If you’re hosting for the holidays or want to take something special to take to a party – you’ll want to know how to make epic grazing boards!
These appetizer trays are always a hit because they’re both beautiful and easy to eat. Here are our suggestions for what needs to be on your graze board and how to build it, as well as a few recommendations for our favorite products.
What is a grazing board?
A grazing board is an appetizer tray – much like a cheese platter or charcuterie board. A grazing board is made up of several, bite-size (or easily handheld) items like cheese, meat, fruit, dips, and spreads.
What should be on grazing boards?
Grazing boards can be as creative as you want them to be! They can be holiday focused and have cookies and chocolate or they can be more traditional cheese and fruit affairs.
Typically grazing boards will have some mixture of fresh and dried fruit, vegetables, nuts, meat, cheese, bread or crackers, spreads and dips, and olives.
How to Make the Best Grazing Boards
Step 1 – Choose Your Board – it’s important to choose the size of your board based on the number of people you’ll be serving. If you will have a large party, you can either make multiple boards or have one very large one (maybe just stage it across your table!).
Here are a few of our favorite boards – this marble board is so elegant, this wood board is a total classic, this slate board is great for cheese, and this circular tray is such fun.
Step 2 – Think about textures and heights – you may want to choose a few plates or bowls that will hold several of your items (think a small stand for a piece of cheese, a bowl for olives, a small bowl for honey)
Step 3 – Place your initial, largest ingredients. If you are using cheese, place them first – or whatever your largest items will be that you’d like to make your focal point.
Step 4 – Arrange your meat – If you’re using meat, think of charcuterie or other small pieces that can be picked up. Don’t overcrowd the board with them – you can always add more later if the board needs a top-up.
Step 5 – Add vegetables and fruit – For veggies, you may want crudités or mini peppers on your tray and for fruit – berries, sliced stone fruit, apples, pears, grapes, and halved figs are always beautiful on appetizer boards.
Don’t forget about dried fruit as well – apricots, raisins, dried cherries, dried figs, dried mango, etc are all gorgeous additions to a board
Step 6 – Sprinkle around small items – Use nuts, gherkins, olives, and other small things to fill in any small spaces on your board.
Step 7 – Don’t forget spreads and dips – There is a multitude of gorgeous dips, condiments, dressings, jams, and spreads to include on your board. Some of our favorites include hummus, tzatziki, muhammara, honey, and pesto.
Step 8 – Serve with crackers and/or bread – If there’s room on your board, you can add crackers or toasted bread to it, but if not, pop it on a plate or in a basket and serve it along with the tray.
Some of Our Favorite Products for Graze Boards
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- Assorted Entertainment Crackers – this is always super easy to use if you want multiple types of crackers, but don’t want the hassle of picking them all out.
- Gold Cheese Knives – for the ridiculously elegant board!
- Mouse Cheese Knife – for the whimsical board (I have gifted this adorable knife to several people)
- Castelvetrano Olives – my favorite olives for grazing boards
- Cornichons – for a salty and delicious pickled flavor
- Marcona Almonds – the greatest nut for grazing boards, in my opinion
Need more inspiration? Check out this awesome video on building grazing boards and this gorgeous Platters and Boards cookbook!
