Ideal (Trader Joes) Charcuterie Board

Cured meats: Thin, delicate slices as well as robust salami bites and soft pâtés. Count on 2 ounces per person.

Cheeses: A variety that includes something soft, rich, and decadent (like triple-cream Brie), something aged and piquant (like Manchego or cheddar), and something really flavor-packed (like blue cheese or a fruit-studded Stilton). Choose cheeses that will go well with the meats. 

Colorful fill-ins: After grounding your board in meats and cheeses, fill in all the gaps with things that offer a break from the fatty richness. You’ll want something fresh (fruits and veggies), crunchy (nuts), tart (olives, mustards, chutneys, and pickles), and sweet (jams and dried fruits). 

Crackers and/or sliced baguette: To be used as delivery vehicles for the cheese.

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Colombo Sliced Italian Dry Salami Pack, $4.49 for 8 ounces: Classic and crowd-pleasing, this hard salami is cheaper than an unsliced log. But if you want thick slices or cubes for even more textural contrast, go with the Volpi brand salami log at $4.99 for 8 ounces.

Two San Daniele Combo Packs, $10.98 for 12 ounces: This pack offers a variety of thinly sliced prosciutto, calabrese, and capicola meats.

Chicken-Truffle Pâté, $5.49 for 7 ounces: Rich and spreadable, pâté is perfect for crackers or baguette slices with whole-grain mustard or pickles. But if you’re trying to keep your board under $50, just leave this out.

Saint Andre Triple Cream Cheese, $5 for 1/2 pound: Decadent and not stinky, this cheese appeals to everyone. It also goes great with both thinly sliced cured meats, fresh fruits, and jams or chutneys.

Six-Month Aged Manchego, $6 for 1/2 pound: With its nutty flavor and firm, sliceable texture, Manchego goes great with both meats and fresh fruits.
Trader Joe’s Apricot White Stilton, $6 for 1/2 pound: Think of this sweet and crumbly fruit-studded soft cheese as your board’s dessert. It’s been a TJ’s fave for many, many years. If you want something more savory, go with a blue cheese.

Caramelized Onion Dip, $2.99 for 10 ounces: Dips are great with veggies, of course, but this one can also be slathered on a baguette slice and topped with meat. Plus, it’s hard to find someone who doesn’t love onion dip.

Marcona Almonds (truffle or rosemary), $5.99: A bag of regular almonds actually costs more, although you’ll get more nuts. Still, if you’re just buying them to stock the board, go with the premium, crispy, oily, herby Marcona almonds. But if you’re looking to cut costs, you can easily omit and go with something cheaper, like the Trader Joe’s Marinated Olive Duo ($1.79 for 8 ounces)

Fresh Pears, $1.58 for two: Thinly sliced pears go with a variety of cheeses and add juicy sweetness to the board’s options. (Toss the slices in lemon juice to prevent browning.) If you can’t get ripe ones in time, go for apples. During the summer, of course, I’d opt for berries or stone fruits.

Baby Carrots, $1.29 for 16 ounces: Everyone loves baby carrots. They’re familiar, easy to eat, great on their own or with dip, and add a bright pop of orange color. This bag offers enough to replenish the board as the night goes on or to have satellite bowls of carrots and dip.

English Cucumber, $1.49 each: Cucumbers double as a refreshing palate cleanser and a vehicle for dip. Plus, they add a splash of green to the board’s palette. Slice one up and you’ll have plenty to go around.

Endive, $2.69 for a pack of three: Endive leaves work great as a cracker alternative. Use them as scoopers for dip or spread lightly with pâté. Their slight bitterness adds a refreshing edge.

Red and Yellow Bell Peppers, $2.18 for two: Sweet bell peppers add great color to a board, plus they’re great with dips. But you can also totally skip these and stick with the baby carrots.

Whole-Grain Mustard, $1.79 for 12.3 ounces: Whole-grain mustard is a great accompaniment to cured meats and pâté, and it’s not as nose-burning as Dijon. Be sure to check your fridge first, though — you might already have a few tablespoons you can use. Note: Dijon is also totally fine if that’s what you have!
French Baguette, $1.99: Slice and serve some pieces plain and some brushed in olive oil and toasted, so you have a variety of textures. Its long length means you’ll get a ton of slices out of it.

Organic Cracker Assortment, $3.99 for 13 ounces: This assortment has something for everyone — five different crackers, from hearty whole-grain crackers to perfectly neutral water crackers. But if you could easily skip it and just stick to the baguette.

Total: $63.94