Grazing boards, or platters, have become very popular in recent years because they’re easy to put together, look amazing and are perfect for entertaining. And we’ve got some tips for creating the ultimate grazing board.
Food to include on your grazing board
Aim to include 2-3 items from the usual categories to ensure that guests have plenty of options to choose from and you’ve covered potential dietary requirements and allergies, It’ll also make your grazing look delicious.
1) Deli and cured meats – such as prosciutto, ham, salami or chorizo. You can pick these up from Cannings Free Range Butchers or Woolworths. Or grab some chorizo or kranksy from The Sausage Place and chop them up into bite size pieces.
2) Cheeses – aim to include a soft cheese, hard cheese and a spreadable cheese. Think brie, camembert, cheddar, tasty, blue, etc. But you don’t have to keep it to 3 cheeses… because there’s no such thing as too much cheese!
3) Dips that will complement the other ingredients, such as hummus, tzatziki, beetroot, salmon or even a chutney or salsa.
4) Crackers and items to dip – a few different types like crackers, baguette slices, , little breadsticks, rice crackers, pretzels, toasted pita bread or almond bread.
5) Nuts – but only if there are no nut allergies amongst the guests.
6) Fruits –some great fruits that are in season right now are cherries, raspberries, blueberries, grapes, dried apricots and figs as well as blackberries, nectarines and peaches. While other fruit ideas to include are olives and melon. Use seedless fruit to avoid surprises.
7) Vegetables – such as cucumber, carrot and capsicum
8) Stuffed capsicums – these are easy to make for people who are dairy free, gluten free, vegetarian or vegan. They are also easy to add or substitute ingredients out as a whole to suit all your guests.
9) Rice paper rolls – these are a great alternative platter inclusion that can easily cater for everyone. With rice paper sheets and vermicelli noodles being gluten free and with no dairy products being added it’s perfect for dairy-free or vegans if no meat is added.
10) Sushi – You can easily make your own sushi using your favourite vegetables and use tofu or meat depending on what your guests are able to have. Or if you are in a rush, pop down to Sushi Sushi TOK H and pick out some favourites.
You can get lots of delicious grazing board options from Woolworths. And if you’re still unsure of what to use to fill up the whole grazing board, take a look at these 50 platter ideas from Taste.
If you’re after some more ideas, Woolworths have great recipes that are gluten free, a variety that are vegan and some vegetarian ones as well..
Grazing Board Presentation Tips
Not sure how to make your food look amazing and oh so appetising? Some tips include:
- A large wooden cutting board can be perfect to display your food on but any large flat space can work well – look for a colour to contrast with your food.
- Place the main ingredients on the board first, so the cheeses, meats and dips, and the spaces in between are filled up with the other ingredients.
- Cut cheeses into uniform shapes and arrange them in piles or lines or offer the cheese whole and provide a knife for your guests to cut the cheese themselves.
- Fan out your deli meats or fold, roll or scrunch them into a pile or nest. You could even layer salami slices around the top rim of a glass and once there are enough layers, turn it upside down, remove it from the rim of the glass and your salami is displayed in the shape of a flower.
- Dips, chutneys, salsas and sauces are best served in small bowls around the outside of the platter to allow easy dipping.
- Place piles of nuts, olives and fruits throughout the platter to fill empty spots and create colour across the board.
Take a photo or it didn’t happen!
If the photo of your amazing food doesn’t make its way to social media or texted to a friend, did you even make it? If you’re keen to get the perfect photo place the board in an area that has natural lighting and keep the background simple, so it stands out. If you’re after some insights to help you take the best shot of your food, checkout these tips from The Neff Kitchen.
Don’t forget to eat some of the grazing board treats yourself while you enjoy the night with your guests!
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