Charcuterie boards are all the hype nowadays. What used to be just a simple cheese and cracker platter has now been elevated to new levels. They are great for providing a plethora of different snacks that will appeal to everyone and can be totally personalized to include whatever you want, which make them the absolute perfect treat to prepare for a girls’ night in. Not only will it be delicious, but it will also make the perfect centerpiece for all your cute girls’ night pics! Here are some ideas for how to put together the perfect charcuterie board!

Pick your meats and cheeses

The main feature of your charcuterie board should be your cheeses and meats! The best way to go about this is to pick your favorite meats first. Try to create a mix of thin slices of meat such as prosciutto and thicker cuts of meat such as salami. Once you have your favorite meats selected, try to pair specific cheeses to them. Again, choosing a mix with differently textured cheeses is recommended. Definitely include sliced cheese for crackers and creamy cheeses as a dip. 

Pick your fruits and veggies 

Fruits and vegetables are not only great nutritious additions, but also perfect for adding beautiful pops of color and texture to your board. Grapes are always a good option because they look aesthetically pleasing on the board and are also easy to grab. Some other great options include bright red cherries for some color or any berry of your choice because they are easy to prepare. Options for veggies are also very open, but baby carrots and cherry tomatoes are a great small snack and add beautiful bright colors to your board.

Pick crackers and crunch 

Crackers should be the easiest part of your board and should be chosen to be the best vessel to support all your wonderful meats and cheeses. Create a variety with some crackers that have their own seasoning and some plain to let the toppings shine. Beyond regular crackers, you can add pita chips, pretzels or even small pieces of freshly toasted bread if you want to elevate your board to the next level.

Add your sweets 

Adding sweets to contrast all the savory items on your board is a must! Choose your favorite dried fruits for some additional sweetness and texture. Some easy options include dried figs, apricots and even something as simple as raisins. Once you have your basic dried fruits chosen, depending on how much room you have left, you can add any other sweets you want. Easy ideas are small chocolates, caramels and candies.

Choose your dips

Lastly, once you have all your snacks, pick a couple of different dips or spreads that will complement the rest of your board. For your veggies, classics like hummus or ranch are perfect. For the crackers and bread, something spreadable like cream cheese is easy. You can also choose to use some of your cheeses as a spread if you include creamy ones such as brie. If you also want a sweeter dip on your board, you can choose a jam, use whipped cream or even add some chocolate hummus! The sky’s the limit when it comes to dips.

Putting it all together

Now that everything is selected, you get to let your creativity flow and arrange all your pieces however your heart desires! We recommend starting by putting your dips or spreads into small dishes and placing them around your board first. Then take your crackers and chips and arrange them around your dishes. Next are the meats and cheeses; if you want to be fancy, you can fold your thinly sliced meats to add extra pizazz to your board. Once they are all arranged, spread your fruits and vegetables around the board to make sure there is color throughout. Lastly, fill in the leftover spaces with your sweets.

A beautiful charcuterie board is the perfect centerpiece for your girls’ night in festivities. It is entirely customizable, making it so easy to prepare for a crowd this International Women’s Day!