This Is Exactly How To Turn A Party Cheese Board Into A Meal

Elevate your hostess game and turn a Party Cheese Board into a meal with these 10 ingredients. That’s right, you can serve a cheese plate for dinner just by adding a few items to round out the menu. Arranging an abundant cheese board is one of the best ideas for entertaining at home. Who needs a 3-course dinner when you can nibble on a charcuterie and cheese platter that exceeds expectations? This is one of our favorite easy party appetizers for girls night in.

Cheese & Charcuterie board for dinner 

There’s never been a better time to explore new cheese board ideas. They are trending big time right now, and with good reason. Everyone LOVES cheese! And a cheese board makes an amazing meal for entertaining.

There are thousands of examples out there of cheese platters for entertaining, including a brunch cheese board and a chocolate & cheese dessert board. I’ve taken it a step further to turn a party cheese board into a meal that gives you all the major food groups: protein, vegetables, fruits, and carbs.

This cheese platter presentation is perfect for hosting a girls night party, a date night party for two, or a casual happy hour. Just follow these tips, ideas, and ingredients list.

How to serve a party cheese board for dinner

A traditional cheese platter will benefit from a few extra components to turn it into a well-rounded meal. I put together this cheese board dinner platter with some of my favorite foods for noshing. I feel good about how all the important food groups are represented, and I think you will too.

• 2 Cheeses – Sartori is a favorite of mine. Here I served Citrus-Ginger BellaVitano, and Rosemary & Olive Oil Asiago. The subtle flavors infused in the cheese are fantastic!
• Charcuterie meat – Add some protein with cured meats like sliced salami shown here. Prosciutto is a classic favorite, but if you want to step it up a notch go with Iberico ham. It’s leaner and has a firmer texture.
• 2 Types of Vegetables – This is where your cheese board begins to broaden its scope. Including a couple of green vegetables adds healthy fiber and vitamins. Asparagus spears and sugar snap peas, lightly steamed but still crisp, are good choices. I think carrots belong on most any crudites platter. That’s why I include them along with the green veggies. No matter how people feel about vegetables, they always love carrots!
• Nuts – Boost the protein factor and healthy fats by adding in some almonds. They give great crunch and flavor and come in so many varieties from raw, to smoked, to roasted.

More Items to add to a Party Cheese Platter for Dinner

Continue adding these ingredients to your cheese & charcuterie platter. They add complementary flavor and texture.

• Dried fruit – The great thing about dried fruit is that they keep well in the pantry until you need them. For this platter I serve dried mango as it goes so well with the Citrus-Ginger cheese. Other great choices I turn to often are apricots, papaya, or dried cranberries.
• Fresh fruit – Serving fresh grapes with cheese and wine is as classic as, well, cheese and wine! For a bonus, toss in some fresh cherries for an edible garnish.

HOSTESS TIP: Distribute colors of food so that everything stands out on its own. For instance, place 2 green items across from each other rather than next to each other. Use contrast as your guiding principal when arranging food.

• Crackers or bread – When making a meal out of a cheese board I find that starchy carbs like bread or crackers help to cleans the palate as well as provide a vehicle for the cheese. Here I used crunchy pita chips because they’re light, crisp, and the flavor isn’t overpowering.
• Hummus – Yet another source of protein and fiber, hummus is the perfect dip for helping turn a party cheese board into a meal. It can be used to dip the vegetables as well as the pita chips.
• Kettle chips – Kettle or gourmet potato chips are my kryptonite. I love adding them to any party platter or meal so this is a natural fit. You could say they’re kind of my signature item!

There you have it. What do you think about serving a party cheese board as a dinner platter? I could do this at least once a week and finish it up with a pretty fresh fruit board!