If you’ve ever hosted a party, you know that it always comes with some level of stress. Do you have enough food? Is there enough variety so everyone has something to eat? That’s where charcuterie boards and party platters come in! They provide food to snack on throughout the night, they look beautiful (when done right), and can accommodate all the diets!

It's always helpful to have a bit of an artistic flair to make your charcuterie or platter look like it was part of a Food Network photoshoot but if you dont, luckily, we have some easy tips for creating a stunning platter that doesn’t require a design degree.

How to build the Boards

Let your eyes do the talking: make sure your board has various colours, textures and contrast so your eyes will bounce all over the board. Contrast can mean putting savory beside sweet, crunchy beside smooth or bright colour beside a neutral.

Don’t let your guests do all the work: include items that are pre-sliced, like prosciutto, crackers, or baguette, as well as items that need to be sliced on the board. This can include cheese blocks or a salami roll

Pop ‘em vs spread ‘em: include items that can be popped into the mouth like grapes, olives or orange slices and contrast those items with dips and spreads like tapenade, cashew cheese and hummus

Multiple plating options: just because it’s a board doesn’t mean it has to be on one board. Break things up by including different boards, bowls, and plates. This not only breaks things up but also gives depth to your spread

When it comes to creating a spread, it can be difficult to decide exactly how much to buy. The best way to prepare it to assume that each guest will have 3oz of cheese and 3oz of protein. For a well-rounded spread, it’s best to have two or three different protein options, one or two firm cheese and one or two soft cheese. Two dips is usually enough to get you through the night, accompanied by one or two cracker styles, one bread/baguette, two vegetables, and two pickled items.

The Boards

At Community Natural Foods we make it simple to put together the most versatile and beautiful charcuterie boards and platters, all while supporting local brands & farmers.

Our 4 "go to" local inspired charcuterie boards are the Classic, Vegan, Gluten Free, and Dessert. We have carefully curated a shopping list for each board so you know exactly what products to buy – no stress, no hassle entertaining. Click on the images below to get your shopping lists!

Classic Board

Elevate your classic meat and cheese board with unique local products from brands like Sunworks, McLean Meats, Fairwinds and Vital Greens. 

Vegan Board

For dairy-free deliciousness, choose from a wide variety of vegan spreads and plant-based products from brands like Basic Roots, Nuts for Cheese, Community Naturals and Truffula.

Gluten Free Board

Stock your spread with a huge selection of gluten-free goods from popular local brands like Made Foods, Old Country, Eves and Hippie Snacks.

Dessert Board

Dress up your gathering with all-natural treats and baked goods from sweet local brands like Dwarf Star, Pie Junkie, Real Treat, Lakeview and Gallerie au Chocolat.