How does Charcuterie Lab rank brands?

Each product is scored 1 to 5 on how it works on a board, published taste tests and awards, ingredients, value and availability, then weighted into one score out of 5.

Did you taste every product?

Not side by side. These are researched picks based on published taste tests, awards, ingredient lists and prices. Guides we taste-test ourselves will be marked Tested.

How often are the rankings updated?

We recheck prices, stock and new reviews regularly, and each guide shows the month it was last checked.

Best Charcuterie Brands: Ranked Buying Guides

Quick Answer: We rank the best brands for 106 board ingredients and gifts, plus top picks at 14 stores. A few winners: Kerrygold Reserve cheddar, Fromager d'Affinois brie, Olli salami and Dalmatia fig spread.

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See our #1 and a budget pick
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Our scores, out of 5: 4.5+ standout 4.0 to 4.4 great under 4 good, with a catch Buyer's guide no published taste test yet, so we picked on labels, price and reputation. How we rank

Holiday buys right now

What are you buying?

Tap a category or type what's on your list. Every guide names our #1, a budget pick and where to buy them.

Shopping at one store? Costco Trader Joe's Aldi Walmart Target Whole Foods Sam's Club Kroger Publix H-E-B Wegmans Safeway Sprouts Lidl

Cheese 32 guides

Cured meat 17 guides

Crackers and chips 8 guides

Spreads and dips 22 guides

Olives, pickles and nuts 7 guides

Sweets 7 guides

Drinks 6 guides

Gifts and gear 7 guides

Store guides 18 guides

One winner for every spot on the board

Building a classic board? Here is our #1 pick for each spot. Tap any row for the budget pick and the runners-up.

Get every #1 pick as a free printable How much of each to buy →

See every guide in one table, plus the best-value pick for each ingredient

Cheese and butter

Guide	Our top pick	Our score
Best Brie Brands at the Grocery Store	Fromager d'Affinois	4.4/5
Best Cheddar Brands for a Charcuterie Board	Kerrygold Reserve Cheddar	4.8/5
Best Manchego Brands for a Charcuterie Board	Kirkland Signature Manchego DOP (6 months)	4.5/5
Best Parmesan for a Charcuterie Board	Boar's Head Parmigiano-Reggiano	4.5/5
Best Pecorino Romano Brands for a Charcuterie Board	Boar's Head Pecorino Romano	Buyer's guide (unscored)
Best Asiago Cheese Brands for a Charcuterie Board	Sartori Classic Asiago	Buyer's guide (unscored)
Best Fontina Cheese for a Charcuterie Board	Fontina Val d'Aosta DOP	Buyer's guide (unscored)
Best Goat Cheese Brands for a Charcuterie Board	Laura Chenel Original Fresh Goat Cheese	4.7/5
Best Gouda Brands for a Charcuterie Board	Trader Joe's 1000 Day Gouda	4.7/5
Best Blue Cheese Brands for a Charcuterie Board	Point Reyes Original Blue	4.5/5
Best Stilton for a Christmas Cheese Board	Colston Bassett Stilton	Buyer's guide (unscored)
Best Gorgonzola Cheese for a Charcuterie Board	Gorgonzola Dolce DOP	Buyer's guide (unscored)
Best Truffle Cheese for a Charcuterie Board	Sottocenere al Tartufo	Buyer's guide (unscored)
Best Cranberry Cheese for a Holiday Board	Wensleydale with Cranberries	Buyer's guide (unscored)
Best Fresh Mozzarella for a Charcuterie Board	Primo Taglio Fresh Mozzarella	4.5/5
Best Burrata at the Grocery Store	BelGioioso Burrata	4.7/5
Best Ricotta Brands for Whipped Ricotta and Boards	BelGioioso Ricotta con Latte	Buyer's guide (unscored)
Best Gruyère Brands for a Charcuterie Board	Emmi Kaltbach Le Gruyère AOP	4.4/5
Best Feta Brands for a Charcuterie Board	Mt Vikos Traditional Feta	4.5/5
Best Vegan Cheese for a Charcuterie Board	Boursin Dairy-Free Garlic & Herbs	4.4/5
Best Swiss Cheese for a Charcuterie Board	Sargento Aged Swiss	4.6/5
Best Cream Cheese Brands for a Charcuterie Board	Philadelphia Original Cream Cheese	4.7/5
Best Store-Bought Pimento Cheese for a Charcuterie Board	MyThreeSons Emmy's Original Pimento Cheese	4.4/5
Best String Cheese for a Kids' Charcuterie Board	Frigo Cheese Heads String Cheese	4.2/5
Best Cheese Curds for a Charcuterie Board	Happy Farms White Cheddar Curds (Aldi)	Buyer's guide (unscored)
Best Butter for a Butter Board	Kerrygold Pure Irish Butter (Salted)	4.7/5
Best Camembert to Buy	Marin French Cheese Co. Camembert	Buyer's guide (unscored)
Best Havarti to Buy	Buholzer Brothers Havarti	Buyer's guide (unscored)
Best Provolone for a Charcuterie Board	Boar's Head Picante Provolone	4.7/5
Best Pepper Jack Cheese	Cabot Pepper Jack	4.7/5
Best Boursin-Style Herb Cheese Spreads	Boursin Garlic & Fine Herbs	Buyer's guide (unscored)
Best Store-Bought Cheese Balls	Kaukauna Port Wine Cheese Ball	Buyer's guide (unscored)

Cured meat and smoked fish

Guide	Our top pick	Our score
Best Salami Brands for a Charcuterie Board	Olli Salumeria	4.5/5
Best Deli Meat Brands for a Charcuterie Board	Boar's Head	Buyer's guide (unscored)
Best 'Nduja to Buy for a Charcuterie Board	Tempesta 'Nduja	Buyer's guide (unscored)
Best Prosciutto Brands for a Charcuterie Board	Appleton Farms Prosciutto	4.2/5
Best Jamón Serrano and Spanish Ham	Redondo Iglesias 16-month Serrano	Buyer's guide (unscored)
Best Pepperoni for a Charcuterie Board	Boar's Head Pepperoni	4.5/5
Best Soppressata Brands for a Charcuterie Board	Brooklyn Cured Sweet Soppressata	4.2/5
Best Spanish Chorizo for a Charcuterie Board	Palacios Chorizo (mild or hot)	4.3/5
Best Summer Sausage for a Charcuterie Board	Cloverdale Original Tangy Summer Sausage	4.4/5
Best Kielbasa Brands for a Game-Day Board	Slotkowski Polish Sausage	Buyer's guide (unscored)
Best Mortadella Brands for a Charcuterie Board	Columbus Mortadella	4.5/5
Best Smoked Salmon for a Charcuterie Board	Kirkland Signature Smoked Salmon	4.7/5
Best Caviar, From $20 Roe to a Splurge	Whole Foods Whitefish Caviar (budget)	Buyer's guide (unscored)
Best Meat Sticks for a Charcuterie Board	Chomps Original Beef Stick	4.8/5
Best Beef Jerky Brands	Old Trapper Old Fashioned	Buyer's guide (unscored)
Best Capicola (Coppa) to Buy	Volpi Sliced Coppa	Buyer's guide (unscored)
Best Pâté to Buy	Les Trois Petits Cochons	Buyer's guide (unscored)

Crackers, chips and pretzels

Guide	Our top pick	Our score
Best Water Crackers for a Charcuterie Board	Carr's Table Water Crackers, Original	4.5/5
Best Crackers for a Charcuterie Board by Brand	Carr's Table Water Crackers	4.5/5
Best Gluten-Free Crackers for a Charcuterie Board	Crunchmaster Multi-Seed Crackers	4.7/5
Best Cheese Crisps for a Keto or Gluten-Free Board	Whisps Parmesan Cheese Crisps	Buyer's guide (unscored)
Best Pretzels for a Charcuterie Board	Snack Factory Pretzel Crisps Original	4.7/5
Best Pita Chips for a Charcuterie Board	Stacy's Simply Naked Pita Chips	4.7/5
Best Kettle Chips for a Game Day Board	Cape Cod Original Sea Salt Kettle Cooked Chips	4.7/5
Best Tortilla Chips for a Game Day Board	On The Border Café Style	4.7/5

Spreads, dips, sauces, honey, mustard and glaze

Guide	Our top pick	Our score
Best Fig Jam for a Cheese Board	Dalmatia Original Fig Spread	4.4/5
Best Honey for a Cheese Board	Nature Nate's Raw & Unfiltered Honey	4.6/5
Best Mustard for a Charcuterie Board	Maille Old Style Whole Grain Mustard	4.8/5
Best Hot Honey for a Charcuterie Board	Mike's Hot Honey	4.5/5
Best Pepper Jelly for a Charcuterie Board	Braswell's Jalapeño Pepper Jelly	4.8/5
Best Balsamic Glaze for a Charcuterie Board	Bertolli Balsamic Glaze	4.7/5
Best Store-Bought Hummus for a Charcuterie Board	Cedar's Classic Original Hummus	4.6/5
Best Store-Bought French Onion Dip for a Charcuterie Board	Heluva Good! French Onion Dip	4.7/5
Best Store-Bought Pesto for a Charcuterie Board	Kirkland Signature Basil Pesto	4.7/5
Best Canned Cranberry Sauce for a Thanksgiving Board	Ocean Spray Jellied Cranberry Sauce	4.2/5
Best Strawberry Jam for a Cheese Board	Bonne Maman Strawberry Preserves	4.8/5
Best Store-Bought Spinach Dip for a Charcuterie Board	Marketside Spinach & Artichoke Dip	4.7/5
Best Store-Bought Queso for a Game Day Board	Marketside Queso Blanco	4.5/5
Best Store-Bought Salsa for a Game Day Board	Siete Mild Salsa	4.4/5
Best Store-Bought Guacamole for a Game Day Board	Sabra Classic Guacamole	4.4/5
Best Store-Bought Ranch Dip for a Veggie Board	Marie's Creamy Ranch Dressing & Dip	4.4/5
Best Quince Paste (Membrillo) to Buy	Mitica Membrillo	Buyer's guide (unscored)
Best Store-Bought Tzatziki for a Mezze Board	Boar's Head Tzatziki	Buyer's guide (unscored)
Best Store-Bought Whipped Feta Dip	Trader Joe's Whipped Feta Spread	Buyer's guide (unscored)
Best Olive Tapenade to Buy	DeLallo Black Olive Tapenade	Buyer's guide (unscored)
Best Store-Bought Buffalo Chicken Dip for Game Day	Marketside Buffalo Style Chicken Dip	Buyer's guide (unscored)
Best Store-Bought Dill Pickle Dip	Taste of the South Fried Pickle & Ranch Dip	Buyer's guide (unscored)

Olives, pickles and nuts

Guide	Our top pick	Our score
Best Olives for a Charcuterie Board	Mezzetta Castelvetrano Olives	4.7/5
Best Marcona Almonds for a Charcuterie Board	Trader Joe's Roasted & Salted Rosemary Marcona Almonds	4.5/5
Best Pickles for a Charcuterie Board (Plus Cornichons)	Mt. Olive Kosher Baby Dills	4.5/5
Best Nuts for a Charcuterie Board (Mixed Nuts)	Kirkland Signature Extra Fancy Salted Mixed Nuts	4.5/5
Best Candied Pecans and Spiced Nuts	Kirkland Signature Praline Pecans	Buyer's guide (unscored)
Best Cornichons for a Charcuterie Board	Maille Original Cornichons	Buyer's guide (unscored)
Best Jarred Marinated Artichoke Hearts	Napoleon Marinated Grilled Artichokes	Buyer's guide (Sporked test)

Sweets

Guide	Our top pick	Our score
Best Dark Chocolate for a Charcuterie Board	Tony's Chocolonely Dark Chocolate 70%	4.4/5
Best Store-Bought Shortbread for a Dessert Board	Walkers Pure Butter Shortbread	4.5/5
Best Store-Bought Christmas Cookies	Pepperidge Farm holiday Milanos	Buyer's guide (unscored)
Best Hot Cocoa Mix for a Hot Cocoa Board	Land O Lakes Chocolate Supreme	Buyer's guide (unscored)
Best Panettone for a Christmas Board	Olivieri 1882 Classic Panettone	Buyer's guide (unscored)
Best Dried Fruit for a Charcuterie Board	Mariani Mediterranean Apricots	Buyer's guide (unscored)
Best Medjool Dates for a Charcuterie Board	Costco Medjool Dates (value)	Buyer's guide (unscored)

Drinks

Guide	Our top pick	Our score
Best Prosecco for a Charcuterie Board	Mionetto Prosecco Brut	4.6/5
Best Cheap Champagne for New Year's Eve	Kirkland Signature Champagne Brut	Buyer's guide (unscored)
Best Port Wine for a Cheese Board	Taylor Fladgate 10 Year Tawny	Buyer's guide (unscored)
Best Wines Under $20 for a Charcuterie Board	Segura Viudas Brut Reserva Cava	Buyer's guide (unscored)
Best Sparkling Cider (Non-Alcoholic)	Martinelli's Sparkling Cider	4.8/5
Best Store-Bought Eggnog for the Holidays	Trader Joe's Egg Nog	Buyer's guide (unscored)

