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    Homebody Eats » Recipes » Appetizers » Charcuterie Boards » 30+ Unique Charcuterie Board Ideas and Themes

    30+ Unique Charcuterie Board Ideas and Themes

    Published: Jul 9, 2021 · Modified: Apr 22, 2022 by Jessica Mode · This post may contain affiliate links, which means I'll receive a commission if you purchase through the link, at no extra cost to you. Please see full disclosure for more details.

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    collage of charcuterie board ideas.
    various charcuterie board with label.

    Need some creative charcuterie board ideas to spice up your appetizer game? Each of these themes plays a unique twist on the classic cheese and charcuterie boards we all love. These boards would be a great addition to any party, happy hour menu, or holiday appetizer. Use this as inspiration to help create your own works of art.

    cheese board next to mini plates

    Charcuterie boards are all the rage nowadays! You’ve probably seen them at parties, on your holiday table, or even just as a fun weekend appetizer.

    As somebody who is obsessed with all things food, I love taking inspiration from different places and putting my own spin on an idea. That’s exactly what I hope you will do with this post.

    You’ll find different charcuterie board themes throughout this post, along with beautiful examples from around the internet to help inspire you. If you’re looking for food ideas to include on your board, check out my free printable charcuterie board shopping list with over 100+ food items.

    Jump to:
    • Boards For Every Season
    • Boards For A Holiday
    • Kid-Friendly Boards
    • Dessert Boards
    • Boards With Creative Shapes
    • Boards To Go Along With A Theme
    • Small Boards
    • Drink Boards
    • Breakfast Boards
    • Health Focused Boards
    • Boards with Dipping Sauces

    Boards For Every Season

    One of my favorite types of boards to make are seasonal ones. You can use the season's flavors and produce to make the board bright, fresh, and colorful.

    I like looking up what produce is in season or walking around the grocery store looking for specialty seasonal items.

    For more inspiration, search Pinterest for fun color palettes related to the season. This can help you select food items with a similar pattern or feel.

    Check out these ideas:

    fall cheese board on blue platter
    Fall Charcuterie Board
    summer fruit and vegetable snack plate.
    Summer Charcuterie Board
    wooden charcuterie board filled with fresh produce and cheese.
    Spring Charcuterie Board

    Boards For A Holiday

    You can make a creative charcuterie board for almost any holiday! First things first, you’ll need to decide if it’s a board that needs to be paired with a menu (typically for larger holidays), or if it’s more of a snack board to munch on while hanging out at a party.

    If you’re creating an appetizer board to pair with a meal, you’ll want to think through the flavor profiles on the board.

    Try to repeat a flavor or two that guests will see during the main course. You can also pair complementary flavors that go along with the overall menu.

    It’s fun to play off of the colors, motifs, and shapes of the holiday. Don’t be afraid to have fun with this and really play up a theme. You can go all out with red, white, and blue for a 4th of July board.

    Or, you can have lots of red, pink, and hearts for Valentine’s Day. There’s always a way to keep themes more subtle or elegant if that’s your style.

    Check out these ideas:

    summer cheese board with fruit, cheese, and dips
    4th of July Board
    halloween charcuterie board filled with ghost chips, mini pumpkins, and fruit.
    Halloween Charcuterie Board
    valentine's day charcuterie board with heart shaped brie cheese.
    Valentine's Day Board

    Kid-Friendly Boards

    Charcuterie boards for kids are a whole different ball game. You have to make it FUN, and it has to have lots of kid-friendly foods.

    It’s best to know your audience for this type of board. Ask the parents what types of food the kids will eat (and if they have any food allergies), so you can build a board kids will love.

    The more whimsical and funny these boards are, the better! Kids love having fun with their food, so why shouldn’t their charcuterie boards reflect this?!

    Check out these ideas:

    snack board filled with crackers, candy, fruit, and mini snacks.
    Movie Snack Board
    snack board filled with cheese, vegetables, fruit, and nuts.
    Healthy Snack Board
    snack board with tortillas shaped like sharks.
    Summer Shark-Cuterie

    Dessert Boards

    While dessert boards are by no means a true charcuterie board since there is no meat, they are still a fun twist!

    Be sure to think about color and texture when creating a board like this. Charcuterie boards are more fun because there are lots of colors, textures, and ingredients. So, be sure you’re adding a variety of items.

    Remember, fruit and candy can be great filler options when it comes to dessert boards. You can also think about using sweet dips like whipped cream, jam, Nutella, or honey.

    Check out these ideas:

    wooden cutting board layered with strawberries, chocolate, and cream.
    Strawberries & Cream Board
    white serving tray filled with various types of candy.
    Candy Charcuterie Board
    food board filled with chocolate, graham crackers, and marshmallows.
    Loaded S'mores Board

    Boards With Creative Shapes

    I love the idea of changing up the traditional shape of charcuterie boards. There are endless amounts of shapes you can design your board in. Whether you’re planning a board for a holiday or birthday party, you can brainstorm a shape that makes sense for your theme.

    If you don’t own a charcuterie board, you can always cut a piece of cardboard into your shape of choice. This is a great (and cheap) way to make your own board. Just make sure to wrap the cardboard in some parchment paper to keep things sanitary.

