Charcuterie Board Calculator

Building a meat and cheese board for a party, Thanksgiving appetizers or a holiday open house? Enter your guests and how the board is served to see how much to buy. Amounts are common rules of thumb, not strict rules.

Amounts used per person (appetizer)

• Cured meats: 2 oz. Cheese: 2 oz. Crackers or sliced bread: 2 oz.
• Fresh or dried fruit: 2 oz. Nuts, olives and pickles: 1 oz combined.
• "Heavy appetizer" multiplies everything by 1 1/2, "main meal" by 2 (about 4 oz each of meat and cheese).
• Variety: 3 to 5 cheeses (one soft, one aged, one blue or goat) and 2 to 4 meats; add jam or honey, about 1 tbsp per 2 guests.

Quick reference (appetizer, no spare)

FAQ

How much meat and cheese per person for a charcuterie board?

A common rule of thumb is about 2 ounces of meat and 2 ounces of cheese per person when the board is an appetizer, and about 4 ounces of each when it is the main meal.

How much charcuterie for 20 people?

As an appetizer, 20 guests need about 40 ounces (2 1/2 pounds) of meat and 2 1/2 pounds of cheese, plus around 2 1/2 pounds of crackers or bread.

How many kinds of cheese and meat should a board have?

Three to five cheeses and two to four meats suit most boards; add one more of each for very large groups rather than buying more of the same.

See also: Party food calculator · Wine calculator · Deviled eggs calculator · Champagne calculator · All holiday dates · all tools