If you’ve followed me for a while, you know I don’t need much of an excuse to put together a cheese board.

Girls’ night? Cheese board.

Boat day? Cheese board.

A few friends stopping by for a glass of wine? Cheese board.

Holiday party? You guessed it… cheese board.

People always ask how I make them look so full and pretty, and the truth is, I keep it really simple. Most of the time, I’m making one quick stop at Trader Joe’s, grabbing a few of my favorite staples, and putting everything together in about 20 minutes.

You don’t need expensive ingredients or fancy styling tricks. Once you know the formula, you can make a beautiful charcuterie board for just about any occasion.

Today I’m sharing exactly what I buy, how much I buy, and a few little tricks I’ve learned over the years that make every board look like you spent way more time on it than you actually did.

Why I Love Shopping at Trader Joe’s for Charcuterie

There are plenty of places to buy charcuterie ingredients, but Trader Joe’s is still my favorite.

Everything is in one place, the prices are great, and they have enough variety that every board can look a little different.

I don’t walk in with a strict shopping list. I usually see what’s in season, grab whatever fruit looks the freshest, and build my board around that.

If cherries look amazing, they’re coming home with me.

If peaches are perfect that week, I’m grabbing peaches.

I think that’s one of the reasons charcuterie boards never get old. They’re always a little different.

My Charcuterie Board Formula

People always ask if I follow a recipe.

Not really.

I just make sure I have a little bit of everything.

Here’s what I always include:

That’s it.

If you have those categories covered, your board is going to look beautiful.

My Trader Joe’s Shopping List

Cheese

I like mixing different textures instead of buying cheeses that all taste the same.

Almost every board I make includes a few of these favorites:

Meats

You really don’t need a huge variety here.

I usually grab two or three.

My only tip?

Don’t just lay them flat.

Fold them, bunch them together, or make little ribbons.

It instantly makes the board look prettier.

Crackers

I always buy different shapes and textures.

Some favorites:

Fruit

This is probably my favorite part.

Fresh fruit is what makes a board feel colorful and fresh.

Depending on the season, I love using:

Something Crunchy

A little crunch goes a long way.

I usually choose one or two:

Something Sweet

This balances all the salty flavors.

I love adding:

Something Salty

These little bites make the board feel complete.

How Much Should You Buy?

One of the questions I get asked most is how much food to buy.

Here’s what works for me.

Guests	Cheese	Meat	Crackers
4	3 cheeses	2 meats	2 boxes
8	4 cheeses	3 meats	3 to 4 boxes
12	5 cheeses	4 meats	5 boxes
20	6 to 7 cheeses	5 meats	7 to 8 boxes

If the board is the main meal, you’ll want a little more of everything.

If it’s just an appetizer before dinner, this is usually perfect.

How I Build Every Board

This is the order I always follow.

Start with the bowls.

Anything that goes in a bowl goes on first.

Honey.

Jam.

Olives.

Nuts.

They’re the anchors that help everything else fall into place.

Add the cheeses.

Spread them around the board instead of putting them all in one spot.

I also like slicing into one wedge before guests arrive.

It’s a little thing, but it lets everyone know it’s okay to dig in.

Add the meats.

I don’t spend time making fancy salami roses.

They’re beautiful, but they’re not necessary.

A few folds and little piles look just as pretty.

Fill in with crackers.

Scatter them around instead of making perfect rows.

You’ll probably refill these during the party anyway.

Finish with fruit.

This is where everything starts coming together.

I like making little clusters instead of one giant pile.

Fill the tiny gaps.

Nuts.

Fresh herbs.

Edible flowers.

Chocolate.

Those little finishing touches make the whole board feel intentional.

My Favorite Styling Tricks

These are the little things that make a board look extra pretty without any extra work.

Use odd numbers. Three cheeses almost always look better than four.

Think in color. Don’t put all the strawberries on one side. Spread the color around the board.

Give your board some height. Fold meats instead of laying them flat and stack crackers in a few spots.

Don’t overfill it. A little breathing room is actually prettier than trying to cover every inch.

Add fresh herbs. Rosemary, thyme, basil, or edible flowers instantly make the whole thing feel finished.

My Favorite Summer Charcuterie Board

One of my favorite boards I’ve ever made was for our girls’ boat night on Lake Union.

I filled it with fresh cherries, berries, peaches, Unexpected Cheddar, creamy brie, prosciutto, honey, pistachios, and little chamomile flowers tucked throughout.

It felt summery, colorful, and relaxed, which is exactly the vibe I wanted.

That’s probably my biggest piece of advice.

Don’t worry about making it perfect.

Make it feel like you.

A Few Things I Never Forget

I always set out little cheese knives and spoons for the honey and jam.

Cocktail napkins are a must.

And if I’m hosting outside, I wait until the last minute to add the crackers so they stay crisp.

Shop My Favorite Entertaining Pieces

I’ve linked my favorite serving boards, cheese knives, little bowls, cocktail napkins, and entertaining essentials below if you want to recreate this look at home.

If you make a charcuterie board, I’d love to see it!

Happy hosting!

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