Whether you call this a savory fall grazing board or a savory charcuterie board doesn't matter. What matters is just how delicious this is going to be for sharing with your family! Packed with bite sized savory goodies like sliders, toast, hummus, crackers, nuts, and sausage, this is a perfect way to serve a meal when you just can't decide what you want for dinner.

Savory Fall Grazing Board

I recently fell back in love with what I grew up calling, "snack plates". The fancier name is charcuterie and the simple way to serve it is a grazing board. This little layout is all about adding small amounts of multiple foods that pair well together. It's often used for an appetizer or a gathering where you don't want to serve a meal but do want your guest to feel full and satisfied.

In the last few years, charcuterie has definitely gained popularity, and I am a huge fan because it offers me a chance to set up a beautiful plate of my favorite foods but not feel pressured by a full traditional meal. This is especially nice because many of the items on the grazing board are semi-homemade or easy to pick up already prepared. All you have to do is arrange them and serve!

Aren't Charcuterie Boards Expensive?

You have probably seen them displayed or in your Instagram feeds and wondered how you could afford to cover a board with so many different items. It can be very expensive, but that doesn't mean it has to be pricey. In fact, it's easy to make a grazing board for $5 or less by using items from your pantry!

How do I Make a Budget Grazing Board?

The first thing I did was check what I already had in my pantry. I usually keep crackers of some sort in my pantry along with a variety of nuts or trail mix for snacking. Pulling those out was easy. Even saltines or oyster crackers work. You can dust them with seasoning to make them feel a bit more "upscale".

Secondly, I looked at items in the refrigerator and knew I could use the cheese I already had. While I had blocks of cheese I cut into cubes, you could use cheese sticks or sliced cheese cut into smaller pieces.

The turkey sliders were using leftovers as well as the mashed potato bites. You could look at anything you have in the refrigerator and see how to transform it into a bite sized option to go onto your board.

Lastly, my favorite place to buy yummy snacks at low prices is Aldi. Aldi is a great store for budget-friendly options that can give you a huge variety of flavors while staying within a budget.

What Type of Board Should I Use?

If you want a pretty display, you'll probably look for a large platter or cutting board. I've used a number of things for this, including making individual "snack plates" for each person.

On Instagram, you can find amazing inspiration of huge boards people have created by adding the items directly onto a table. I prefer using something I can pick up and move easily, so a large flat platter or cutting board works well.

If you are worried about it looking nice, remember that the board itself is going to be covered in food, so it doesn't have to be perfect if you don't have something fancy for this.

What Goes onto a Charcuterie Board?

What you add to your grazing board really depends upon the flavors and foods you like. This one is a fall or harvest themed board that includes some yummy recipes that fit that season. Since I was going for savory overall, I included a few bites of herded flavorful items alongside the basic nuts and cheeses.

For a savory board, you will usually find cheeses, meats or sausages, nuts, and some sort of cracker or bread. Below are the items I included on this board:

• Turkey sliders (roll, shredded turkey breast, mayonnaise)
• Maple Bacon Appetizers
• Mashed Potato Bites
• Hummus
• Mixed nuts
• Cubed sharp cheddar cheese & Swiss cheese
• Turkey snack bites
• Rosemary scalloped crackers
• Crispy bread sticks
• Fresh rosemary as a garnish

Note: One thing you will find common on a charcuterie board is a combination of both sweet and savory. For this board, it is overwhelmingly savory, and that is on purpose. You can serve this with a sweet board or as a focal point with a cookie or sweets tray separately.

How to Assemble a Savory Grazing Board for Fall

There are many methods to setting up a charcuterie board, but I prefer starting with the larger items first. I know I need to make the most room for these. So, I began by putting my bowl of hummus, mashed potato bites, and turkey sliders onto the platter.

Don't put these right next to each other, but arrange so you have space between them. I also like to add proteins and dips in multiple spots so everyone can reach something at all times. This will vary depending upon what all you include.

Next, I like to add dipping items near the dips. I placed these crunchy sesame bread sticks here, and I also added a few of the maple bacon appetizers since they are an easy "all in one" bite.

Then you begin filling in the gaps with other small items. Like I mentioned above, I like to add smaller items around the big stuff. So, I tucked in more bread sticks, some of these yummy little sausage bites, and cheese in a few different places.

Next I filled in the gaps with more crackers and nuts. When I had a little of everything in place, I filled in more with extra of each item so the platter was covered well and looks nice and full.

Finally, I added a few sprigs of fresh rosemary for a garnish. While this isn't something you pick up to eat by itself, it adds an aromatic element and beauty to the platter. Plus, the pop of green makes it look just a little more complete.

More Ideas to Add to Your Grazing Board

If you want some more ideas, I have plenty! Some of my favorite foods to make include those little bite-sized appetizers and snacks. I have tons of those here that can fit into boards like this.

If you want more dips for your platter, you can add in this jalapeno dip, blue cheese dip, brownie batter dip, or guacamole. You can, of course, add a homemade salsa to the list as well.

I also like to add a variety of little sandwiches, roll ups, or similar bites that feel a bit more substantial. For this, I would consider building a platter around my air fryer chicken taquitos, ham broccoli tarts, baked tortellini bites, or even these cheesy apple sriracha bites.