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Charcuterie boards have become the epitome of gourmet snacking. But what if you are craving a charcuterie board but you want it on a smaller scale? Enter the mini charcuterie box – a perfect personal-sized grazing box that packs all the flavor in a small package.
Whether you’re taking it on a picnic, going on a road trip, hosting a small cozy night in or aiming to impress with individual servings at a gathering, mastering the art of mini charcuterie is a surefire way to elevate your snacking game.
I have shared how to make charcuterie boards on my site for years but now I am sharing how to make beautiful and delicious personal charcuterie boards.
My kids love when I make charcuterie boards so when we hit the lake, this is a great way to transport and keep everything in one box.
What to include in a Personal Size Grazing Box:
There are so many delicious options to put in your mini charcuterie box. Here are some ideas for how to personalize your own mini charcuterie board:
- Crackers: Use your favorite type of crackers. My favorites to use are a mix of La Panzanella Croccantini and Raincoast Crisps. This is a store locator to find the La Panzanella Crackers.
- Cheese: Pick a variety of popular cheeses to add to the box. I like to use cheddar because it is a crowd pleaser, manchego cheese cut into triangles, blueberry goat cheese or a sharp cheese like unexpected cheddar (found at Trader Joe’s) or coastal cheddar cheese (found at Costco).
- Cured Meats: I like to use a mix of cured meats such as peppered salami, Italian dried salami, and even prosciutto.
- Nuts: I love to use the roasted garlic and herb almonds from Costco but you can any type of almond or cashews.
- Fresh Fruit: Use an assortment of fresh fruit such as green grapes, fresh strawberries, blackberries, sliced oranges, or raspberries. They all pair well with the cheese and crackers.
- Dried Fruit: Use dried apricots, dried cherries, dried oranges, or even dried cranberries.
- Chocolates: I like to use an assortment of fine chocolates or even the sea salt chocolate caramels from Costco. If you want a smaller package, try the chocolate section at TraderJoe’s. Chocolate covered almonds would also be delicious!
- Honey or Jam: To add a touch of sweetness, add a small jar of fig or raspberry jam or honey. I buy these small jars off Amazon and fill them with honey or jam to place in the grazing box.
- Edible Flowers: These add color and beauty to the charcuterie box but are completely optional.
Where to buy charcuterie items:
I have searched high and low to find the best grocery stores to find the best charcuterie items. Here are some ideas on where to shop to make your own grazing boxes…
- Costco: If you are looking for a more budget-friendly option, then Costco is your best bet for items like salami, parmesan, and blocks of cheddar cheese. However, if you don’t need to buy in bulk, there may be better options down below.
- Trader Joe’s: I love Trader Joe’s for their cheese selection (hello, unexpected cheddar), their chocolates, nuts, and dried fruits. I also love their blueberry goat cheese and it is beautiful in these mini charcuterie boxes.
- Aldi’s: If you have an Aldi grocery store near me, they are known for charcuterie items at an inexpensive price.
- Whole Foods: They have an extensive cheese selection, fine crackers, and jams and spreads. I like to pick up my favorite La Panzanella Croccantini Crackers and Raincoast Crisps at Whole Foods or Fry’s.
- Fry’s: They have recently upped their charcuterie game and most stores have a designated area for cheeses, fresh olive bar, spreads, and crackers.
Where to buy boxes for making a Charcuterie Box:
I found personal sized boxes on Amazon and they come in an assortment of sizes. These are the boxes we use but you can also buy smaller ones depending on the size you need.
Storage:
Since these grazing boxes are filled with meats and cheeses, it is best to keep in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Mastering the art of crafting a mini charcuterie box allows you to indulge in gourmet snacking anytime, anywhere. No one wants to go “hangry” so having a gourmet snack box on hand will definitely keep you full and happy.
Charcuterie Board Ideas:
Pin this now to find it later
Pin ItMini Charcuterie Box
Ingredients
- Crackers (see below for specifics)
- Cheese
- Cured Meats
- Nuts
- Fresh Fruit
- Dried Fruit
- Chocolates
- Honey or Jam
Instructions
Assembling Charcuterie Box:
- Gather the ingredients and cut or slice the cheese. Arrange the ingredients in the box and place cover over the box and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
- See below in the notes for specifics on what type of ingredients to use.
Notes
-
- Crackers: Use your favorite type of crackers. My favorites to use are a mix of La Panzanella Croccantini and Raincoast Crisps. This is a store locator to find the La Panzanella Crackers.
-
- Cheese: Pick a variety of popular cheeses to add to the box. I like to use cheddar because it is a crowd pleaser, manchego cheese cut into triangles, blueberry goat cheese or a sharp cheese like unexpected cheddar (found at Trader Joe’s) or coastal cheddar cheese (found at Costco).
-
- Cured Meats: I like to use a mix of cured meats such as peppered salami, Italian dried salami, and even prosciutto.
-
- Nuts: I love to use the roasted garlic and herb almonds from Costco but you can any type of almond or cashews.
- Fresh Fruit: Use an assortment of fresh fruit such as green grapes, fresh strawberries, blackberries, sliced oranges, or raspberries. They all pair well with the cheese and crackers.
-
- Honey or Jam: To add a touch of sweetness, add a small jar of fig or raspberry jam or honey. I buy these small jars off Amazon and fill them with honey or jam to place in the grazing box.
- Dried Fruit: Use dried apricots, dried cherries, dried oranges, or even dried cranberries.
- Edible Flowers: These add color and beauty to the charcuterie box but are completely optional.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This is the cutest idea!
Great idea…. I find a lot of individual servings of different things at The World Market. Honey jams and jellies honeycombs, sauces, chocolates, crackers
ect…