    Check out these ideas:

    Birthday Number Board
    large pretzel filled with meat, cheese, nuts, and fruit.
    Pretzel Board
    christmas tree shaped cheese board on a wooden cutting board.
    Christmas Tree Cheese Board

    Boards To Go Along With A Theme

    Planning a themed party? Why not create a charcuterie board theme to go along!

    I always love to think about food that would pair with the theme of the dinner or party. The sky is the limit in terms of cuisine and foods you can build into a beautiful board.

    A fun addition to this themed board would be a specialty cocktail. Select a flavor that complements the elements on the charcuterie board, and make (or buy) a cocktail with those flavors.

    Check out these ideas:

    long Greek appetizer platter next to wine glasses.
    Greek Appetizer Platter
    large serving platter filled with cookies, rice krispie treats, and candies.
    Galentine's Day Sweet Treats
    large wooden charcuterie board filled with tamales and toppings.
    Tamale Platter

    Small Boards

    So often you see huge charcuterie boards around the internet. That size is great for large parties, but not so great if you just need a small board for one, or a small snack for date night.

    Instead, try out these small board options. There are still many cute ways to display a small charcuterie board. You can also opt to display these on a small, decorative plate or in a jar.

    The best part about making small charcuterie boards is that you can splurge on some higher-priced items since you don’t need much. My splurge is always a good quality cheese or prosciutto.

    Check out these ideas:

    two mini charcuterie boards
    Individual Cheese Board
    glass jar filled with nuts, cheese, and crackers.
    Jarcuterie
    small serving board filled with cheese, meat, and crackers.
    Date Night Charcuterie Board

    Drink Boards

    This idea is perfect for happy hour! Boards provide a sense of entertainment and wow for guests. Try making a board themed around your drink or cocktail.

    Make sure to have a large pitcher of whatever the drink of the night is. This will allow your guests easy access to serve themselves and get refills when necessary. Think of this board as all of the fun toppings to go along with your drink.

    Check out these ideas:

    platter topped with hot chocolate toppings.
    Hot Cocoa Board
    wooden cutting board filled with bloody mary toppings.
    Bloody Mary Board
    wooden cutting board topped with sliced fruit.
    Sangria Board

    Breakfast Boards

    If you're looking for fun things to put on a charcuterie board, look no further than these breakfast and brunch inspired platters. This is a cute way to serve everyone's favorite meal of the day.

    You can add any variations of breakfast food that you love including pancakes, waffles, crepes, and pastries. Try making a sweet food board or a savory platter.

    The key to this style of charcuterie board is adding lots of toppings, dips, and syrup to make the presentation show-stopping.

    Check out these ideas:

    pancake and fruit layered on top of wooden serving platter.
    Pancake Breakfast Board
    smoked salmon, toast, and toppings on a charcuterie board.
    Salmon Breakfast Platter
    waffles with fruit and dip on a wooden cutting board.
    Waffle Board

    Health Focused Boards

    There are many different styles of charcuterie boards, including ones that have some healthier food options. This is an interesting way to plate up food that makes people excited to eat healthy.

    Be sure to purchase food that's fresh, bright, colorful, and of course delicious. This is the perfect snack board for a party, especially if your guests have dietary restrictions. These boards can easily fit gluten-free, vegetarian, or vegan dietary preferences.

    Check out these ideas:

    platter filled with summer fruit, vegetables, and croissant sandwiches.
    Summer Fruit Platter
    black slate board topped with dip, crackers, fruit, and nuts.
    Fruit & Veggie Tray
    round wooden cutting board filled with smoked salmon.
    Smoked Salmon

    Boards with Dipping Sauces

    If you're looking for the perfect board or platter to bring to a charcuterie party, this is the perfect unique answer! Everyone loves a food board with dipping sauces.

    The dip on each of these platters provides a nice focal point for the board. It nicely anchors all of the other accouterments on the platter. Whether you decide to go with a sweet or savory dip, you won't be disappointed!

    Check out these ideas:

    sugar cookie dip next to cookies and candy.
    Sugar Cookie Dip
    beer cheese fondue dip surrounded by crackers and vegetables.
    Beer Cheese Fondue
    three types of hummus on a platter with vegetables and pita
    Hummus Platter

    I hope these unique charcuterie board ideas inspired you! If you're looking for even more board and platter ideas, check out these charcuterie board recipes.

    Love this guide? Please leave a comment below. Don't forget to follow along on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Pinterest for more recipes.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Pamela Hernandez

      June 18, 2022 at 10:03 PM

      Amazing

      Reply
      • Jessica Mode

        June 20, 2022 at 7:49 AM

        Pamela - thanks so much for reading 🙂

        Reply
    2. Momdalf

      July 17, 2022 at 8:52 PM

      Perfect to help me get others organized. I've eaten from A LOT of Charcuterie tables but never put one together myself. These helps were just what I needed for our ladies organization to show them what I'm talking about. Thank you for putting this together!

      Reply
    3. Chef Gail

      August 20, 2022 at 4:38 PM

      This information is just what I was looking for! Thank you for putting everything together in one well-written guide!

      Reply
      • Jessica Mode

        August 20, 2022 at 9:41 PM

        I'm so glad it helped! Thanks for taking the time to read it 🙂

        Reply

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