Grazing Table

Holiday grazing table for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or other celebrations filled with a colorful spread of cheeses, fruits, meats, breads, dips, and snacks arranged for guests to enjoy casually throughout a gathering.

There is nothing more satisfying than sharing good food with family and friends during the holiday season.

An easy way to entertain your guests and save yourself time on cooking, baking, whisking, etc, is to set up a grazing table. Everyone is welcome to help themselves and you don’t have to worry about cooking. 

A grazing table is perfect for events and weddings too, but if I’m hosting a Christmas dinner party, I always try to make a smaller version of eat with our favorite charcuterie and snacks. 

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Super easy and beautiful spread for a party, not only Christmas but any special occasion like wedding reception, holidays, birthdays, baby showers, a cocktail party, etc.
• A perfect way to encourage mingling during the part, especially with a large crowd, to make sure everyone interacts
• Affordable grazing table with a variety of flavors and textures.

Ingredients Notes

• Variety of Cheeses: Assorted soft and hard cheeses (brie, cheddar, gouda, goat cheese)
• Charcuterie & meat: Cured meats like salami, prosciutto, and/or pepperoni.
• Fresh fruit: Grapes, berries, sliced apples, and/or dried fruits (apricots, fresh figs or dried). Take advantage of seasonal fruit in your state or region.
• Fresh vegetables: Sliced cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, baby carrots (easier to eat), bell peppers (cut in strips or mini peppers)
• Variety of Crackers and Breads: assortment of crackers, breadsticks, and/or sliced baguette
• Dips and Spreads: Hummus, olive tapenade, honey, and/or mustard
• Nuts: Almonds, walnuts, and/or pistachios
• Extras: Olives, pickles, chocolate squares, and/or pretzels
• Herbs and Garnishes: Fresh rosemary, bay leaves, and/or parsley for decoration

Kitchen Equipment

• Large charcuterie board (wooden is best)
• Optional, parchment paper to line the board and make the clean-up easier

How To Create A Christmas Grazing Table

Step-by-step instructions are super straightforward

1: Prep Work

1. Start by washing and drying all of the fruits and vegetables.
2. Slice the cheeses, meats, and bread into bite-sized pieces.
3. Portion the small items, nuts, dips, and spreads, in small bowls or ramekins.
4. Prepare a large wooden board, countertop, or a long table covered in parchment or butcher paper.

2: Arranging

1. Begin by arranging the bowls of dips, spreads, and garnishes at varying points around the surface.
2. Scatter cheeses around the board, balancing the types for both visual appeal and accessibility. Surround them with your selection of meats, fanning out slices or rolling them for presentation.
3. Place the crackers and breadsticks around the board in clusters, making sure they’re easily reachable.
4. Add fresh fruit and vegetables into gaps between the cheese and meats, grouping similar colors and textures for a balanced look.
5. Sprinkle the nuts and small extras like chocolate squares in the remaining gaps. 
6. Final touches: garnish with fresh herbs and clean-up. 

Storage

The grazing table can remain out at room temperature for the duration of your event, so guests can help themselves throughout.

Store leftovers depending on the type of the food. Most of the foods used for grazing tables should be stored in the fridge. 

Substitutions & Variations

• Cheese options: you can mix soft cheeses with hard cheeses and a few fancier options. Colby Jack, aged cheddar, Camembert, and Blue cheese are other good cheeses to add. There is no strict rule, just add your favorite cheese! 
• Meats: Summer sausage or smoked sausage, as well as any deli meats you like also work amazingly. If you have vegans coming you can add some falafel balls. Some people love mortadella, but in general, it is a risky one to have on your board. For more visual interest, fold your meats like a flower or fan them out. 
• Dip options: spinach artichoke dip, dill dip, homemade pesto, Dijon mustard, chimichurri, baba ganoush spread, fig jam, cheese spreads, hummus variations (like beetroot), and so on. Place dips next to the food they pair best.
• Add height: you can use small cake stands to place different charcuterie ingredients
• Add color depending on the theme of the upcoming holiday party. You can also use edible flowers (fresh flowers) for decoration. Pomegranate arils and fresh greenery make great additions and bring bright colors to the table.
• Alternative surface options: kitchen island, flat lay tables, countertops, wooden platters of different shapes.
• You can use any veggies you like that don’t create a mess.

More Grazing Table Ideas

• Arrange the snacks like a Christmas tree, wreath, or candy cane, or use cookie cutters to make different shapes (fruit and cheese work great for this)
• Make a Christmas dessert board with only sweets or cheese board – with a selection of cheeses to pair with wine. You can add a sweet item to a regular charcuterie table too.
• Add other items that match the holiday theme like ribbons, decorations, pine cones, pine branches, and ornaments.
• Add a bar station next to the grazing table.

Tips For Making The Best Holiday Grazing Table

• Make sure to provide teaspoons, cheese knives, skewers, platters, and tissues for your guests.
• Always arrange larger items first and then fill the empty spaces.
• Have extras to fill the empty areas once the party gets going. 
• People will go first thing after their favorite things on the table so make sure not to place all the cheese on one platter only on one side of the table, set up a different table on the other side of the table. 
• Make sure the dining room table is comfortable for everyone to reach out for the Christmas grazing board. You don’t have to cover the entire table with food, but make sure there is a centerpiece (like a focal point) and it doesn’t look empty or unfinished. 
• You can actually skip wood boards and arrange all the foods directly on the large table.
• Don’t add food that is hard or messy to eat, stains easily, or falls apart if you’re trying to pick it up.
• Grazing table events often do not involve people sitting down to eat the food, so ideally, everything should be easy to eat standing or with one hand. 

Popular Questions

What Is The Difference Between Charcuterie And Grazing?

Grazing tables and charcuterie boards use the same assortment of cheeses, cured meats, dips and spreads, and some veggies and crackers. The difference is how you present the food.

Traditional charcuterie boards always require a wooden board that will accommodate all the hors d’oeuvres (apps), while a grazing table for a dinner party can literally be a table or countertops filled with food, some can be on the boards, some can be on a cake stand, in a bowl, etc.

How Much Should I Spend On A Grazing Table?

You can spend as little or as much on your grazing table as you want. You can find all of the ingredients and holiday season decorations and food at Trader Joe’s or any grocery store.

Every person will probably snack on 2-3 oz of food, so your budget and shopping list should revolve around the number of people.

What Is The Difference Between A Grazing Table And A Buffet?

The buffet usually includes cooked food and a few main course options too, while the grazing table is mainly for appetizers and snacks.

The buffet allows guests at the party to eat as much as they want, and have larger portions, and often there will be tables for guests to sit down and enjoy the food. 

Buffet is more expensive to organize than a grazing table. 

How Far In Advance Can You Make A Grazing Board?

You should serve it fresh, and making it will take around 2 hours. So you can start 2.5 hrs in advance before guests arrive so you have enough time to arrange everything to make a long-lasting impression. Keep all the extra ingredients in the fridge to refill.

If you love this holiday snack table recipe, you’re going to love these other recipes you can include with it too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!

More Great Snack Table Ideas

Thanksgiving Charcuterie Board

Wreath Charcuterie Board

Christmas Charcuterie Board – Gift Box

Christmas Cookie Board

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