpicks or cocktail forks – Depending on the type of food you are serving, providing toothpicks or cocktail forks make it easier to serve themselves.
- Tongs – Alternatively, provide serving plates and have tongs with your grazing platter to allow guests to serve themselves onto their individual plates.
- Napkins – Make sure you have napkins nearby your grazing platter to help minimise messy fingers.
What To Put On A Grazing Platter
Before we share some delicious platter inspiration for the party season, let’s start with the basics.
A basic platter is all about an array of small bites that can be enjoyed without utensils – think finger foods like meats, cheeses, fruits, vegetables, crackers, and dips.
The possibilities are endless, but here are a few ideas on foods to include before you head to the grocery store:
- A selection of cheese – Both hard and soft, spreadable cheese, blue cheese, etc.
- Deli meats
- Raw vegetables
- Crunchy crackers
- Dried apricots and other dried fruit
- Fresh fruit such as berries, grapes or sliced fruit
- Breadsticks
- Dips
- Olives
- Nuts
- Bell pepper
- Pickles
- Cocktail onions
- Meatballs
- Sliced crusty bread
- Olive oil drizzle
- Sundried tomatoes
- Cherry tomatoes
Simple Charcuterie Board Ideas
Simple is always a winner and you can’t get much more simple than a more traditional style charcuterie board, with a few modern twists!
Here are some easy meat and cheese platter ideas that are sure to be a hit next time you are entertaining:
Simple Cheese Board
Learn how to put together a delicious cheese board with both soft cheese and hard cheeses! They’re very easy to make and are always a delicious low carb, crowd-pleasing appetizer.
Italian Charcuterie Board
Dinner is served! Put together a delicious and crowd-pleasing Italian Family Dinner Charcuterie Board, complete with Meatballs, tortellini, roasted garlic and red pepper, cheese, grilled bread, olives, and plenty of dipping sauces. Who says grazing platters need to be for parties?
Spanish Cheese Board
All the details on how to build an amazing cheese board, Spanish style. Spanish inspired appetizers to build a tasty and refreshing cheeseboard this holiday season and all year round!
Italian Antipasto Platter
Enjoy a simple and beautiful Italian antipasto platter this summer! With fresh garden fruit, cured meat, cheeses, and bread, this simple Charcuterie Board is so delicious, easy to put together, and fun to eat!
Holiday Charcuterie Board
This festive holiday charcuterie board features winter fruits: figs, sugared cranberries, clementines and Basque pears. Tips and details on how to build a perfect board are included.
Appetiser Platter
Learn how to make an eye-catching appetiser platter (charcuterie board) in about 30 minutes that’ll impress everyone and disappear quickly at your next gathering. This one’s loaded with cured meats, cheeses, seasonal produce (easy to swap out), and lots of sweet & savoury bite-sized nibbles, so there’s something for everyone.
New Years Eve Grazing Platter
The ultimate starter is an incredible charcuterie board, and I’m here today to tell you how to perfect this platter!
Cheese Board House
Forget the cheese boards, why not build a whole cheese house? The ‘charcuterie chalet’ takes your average spread and transforms it into a tasty twist on a gingerbread-style home instead.
Holiday Charcuterie Board
Add lots of colours, flavours, and textures to your holiday table by assembling this family-size snack board! Perfect to snack on while Christmas dinner is being prepared or take it on the go for holiday parties and potlucks.
Meat Lovers Charcuterie Board
This Meat Lovers Charcuterie Board is a great addition to any celebration. It’s time to show off your grilling skills with an epic grazing board! The cherry tomatoes add a pop of colour as well as a burst of sweetness.
Mexican Charcuterie Board
This Mexican charcuterie board is full of yummy cheeses and other tasty treats. A delicious way to enjoy the flavours from Mexico and perfect for a fiesta.
Vegetarian Grazing Platter Ideas
Cater for all your guests with these yummy vegetarian grazing platter alternatives to charcuterie boards. These vegetarian party table ideas are sure to be a hit:
Vegan Appetiser Platter
This colourful fall-themed vegan appetizer platter features almond cheese, three types of hummus and all the seasonal goodness you can imagine from figs to winter squash and crunchy pecans. Totally customizable to your needs, this ultimate snack board is sure to wow your guests with only minimal preparation time!
Vegetarian Cheese Board
Your guide to the ultimate vegetarian cheese board. From the crunchies to the savouries and everything in between, it’s really as easy as 1, 2, 3!
Breakfast Boards & Platters
While entertaining at breakfast may not be something you do often, sometimes it has its place and keeping it simple with a breakfast platter or grazing board is just the thing!
Especially when it comes to some make-ahead Christmas breakfast preparation!
Check out these breakfast platter ideas:
Smoked Salmon Breakfast Platter
A Smoked Salmon Breakfast Platter is the ultimate, healthy smoked salmon breakfast, as a refreshing start to the day! It includes bagels, fruit, vegetables and proteins.
Pancake Breakfast Platter
Everything on this breakfast board is actually 100% vegan! Of course, you can customize your board however you want. There is no wrong way to do it!
Dessert Charcuterie Boards
Dessert charcuterie boards may not be an accurate term to describe these treat loaded extravaganzas, however the term has become a popular way to describe aesthetically pleasing dessert platters.
You can create a dessert grazing platter with a specific theme, such as cookies, chocolate or mini cake. Or just go wild with a variety of candies, chocolates, desserts and fruit instead!
Here are some deliciously indulgent dessert charcuterie board ideas:
Chocolate Dessert Charcuterie Board
This Chocolate Dessert Charcuterie Board includes recipes for chocolate covered figs, chocolate nut roll, and tips on how to make a chocolate board!
Hot Chocolate Board
Dessert boards are all the rage and for good reason! They are fun, full of possibilities, and have something for everyone! Here you will find how to make a hot chocolate drink board to serve cozy mugs of hot chocolate! Serve this all winter long!
Ice Cream Sundae Dessert Board
Move over meat and cheese! This Ice Cream Sundae Charcuterie Board is perfect for special occasions or a fun night at home with the family! The best part is it’s customisable and perfect for kids and adults!
Grinch Hot Cocoa Board
This Grinch Hot Cocoa Board is a fun way to make the perfect cup of hot chocolate for the holidays!
Dessert Grazing Platter
Kids and adults alike will be wowed by this fun and easy Dessert Board. Perfect to serve at your next birthday party, game night, book club, or any get-together!
Christmas Cookie Board
This Christmas cookie board is a fun and festive way to share all your favourite cookie recipes with your friends. Plus the little sugar cookie dip is such a fun touch.
Valentine’s Day Charcuterie Board
Valentine’s Day means tons of tasty treats! Why choose one when you can make a whole board? This tutorial shows you how!
Kid-Friendly Grazing Platters
Keep the kids happy too with these kid-friendly grazing platters and charcuterie board ideas for kids.
Favourite snacks and treats make this a fun way to serve up the kids at a party or event and they will love having their very own grazing platter just like the grown-ups!
Holiday Platter For Kids
This kid-friendly grazing board will delight the smaller guests. There are also plenty of ideas for picky eaters when putting together your own kids charcuterie-style board.
There is no limit to ideas when putting together a grazing platter for your next event or a simple charcuterie board for a fun family meal at home.
They are great for birthday snacks or even for a special family night at home enjoying a grazing platter on movie night.
From meal-worthy meat and cheese platters to decadent dessert platters and everything in between, time to start planning your next grazing table!
Check out these lunch party food ideas, bring a share plate ideas and NYE party appetisers for more ideas for entertaining.
I hope you love these grazing board ideas!
Try adding some of these simple appetisers or treats to your own grazing platter:
