Quick Answer: A Friendsgiving board comes before a big meal, so plan 2 oz of meat and 2 oz of cheese per guest and 6 to 8 crackers per person. That is 1 lb of each for 8 guests, 1½ lb for 12 and about 2¾ lb for 20. Use two or three fall cheeses (aged cheddar, brie, aged gouda), salami and prosciutto, apples, pears, candied pecans and fig jam. Bring the meat and cheese yourself, hand out the extras on a potluck list, and build the board when you arrive.
Friendsgiving has a problem a family Thanksgiving doesn't: dinner time is a guess. Somebody's pie is late, the turkey needs another 40 minutes, and fifteen hungry people are standing in a small kitchen. A charcuterie board fixes that, as long as it's sized to hold people over and not to replace the meal.
Shopping list for 8, 12 or 20 guests
These amounts use the Lab standard for a board before a meal (2 oz each of meat and cheese per guest), with 10% extra from 20 guests up.
| Item | 8 guests | 12 guests | 20 guests |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cured meat (2 kinds) | 1 lb | 1½ lb | 2¾ lb |
| Cheese (2 to 3 kinds) | 1 lb | 1½ lb | 2¾ lb |
| Crackers and baguette | 50 to 65 pieces (2 boxes) | 75 to 95 pieces (3 boxes) | 135 to 175 pieces (4 to 5 boxes, or 3 boxes and a baguette) |
| Apples and pears | 1 of each | 2 of each | 3 of each |
| Grapes | 1 lb | 1½ lb | 2½ lb |
| Candied pecans or nuts | 1 cup | 1½ cups | 2½ cups |
| Fig jam or apple butter | 1 small jar | 1 jar | 2 jars |
| Something tart (cornichons, olives) | 1 cup | 1½ cups | 2½ cups |
Split the cheese between the kinds rather than buying equal amounts of everything. For 12 guests, a good split is 8 oz aged cheddar, 8 oz aged gouda and an 8 oz wheel of brie. For the meat, 1 lb of Genoa salami or soppressata and 8 oz of prosciutto. For any other guest count, the Party Planner works it out.
Fall cheeses, meats and extras
| Part | Best fall picks | Why it works in November |
|---|---|---|
| Firm cheese | Aged cheddar, aged gouda, Gruyère | Nutty, caramel notes that match apples and pecans |
| Soft cheese | Brie, cranberry goat cheese | Creamy contrast; cranberry chevre brings the holiday color |
| Something different | Wensleydale with cranberries, smoked gouda | One cheese people will ask about |
| Meat | Salami, soppressata, prosciutto | Salty and fatty, the right contrast to sweet fruit |
| Sweet | Fig jam, apple butter, honey | Goes with every cheese on the board |
| Crunch | Candied pecans, rosemary crackers | Fall flavors without pumpkin-spice everything |
| Fresh | Apples, pears, red grapes, pomegranate | Color and a palate reset |
| Tart | Cornichons, mixed olives | Cuts through the richness |
Skip anything that competes with the dinner itself. Stuffing-flavored crackers and turkey roll-ups are fun, but people will be eating plenty of both in an hour.
The potluck split: who brings what
The board is the easiest dish to share across a group. Keep the meat, cheese and the build with one person, and put the rest on the sign-up list.
| Person | Brings | Rough cost for 12 |
|---|---|---|
| Board owner | Meat, cheese, the board and a knife | $30 to $45 |
| Guest 1 | Crackers and a baguette | $8 to $12 |
| Guest 2 | Apples, pears, grapes | $8 to $10 |
| Guest 3 | Candied pecans, olives, cornichons | $8 to $12 |
| Guest 4 | Fig jam or apple butter, honey | $5 to $8 |
Ask the guests to bring their items unopened, and tell them the amounts from the table above so you don't end up with four boxes of crackers and no fruit.
How to carry it and build it at someone else's house
Never build the board at home and drive it over. It slides, the crackers go soft and you have to keep it cold the whole way.
- The night before: slice the firm cheese and fold or roll the meat. Pack each kind in its own sealed container. Wash and dry the grapes.
- Before you leave: put the meat and cheese containers in a cooler with ice packs. Pack crackers, jam and nuts in a separate bag. Bring the board, a cheese knife, small bowls and a paring knife for the fruit.
- When you arrive: take the firm cheese out right away. Aged cheese tastes best after 45 to 60 minutes out of the fridge, and soft cheese like brie after 20 to 30 minutes.
- The 15-minute build: bowls first (jam, olives, cornichons), then the cheese, then the meat, then the crackers in two or three runs, then fruit and nuts in the gaps. Slice the apples and pears last so they don't brown.
The make-ahead guide covers more prep you can do the day before.
How long to leave it out
Put the board out when people arrive and clear it when dinner goes on the table. Food safety rules say perishable food should sit out no more than 2 hours, or 1 hour if it's above 90°F. If dinner runs late, refill from the cooler instead of leaving the first round out longer. Leftover meat and cheese can go back in the fridge if they were out under 2 hours. See how long a charcuterie board can sit out.
What it costs
With grocery-store cheese, salami, crackers and fruit, plan on about $4.50 to $7 per guest. That's roughly $35 to $55 for 8 people, $55 to $85 for 12 and $100 to $150 for 20 (with the 10% extra). The meat and cheese are a little over half of it. Pepperoni or a store-brand salami, a block of cheddar and grapes keep you at the low end. Prosciutto di Parma, Gruyère and candied pecans push you to the top. For ways to cut the cost further, see the budget charcuterie board.
Friendsgiving vs a Thanksgiving board
The board itself is close to the same. The differences are about the party.
| Friendsgiving | Family Thanksgiving |
|---|---|
| Often at someone else's place, so you transport it | Usually at home |
| Dinner time is loose, so plan a refill | Dinner time is set |
| Easy to split as a potluck | One cook usually covers it |
| Wine and cider from guests | Host picks the drinks |
For the family version, see the Thanksgiving charcuterie board and the Thanksgiving holiday page.
FAQ
How much charcuterie do you need for Friendsgiving? Plan 2 oz of meat and 2 oz of cheese per guest, because dinner follows. That is 1 lb of each for 8 guests, 1½ lb for 12 and about 2¾ lb for 20, plus 6 to 8 crackers per person.
What goes on a Friendsgiving charcuterie board? Two or three fall cheeses such as aged cheddar, brie and an aged gouda, two cured meats such as salami and prosciutto, crackers and a sliced baguette, apples, pears and grapes, candied pecans, fig jam or apple butter, and something tart like cornichons or cranberry chevre.
Who should bring the charcuterie board to Friendsgiving? Whoever takes it should bring the meat and cheese and do the build, because those are the expensive, timed parts. Crackers, fruit, nuts, jam and olives are easy to hand out to other guests on a sign-up list.
How do you transport a charcuterie board to Friendsgiving? Do not build it at home. Pack the sliced cheese and meat in sealed containers in a cooler with ice packs, carry the crackers separately so they stay crisp, and build the board in 15 minutes when you arrive.
How much does a Friendsgiving charcuterie board cost? About $4.50 to $7 per guest with grocery-store cheese, salami, crackers and fruit, so roughly $35 to $55 for 8 people and $55 to $85 for 12. Splitting the extras through a potluck list brings the host's share down.
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