Holidays Mother's Day
May 9, 2027
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Make it a brunch board: soft cheeses, prosciutto, smoked salmon, berries and something sweet, served mid-morning with coffee or mimosas. Plan about 2 oz each of cheese and meat per guest.
Brunch · 8 guests
Brie and an herbed goat cheese, prosciutto and smoked salmon with cream cheese and capers, bagel chips, berries and a pot of lemon curd. Everything a brunch table needs on one board.
Brie · Fresh Chèvre · Prosciutto di Parma · Smoked Salmon · Cream Cheese · Capers · Bagel Chips · Berries · Lemon Curd · Honey
See the full board → Get the shopping list for 8 →Afternoon party · 12 guests
Burrata and fresh mozzarella in the center, prosciutto folded around them, grapes, crostini and honeycomb, with edible flowers tucked into the gaps. Serve it with a sparkling wine or iced tea.
Burrata · Fresh Mozzarella · Prosciutto di Parma · Grapes · Crostini · Honeycomb · Marcona Almonds · Edible Flowers
Get the shopping list for 12 →
Just the two of you · 2 guests
A small tray board: one soft cheese, a few slices of prosciutto, berries, a pastry and coffee. Built the night before and carried in on a tray.
Brie · Prosciutto di Parma · Berries · Honey · Dark Chocolate
See the full board → Get the shopping list for 2 →Each one has what to buy, why it works and a timeline.
Occasions & Parties
Breakfast & Brunch Charcuterie Board
Serves 8–12 · $50–$80
Full plan · $3Beginner
Boards for Two
Breakfast in Bed Board for Two
Serves 2 · $21–$32
Plan in the bookBeginner
Plant-Based
Plant-Based Brunch Board
Serves 6–8 · $30–$45
Full plan · $3Plant-basedBeginner
Occasions & Parties
Wedding & Bridal Shower Charcuterie Board
Serves 20–30 · $175–$275
Full plan · $3Advanced
Served as an appetizer before a meal, plan about 2 oz of cheese, 2 oz of meat and 6–8 crackers per guest. If the board is the party food, plan 3 oz of each; if it's dinner, 4 oz. From 20 guests, add 10% (included below).
| Guests | Cheese | Meat | Crackers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 12 oz | 12 oz | 36–48 | Full list |
| 12 | 1½ lb | 1½ lb | 72–96 | Full list |
| 20 | 2¾ lb | 2¾ lb | 120–160 | Full list |
Plan every board this season
Exact shopping lists, prep timelines, placement steps and pairing science for 50 boards, including Thanksgiving, Holiday Entertaining, New Year's Eve and Game Day, in Charcuterie Lab: 50 Boards Built by Science.
Soft, mild cheeses like brie and goat cheese, prosciutto and smoked salmon, berries and grapes, bagel chips or crackers, and something sweet: lemon curd, honey or dark chocolate. Edible flowers make it look like a gift.
Yes. It can be made the night before, everyone serves themselves, and it covers sweet and savory in one place. Add a pastry or two and coffee or mimosas, and it's the whole brunch.
Put a round of brie or a bowl of jam in the center, then lay petals around it: fans of strawberries, folded prosciutto and slices of cheese, one color per petal. Add a stem of crackers and a few herb leaves.
As an appetizer before a meal, plan about 2 oz of cheese and 2 oz of meat per guest, plus 6 to 8 crackers. If the board is the party food, plan 3 oz of each and 10 to 12 crackers; if it's dinner, 4 oz of each. From 20 guests, add 10%.
Before a meal, plan about $3 to $5 per guest on a budget and $5 to $8 for a standard board, so roughly $25 to $40 or $40 to $65 for 8 guests. Smoked salmon and burrata push it toward the top. Store and region change the total.
Mostly. Slice the firm cheeses, wash the berries and fill the bowls the night before, then cover and chill. In the morning, take the brie out 30 minutes ahead, fold the meats and add crackers last so they stay crisp.
Keep it small and easy to eat in bed: one soft cheese, a few slices of prosciutto, berries, a croissant or muffin, honey and a square of chocolate, with coffee on the side.
Read more: Bagel Board: How to Build a Brunch Bagel Bar (Serves 6 to 20) · Bagel Board: How to Build a Brunch Bagel Bar (Serves 6 to 20) · Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese: Why This Pairing Works · Charcuterie Board for One
Other holidays: Halloween · Thanksgiving · Christmas · Hanukkah · New Year's Eve · Super Bowl · Valentine's Day · St. Patrick's Day · Easter · Memorial Day & Graduation · Fourth of July · All holidays
Free printable
How much to buy for any guest count, the build order, fridge timing and pairing rules on two printable pages. Plus the Lab Report: one pairing that works and why, and new printables the day they land.