Gifts

Guide	Our top pick	Our score
Best Charcuterie and Meat and Cheese Gift Boxes	Harry & David Ultimate Meat and Cheese Gift Box	4.6/5
Best Charcuterie Gift Baskets on Amazon, Compared	Hickory Farms Signature Beef	Buyer's guide (unscored)
Best Cheese-of-the-Month Clubs	Murray's Cheese Explorer's Club	Buyer's guide (unscored)
Best Cheese Knife Sets	Boska Copenhagen Cheese Knife Set	Buyer's guide (unscored)
Best Cheese Paper and Cheese Storage	Formaticum Cheese Storage Bags	Buyer's guide (unscored)
Best Charcuterie Boards to Buy	A 16-inch-plus hardwood board	Buyer's guide (unscored)
Amazon Charcuterie Board Sets, Reviewed	SMIRLY Charcuterie Board Set	Review (5 compared)
Charcuterie gift guide	50 Boards, Built by Science	Gift guide

Store guides

Shopping at one store? These rank the best charcuterie picks at each, and the ranked ones have a free printable shopping list with amounts for 8, 12 or 20 guests.

Guide	Our top pick	Our score
Best Trader Joe's Cheeses for a Charcuterie Board	Trader Joe's Unexpected Cheddar	4.7/5
Best Trader Joe's Charcuterie Items (Meats, Crackers, Extras)	Trader Joe's Salame di Parma Mild Salami (best meat)	4.5/5
Best Costco Charcuterie Board Items	Kirkland Signature Manchego DOP (best cheese)	4.5/5
Best Aldi Charcuterie Board Items	Emporium Selection Not Your Average Cheddar	4.7/5
Best Whole Foods Cheeses for a Charcuterie Board	Isigny Sainte-Mère Double Cream Brie	4.3/5
Best Walmart Charcuterie Board Items	Marketside Parmigiano Reggiano, 24 months	4.8/5
Best Sam's Club Charcuterie Board Items	Member's Mark Manchego Wedge	4.8/5
Best Target Charcuterie Board Items	Good & Gather Classic Onion Dip	4.5/5
Best Kroger Charcuterie Board Items	Murray's Cave Aged Stockinghall Cheddar	4.2/5
Best Publix Charcuterie Board Items	Boar's Head Parmigiano Reggiano	4.5/5
Best H-E-B Charcuterie Board Items	Kerrygold Aged Irish Cheddar	4.6/5
Best Wegmans Charcuterie Board Items	Wegmans 18-Month Aged Medium Gouda	4.5/5
Best Safeway and Albertsons Charcuterie Board Items	Laura Chenel Original Fresh Goat Cheese	4.7/5
What to Buy at Sprouts for a Charcuterie Board	Sprouts Sliced Pepper Jack and Provolone	Buyer's guide (unscored)
What to Buy at Lidl for a Charcuterie Board	Preferred Selection Parmigiano Reggiano, 24 months	Buyer's guide (unscored)
Trader Joe's Holiday Charcuterie Items 2026	Creamy Toscano Dusted with Cinnamon	Seasonal guide
Costco Holiday Cheese and Charcuterie 2026	Fratelli Beretta Charcuterie Kit	Seasonal guide
Aldi Holiday Charcuterie Items 2026	Winter Wonderland Cheese Advent Calendar	Seasonal guide

