As temperatures dip, people are eager to spend more time outdoors and enjoy meals outside. The beloved charcuterie platter is perfect for picnics, dinner on the porch or a backyard happy hour.
It’s surprisingly straightforward to put together your own platter using supermarket finds that cost less than you might expect. In fact, you can assemble a crowd-pleasing spread of cured meats, cheeses and snack accompaniments for roughly $45.
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How to Make a Meat and Cheese Board on a Budget
Meat-and-cheese platters are incredibly simple to assemble.
The building blocks of a classic charcuterie spread are cured meats alongside several cheese choices, plus an assortment of fresh or dried fruits, nuts, crackers, spreads, olives and pickled vegetables. Treat it like an elevated snack tray and pick whatever you enjoy.
Below is a shopping list of budget-friendly staples from Aldi, though you can also find economical selections at Trader Joe’s, Walmart and Sam’s Club.
Aldi Charcuterie Shopping List
| Item | Price | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 32-ounce jar dill pickle chips | $4.15 | |||
| 1 jar of garlic stuffed olives | $3.29 | |||
| 1 box garlic chiva pita crackers | $2.75 | |||
| 1 French baguette | $1.89 | |||
| 1 8-ounce package bite sized dry salami | $6.85 | |||
| 1 4-ounce package prosciutto | $4.39 | |||
| 1/2 pound green grapes | $1.12 | |||
| 1 pint box blueberries | $4.85 | |||
| 1 10-ounce jar blackberry fruit spread | $2.85 | |||
| 1 8-ounce block applewood smoked gouda | $4.39 | |||
| 1 7-ounce Brie round | $4.39 | |||
| 1 4-ounce truffle goat cheese log | $4.75 | |||
| TOTAL | $45.67 |
This amount will comfortably feed about 10 people, with extra to refill the platter.
If you’re in a hurry and want to save, grab Aldi’s Park Street Deli Charcuterie Party Platter for $9.35 and present it on your own serving board.
How to Choose Items for Your Charcuterie Platter
Prepared to craft your own cheese board with all the trimmings?
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Load Up on Cured Meats
These can become expensive if you’re not mindful.
Typical meats for a charcuterie board include prosciutto, Genoa salami, pepperoni, pancetta and soppressata, a lean Italian salami.
Prosciutto tends to vanish first and is pricier, so include it when your budget permits.
Pepperoni and salami usually provide more servings per dollar. See what pairs nicely, and ultimately select what gives you the best value or flavor. People will enjoy it regardless.
Say Yes to Cheese
A good rule is to include about four cheeses on a platter with a mix of soft and hard options, ranging from mild to sharp.
Options like mozzarella, goat cheese or white cheddar are reliable, affordable and generally crowd-pleasing compared with strong varieties like blue cheese such as Gorgonzola or Stilton. If you love those bold cheeses, by all means include them — perhaps with a drizzle of honey.
To maximize your cheese for the price, buy blocks rather than pre-sliced. You can grate a block yourself and save compared with pre-shredded packages, which also tend to contain more preservatives to prevent clumping.
Consider including a goat or sheep cheese for guests with milk sensitivities, though it depends on who’s attending. Don’t stress over sourcing the most elevated cheeses. Purchase what you enjoy — or pick items on sale.
Then Add Fresh Fruit, Pickles and Personality
This is the enjoyable part because nearly anything goes (short of ribs). The side items are what elevate your generous charcuterie spread beyond a simple cheese plate.
Balance sweet and savory to satisfy all tastes. Layer in mixed nuts, jams, mustard, pickles and olives for variety.
Fruit is essential. If you use grapes, snip the stems in advance with scissors so guests can grab a few at once without tugging. Strawberries can be plentiful and cost-effective depending on the season, peaking in June and sometimes July in northern regions. Kiwi adds bright color and is easy to serve in slices.
When you’re assembling a budget-friendly board, start with pantry staples like candied nuts, banana chips, pretzels, cherry peppers, honey or sliced cucumbers. You can also stock up on inexpensive components that store well so you always have items on hand.
Don’t forget fresh bread and/or crackers — offering gluten-free crackers is a thoughtful option for guests.
Here are a few more items to keep ready for your charcuterie creations.
Trader Joe’s Shopping List
- Trio pack of dried apricots
- Individual packs of chocolate covered almonds
- Fruit leather for crafting letters and shapes using knives or cookie cutters
To personalize a platter, you can spell someone’s name with fruit leather or cut out a heart, candles or any shape to place atop a cheese round.
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Presentation Makes a Great Cheese Board
The ingredients you select give your spread character and set it apart from a plain cheese plate. So do the serving tools and the board you use.
Look for unique cheese knives, tongs, sugar shells, pickle forks and small silverware at thrift shops and estate sales for bargain finds.
You can also locate a large cutting board or a vintage Lazy Susan the same way. Check stores like Ikea, HomeGoods, T.J. Maxx and Tuesday Morning for wooden boards in many shapes and sizes.
Arrange Your Budget-Friendly Charcuterie to Appear Luxe
There’s a technique to arranging a charcuterie board, and you’ll improve with each attempt. Prep is minimal and there aren’t strict rules. Here are some tips for composing an enticing platter.
- Prep and pre-slice ingredients at home, but assemble the platter at your destination. A fully arranged board doesn’t travel well.
- Position bowls, ramekins or short glass jars containing jams, spreads or olives spaced around the board.
- Place whole fruits or blocks of cheese on the board.
- Arrange sliced meats and cheeses in circles, rows or semicircles. Overlap, stack or fan them out — it’s your creation and there’s no limit other than space. Layering can make the display look more abundant, though it may be less ideal for guests with dietary restrictions.
- Fill gaps with small clusters of items like dried fruit, chocolate almonds or stuffed olives.
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Contributor Katherine Snow Smith writes about ways to earn and save money and other lifestyle topics. Her work has appeared in the Tampa Bay Times, Charlotte Business Journal and Greenville (S.C.) News. She is the author of “Rules for the Southern Rulebreaker: Missteps & Lessons Learned.”
Freelancer Daniel Cortez contributed to this article.
