The week between Christmas and New Year’s can make you feel like you’re in a complete daze. There’s a lot of self-reflecting, napping, checking our 2020 horoscopes and daydreaming about what the New Year will bring us all. Some of you may even be planning a little New Year’s Eve soirée with friends! And nothing pairs better with a NYE party than a beautiful, luscious charcuterie board.

You’ve seen them at restaurants or on Pinterest..but have you ever tried to create one yourself? Yeah, they seem a little daunting but honestly just think of it like 7 or 8 different snack bowls dumped onto a cute wooden tray and arranged in an Instagram-worthy way. You’ve likely seen mostly non-vegan boards but vegan ones are just as easy to create. Here are some tip for designing a charcuterie board that will have your friends thinking you belong on the Food Network:
 
  • Place the bigger foods on your board first, then place any jars, ramekins, or other bowls that will house any dips or sauces. After that, work your way down in size, filling the little spots in with tinier foods at the end.
  • Separate like colours. Have some cucumbers and snap peas? Don’t put them side by side!
  • Some may disagree with me on this one, but don’t leave any blank spaces! We are here for a totally PACKED board. Nuts and dried fruit are great items to fill any holes on your board with.
  • Make sure you have knives/spoons available for anything on your board that will have to be cut or scooped. Toothpicks are a good addition for easy pick up!

Okay, now for the fun part – FOOD!

Here’s a list of vegan food ideas that are perfect additions to your charcuterie board..

Veggie meats
Nut cheeses (we might know of a good one…)
Hummus/dips (make different kinds – different colours!)
Tofu/tempeh (smoked, spiced, etc)
Nuts
Fruits (dried or fresh. and grapes are a must!!)
Veggies (cut so they’re ready to eat)
Crackers
Bread
Chocolate (can’t forget those with a sweet tooth!)
Sauerkraut
Olives/caper berries
Jam

Happy charcuterie-creating!