Best value picks

Ingredient	Best value	Rating
Water crackers	365 by Whole Foods Market Organic Water Crackers	3.5/5
Crackers	Milton's Craft Bakers Original Multi-Grain	4.2/5
Gluten-free crackers	Blue Diamond Nut-Thins	4.2/5
Salami	Volpi Genoa Salame	4.3/5
Prosciutto	Trader Joe's Sliced Prosciutto	3.8/5
Brie	Trader Joe's Brie	3.8/5
Cheddar	Trader Joe's Unexpected Cheddar	4.7/5
Fig jam	Bonne Maman Fig Preserves	3.9/5
Olives	Trader Joe's Organic Conversation Olive Trio	3.8/5
Honey	365 by Whole Foods Market Organic Raw Wildflower Honey	4.2/5
Manchego	Trader Joe's Manchego	3.9/5
Parmesan	Kirkland Signature Parmigiano-Reggiano	4.2/5
Goat cheese	Trader Joe's Chèvre	3.9/5
Gouda	Trader Joe's Goat Milk Gouda	4.2/5
Blue cheese	Trader Joe's Cave Aged Blue	4.2/5
Fresh mozzarella	Trader Joe's Fresh Mozzarella	3.9/5
Burrata	Specially Selected Traditional Burrata (Aldi)	4.5/5
Pepperoni	Trader Joe's Ciao Pizza Prima Pepperoni	4.0/5
Soppressata	Volpi Soppressata	3.8/5
Spanish chorizo	Columbus Spanish Style Chorizo Salame	3.5/5
Summer sausage	Trader Joe's Natural Turkey Summer Sausage	4.2/5
Mustard	Grey Poupon Harvest Coarse Ground	4.5/5
Marcona almonds	Kirkland Signature Marcona Almonds	3.5/5
Hot honey	Nature Nate's Hot Honey	4.3/5
Pepper jelly	Tabasco Spicy Pepper Jelly	4.0/5
Gruyère	Emmi Le Gruyère AOP	4.3/5
Feta	Athenos Feta Chunk	4.3/5
Vegan cheese	Violife Mature Cheddar	4.2/5
Mortadella	Columbus Mortadella	4.5/5
Balsamic glaze	Bertolli Balsamic Glaze	4.7/5
Smoked salmon	Latitude 45 Atlantic Salmon (Walmart)	4.5/5
Pretzels	Snyder's of Hanover Snaps	4.6/5
Dark chocolate	Choceur Dark Chocolate (Aldi)	4.1/5
Pita chips	Specially Selected Sea Salt Pita Chips (Aldi)	4.3/5
Pimento cheese	Price's Pimiento Cheese Spread	4.2/5
Cream cheese	Great Value Cream Cheese	4.2/5
Pesto	Good & Gather Basil Pesto	4.2/5
Strawberry jam	Smucker's Natural Strawberry Fruit Spread	4.3/5
Butter	Land O Lakes Salted Butter	4.2/5
Shortbread	Lorna Doone Shortbread Cookies	4.0/5
Queso	Great Value Salsa Con Queso	4.2/5
Kettle chips	Lay's Kettle Cooked Original	4.2/5
Tortilla chips	Tostitos Original Restaurant Style	3.9/5
Salsa	On The Border Medium Chunky Salsa	4.3/5
Guacamole	Member's Mark Homestyle Guacamole (Sam's Club)	4.0/5
Ranch dip	Dean's Ranch Dip	4.3/5
Prosecco	Ruffino Prosecco	4.3/5
Gift box	The Swiss Colony Sausage and Cheese Bars	3.6/5
Provolone	Kroger Smoke Flavored Provolone	4.0/5

How we rank

Every product gets a score from 1 to 5 on five things, weighted into one overall score out of 5:

What we score	Weight	What earns a 5
How it works on a board	30%	Sturdy, the right size and texture, and it lets the rest of the board shine
Published taste tests and awards	25%	Ranked at or near the top by reputable taste tests, or wins major food awards
Ingredients	15%	A short list led by the real ingredient, with no fillers
Value	15%	A low price for what you get
Easy to find	15%	Sold in most grocery stores

Researched, not taste-tested (yet). These rankings come from published taste tests (from outlets like Tasting Table, Sporked, Daily Meal and The Kitchn), award results, ingredient labels and prices. We have not tasted every product side by side. When we taste-test a category ourselves, that guide will say Tested. Each guide lists its sources.

Unscored buyer's guides. When no published taste test covers an ingredient (so far Camembert, Havarti, Asiago, fontina, 'nduja, capicola, pâté, quince paste, cornichons, Medjool dates, herb cheese spreads, cheese balls, hot cocoa, cookies, dried fruit, Spanish ham, cheese crisps, wine, cheese clubs, and the Sprouts, Lidl and holiday store guides), we don't invent scores. Those guides name what to buy and why, using award results and the tests that do exist, and say so at the top.

Updated regularly. Products change recipes, prices move and stores change what they stock. Each guide shows when it was last checked.

Independent. No brand paid to be included or for its position.

Put the picks to work

Once you have your ingredients, the Party Planner tells you how much to buy, the Pairings Hub shows what goes with what, and the Board Library has full board plans to copy.

The Best Charcuterie Brands: Our Ranked Buying Guides