I can’t believe 2022 is just around the corner! This year has been an incredible adventure for me, and we are so excited to arrive in 2022 as a family of four!
Today I have a quick and easy New Year’s Eve Charcuterie Board! And the best part about it is that it doesn’t require any cooking – it makes the ideal edible centrepiece for a party.
I love putting up charcuterie boards because since it’s not served warm, you won’t have to bother about cooking while your guests are around, and they can graze whilst providing a wide range of options to satisfy both picky & adventurous eaters. It’s a great way to use up nuts, cookies, fresh fruit, chocolate and all sorts in your pantry! And it’s easy to alter “portion size” based on the number of guests
How do I choose what goes on my dessert board?
As a general rule of thumb for charcuterie boards, I like to go for a variety of different colours, shapes, textures, and flavours to keep your palate on its toes and balanced! You can be as creative as you’d like! You can pick and choose your family favourites or what is in season and it will always look and taste great!
Here are my top 5 tips for Charcuterie Board!
Tip #1: You don’t need to stick to just meats, cheese and crackers!
Other great extras include:
- Vegetables: slices of cucumbers, bell pepper, carrots, celery and a hummus dip help to freshen up the charcuterie board.
- Fruits: fresh or dried – you pick! It’s nice to add slightly sweeter ones to balance flavours.
- Nuts: roasted almonds, salted peanuts, candied nuts, shelled pistachios, or a spicy party mix are all great options to add texture and variety.
- Pickles/Olives: they’re salty and briny and spice up the plate. Olives are love/hate (you either love them or hate them, which team are you?) but pickles are pretty universally liked.
- Mustards/Spreads: spicy mustards, hummus or jams are great ways to transform your cheese and cracker sandwich!
Tip #2: Always Include Both Sweet and Salty Options
Chocolate-covered fruit, candied almonds, yoghurt-covered pretzels, coconut clusters, or even little bits of dark chocolate or caramel are all fantastic examples. It’s usually a good idea to have both options available in case people want to go back and forth.
Tip #3: Use a Variety of Crackers
Parmesan crisps, pretzels, rosemary-flavoured crackers, wafer crackers, pita or bruschetta are all tasty alternatives with a variety of flavour combinations. It’s fantastic to try on top of a flavoured cracker, especially if you have some more regular cheese flavours. Using a variety pack can help save money while also providing you with a number of alternatives.
Tip #4: Use Both Soft and Hard Cheese
Have some fun in the supermarket’s cheese aisle — there are many varieties and narrowing it down might be difficult! Try a Cheddar with Chilli if you want things with a kick! Try a Wensleydale with Cranberries or Apricots if you like something sweeter. Try Double Gloucester Onion & Chives if you like fresh herbs. However, for those who want to keep things simple, add a few basic cheeses like Gouda, Cheddar, Brie or Red Leicester. It would be great if you can label them so you can avoid any surprises.
Tip #5: Build to the edge!
When it’s full and overflowing, it’s more welcoming. Extra grapes, herbs, spoons for your spreads, cheese knives, cheese labels will help to fill in space.
𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐒👩🏻🍳 (serves 4-6)
✔️ 3-4 handful of chopped cheddar, Red Leicester (pick your fav!)
✔️ 1 pack of your favourite meat (I’ve used pepperoni) *
✔️ 2 handfuls of olives/pickles
✔️ 1 punnet of mixed grapes
✔️ 1-2 handfuls of dried fruit – e.g. dates/apricots
✔️ 1-2 handfuls of mixed nuts
✔️ 2 handfuls of oatcakes/crackers
✔️ Small pot of hummus
✔️ 1 handful of chocolates
* Red meat can be a good source of protein in your charcuterie board. However, it’s recommended that we shouldn’t have more than 70g a day.
Hope you liked my tips on creating this delicious New Year’s Eve charcuterie!
Let me know what you put on yours in the comments below or on Instagram @nicsnutrition!