Holidays New Year's Eve
December 31, 2026
A New Year's Eve board has to last until midnight, so plan it as the party food (about 3 oz each of cheese and meat per guest), pair it with Champagne or Prosecco, and keep half the food in the fridge for a second round around 10 pm. Salty, crisp things (Parmigiano, potato chips, salami) and one splurge like smoked salmon or caviar make it feel like a celebration.
Sparkling wine party · 12 guests
Built for bubbles: chunks of Parmigiano-Reggiano, a triple-crème, prosciutto, Marcona almonds, kettle chips, gougères and strawberries. Salt and fat are what make Champagne taste its best.
Parmigiano-Reggiano · Triple-Crème · Prosciutto di Parma · Marcona Almonds · Gougères · Berries · Water Crackers · Honeycomb
Get the shopping list for 12 →Small and fancy · 6 guests
Kettle chips with crème fraîche and a tin of caviar or trout roe, blini, smoked salmon, chives and a good Comté, with a bottle of brut. Small portions, big effect.
Caviar · Blini · Smoked Salmon · Comté · Capers · Water Crackers
Get the shopping list for 6 →Long party · 20 guests
Build one board for the start of the party and keep a second tray ready in the fridge: more cheese, salami, crackers and grapes, plus something warm like sliders for the 10 pm slump.
Aged Cheddar · Aged Gouda · Genoa Salami · Soppressata · Grapes · Butter Crackers · Whole Grain Mustard · Cornichons
Get the shopping list for 20 →Each one has what to buy, why it works and a timeline.
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 |
No alcohol? See zero-proof pairings. More in the Pairings Hub.
Salty, crisp and rich things that suit sparkling wine: Parmigiano-Reggiano, a triple-crème or Brie, prosciutto and salami, Marcona almonds, kettle chips, gougères and strawberries. Add one splurge, like smoked salmon or caviar, for midnight.
Salty, nutty and creamy cheeses: Parmigiano-Reggiano, aged Comté, Brie and triple-crème. The bubbles and acidity cut the fat, and the salt makes the wine taste fruitier. Strong blues tend to overpower a dry Champagne.
Don't put everything out at once. Perishable food should sit out no more than 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), so build a first board for the start of the party and keep a second tray in the fridge to swap in around 10 pm. Add crackers and chips last so they stay crisp.
If the board is the party food, plan about 3 oz each of cheese and meat per guest and 10 to 12 crackers; if there's dinner first, 2 oz of each is enough. From 20 guests, add 10%.
Trout or salmon roe gives the same salty pop for less. Serve it on kettle chips or blini with a spoon of crème fraîche or sour cream and chopped chives.
Read more: New Year's Eve Charcuterie Board: How to Build a Midnight Board That Pairs with Champagne · How to Build a Cocktail Party Charcuterie Board: The One-Handed Format · Wine and Charcuterie Board: The Complete Pairing Guide
Other holidays: Halloween · Thanksgiving · Christmas · Hanukkah · Super Bowl · Valentine's Day · St. Patrick's Day · Easter · 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.
