I love a good charcuterie board (especially ones with lots of cheese!) and fall is a great season to put them together. They’re an easy snack to take to football watch parties, backyard gatherings and other fall events, and everybody loves them!

“Charcuterie” is actually a French word for a type of prepared meat products like bacon, ham, sausage and other pork. It was originally a way to preserve meat before refrigerators were available, but everything old becomes new again, and charcuterie is popular today for its flavors. 

Now, pretty much anything goes on a charcuterie board or plate! There’s truly something for everyone to enjoy, and many of us just enjoy putting them together. 

How to make a charcuterie board

You can make your appetizer plate a Pinterest-worthy work of art, or it can be a super-simple, low-effort snack. It’s up to you! The website twosleevers.com has several tips for creating a great tray:

  • Get the perfect sized board or tray- a wooden cutting board or a serving tray works great!
  • Use easy-to-find ingredients- don’t feel pressured to search for fancy ingredients you’ve never heard of. Chances are, your guests haven’t either!
  • Buy pre-sliced or pre-portioned ingredients- it can be a lot of work to prep everything, so make it easy on yourself!
  • Use a picture or template for reference- you’ll find plenty of inspiration on Pinterest or YouTube, but don’t let it overwhelm you.
  • Include brightly colored fruits and vegetables- adding color to your tray is a great way to draw attention to it
  • Use lots of little bowls- this will add texture and height to your tray, plus it’s an easy way to include sauces or odd-shaped items.
  • Place things in the right order and add height or dimension- start with bowls and then add crackers, meat, and cheese. Fill in the gaps with other random items.
  • Combine flavors- include a variety of sweet, spicy, savory and salty!

But remember, these are just suggestions to help if you’re stuck. There’s no right or wrong way to create a charcuterie plate!

What’s on a charcuterie plate?

You’ll usually find a variety of meats and cheeses on a charcuterie board. But these days, anything goes and you should include whatever you want! Here’s a list of appetizers you can include:

  • Meats
  • Cheeses
  • Nuts
  • Olives
  • Dried or fresh fruit
  • Crackers
  • Vegetables
  • Jams
  • Mustard

One of my favorite charcuterie-style boards is filled with candy! Foodie Crush shares several ideas for how to make one, and with all the Halloween candy in stores already, this is a great option for a Halloween party. 

Panel Members: Don’t forget to scan

I hope this inspired you to create a charcuterie board of your own! As you shop for your ingredients, don’t forget to scan your purchases to earn reward points. 

Have you ever made a charcuterie plate? What ingredients do you like to include? Let me know in the comments, I’m always looking for new ideas for my snack plates! 

Regards,

Taylor

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