Picnics are perfect for spring and summer! This picnic charcuterie board is a great way to take a date outside, whether you’re picnicking in your backyard or on a hike. 

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When I was young my family and I often had what we’d call a “French picnic” for lunch or dinner.

The spread included a combination of meats and cheese, fresh fruit, and bread or crackers.

AKA – all the ingredients we love in a charcuterie board that make such great picnic foods.

I learned so much about cheese boards from my Plenty collaboration when we created the Thanksgiving Charcuterie Board.

In that post you’ll learn what to include in a cheese board, how to slice and arrange charcuterie, which order to assemble the ingredients, and how to add finishing touches to make it look bountiful and beautiful.

While an artfully designed cheese board is wonderful for a home party, taking one on-the-go isn’t exactly easy!

Slight shifts in travel can mean fruit and nuts spilling off the edges, and packing crackers in with the fresh foods can leave them soggy.

Enter the picnic charcuterie board!

Arranged inside of a glass container, the meats and cheese board is perfectly packed for travel.

With your crackers on the side, you can put both containers side by side and not worry about sogginess or shifting.

Lids make both the transport there and leftovers back easy.

Here are some portable board ideas!

Charcuterie Board Basics

Here are some must-haves and popular options to include in any simple charcuterie board:

• A hard cubed cheese
• A soft cheese like goat cheese or brie
• A sliced cheese like manchego 
• 1-3 kinds of meat 
• A handful of nuts – almonds, peanuts, cashews, mixed
• Fruit of all kinds – grapes, sliced apples or pears, berries, dried fruit
• Crackers – plain, gluten free, breadstick style
• Herbs or garnishes
• Bonus: something sweet! I love a good chocolate-covered almond 😉

What You Need To Make A Picnic Charcuterie Board

Two glass containers

One for the main ingredients and one for the crackers. Large rectangular glass containers like these with bamboo lids are both practical and pretty.

3 kinds of cheese

Plan your cheese depending on how many servings you need. I always think having 3 kinds is the most fun (if that is simply too much cheese, save half of each block in your fridge).

Think about having a cubed cheese (like aged cheddar or pepperjack), a sliced cheese (like manchego or gouda), and a soft cheese (like brie or goat).

2-3 kinds of meat

The trio of Spanish meats we used for the Thanksgiving board is an ideal mix.

But you can also use pepperoni and prosciutto.

Use different rolling and folding methods to vary your meat’s appearance.

2 kinds of fruit, fresh and dried

Apple slices, berries, and grapes make great fresh choices.

Dried oranges, cherries, and apricots are good dried fruit options.

Cherry tomatoes or baby carrots make perfect bites in the veg category. 

2 kinds of nuts

Marcona almonds, smoked almonds, cashews, spiced pecans, pistachios – all good options!

Store bought candied nuts are an easy shortcut. 

Fresh herbs and some preserves for your soft cheese

These are optional but obviously take the presentation and flavors to the next level!

A mix of crackers

The choice is yours, but having at least 3 kinds of crackers will provide a variety.

Like the cheeses, since you won’t need them all, leave the rest at home.

Cloth napkins, a cheese knife + cans of wine

Obviously! Canned wine – or nonalcoholic canned wine – is the ultimate portable solution.

How to create a picnic charcuterie board

Just like with your big board, you’ll want to start with the cheeses as anchors.

Come in next with meat then fruit.

Save the smallest spaces for the smallest ingredients – the nuts, dried fruit, and herbs.

Since the crackers are on the side, you’ll skip that assembly step and arrange them in pretty rows in the partner container.

Alternatively you can use a mix of fresh breads and crackers.

Charcuterie Board Picnic Accessories

All you really need is a blanket, but if you want to picnic in style, upgrade with these fabulous accessories! 

• Cute bento boxes with dividers
• This picnic backpack is practical and so cute!! It even comes with a blanket holder.
• This chic tote is also a cooler!
• Or go with a classic wicker basket with a zip up cooler bag inside 
• A collapsible table – Table in a Bag is a great brand (what a good idea!)
• A great cooler bag – Yeti makes our favorites
• Foldable rocking chairs – we have two of these and they are fabulous!
• An extra large picnic blanket for the kids
• A great hat – of course – and sunscreen
• Yard games – always a good picnic idea!
• Champagne or a full bottle of wine – for the romantic picnic 😉 

More Charcuterie Boards:

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