How To Know What Size Charcuterie Board You Need

Party-goers are raving about the charcuterie board trend, and luckily for us, they're easy to make for an at-home get-together. According to Shutterfly, the word "charcuterie" comes from the French word that means "smoked or dried meats." Originally, charcuterie boards were made with a mixture of meats, cheeses, breads, and oils. Today, classic charcuterie boards often also feature nuts, fruits, jam, olives, and crackers (via Kitchen Seer).

Building a charcuterie board is simple. Shutterfly recommends first placing the meats and cheeses on the board — using small jars for jams — and waiting until all other items are placed before surrounding them with crackers and/or bread. But there are endless possibilities when it comes to the type of charcuterie board you can make, ranging from Mediterranean-style boards with olive tapenade, grape leaves, and pita bread to a French board with figs, pâté, and brie cheese. And, if you're looking to be super creative, move away from traditional meat boards and create a "nontraditional" charcuterie board, such as a hot cocoa board with peppermints and marshmallows or a Christmas board with cookies and cranberries (via Saving & Simplicity).

Once you've decided what type of charcuterie board you want to make, the next step is choosing your board. You can use a rectangular cutting board (wood ones tend to be a popular choice), which tends to come with standard measurements of 9x13 inches, but can range in size up to 12x18 inches (via Shutterfly). However, Kitchen Seer points out that charcuterie boards can be custom-made in any size and shape you'd like. "The only limits are your budget, your imagination, and your available space," the outlet says. You can even purchase charcuterie boards with utensil storage to keep all your knives and spreaders conveniently stored.

When it comes to choosing the size of your board, you'll want to take into consideration how many guests will be attending your event. If the board will serve as the main food item for the party, Kitchen Seer recommends 5 ounces of meat and 5 ounces of cheese per person, or 2 ounces of each per person if the board will serve as a pre-meal treat.