Pay Attention To Portions When Crafting Your Next Charcuterie Board

Few things are more gratifying than presenting good food to good company, but accurately guessing the correct portions to offer during a get-together can be challenging. No matter what is being served, you always want to have enough so guests aren't left with rumbling stomachs. If you happen to be assembling a charcuterie board, you're in luck. We spoke to an expert who revealed a go-to ratio guaranteed to leave guests satisfied.

Dominick DiBartolomeo, the owner and president of The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills and Domenico's Foods, clued us into the correct portions for an elegant charcuterie board arranged for maximum visual impact. He first addressed the two main attractions of any charcuterie board: the meat and cheese. "Typically, if you are having other food items, I recommend about an ounce to an ounce and a half of cheese per person, same applies for the meats," he says.

As for other components, "I would also assume about an ounce to an ounce and a half of carbs, like crackers and bread, per person," DiBartolomeo continues. Because crackers come in all shapes and sizes, an ounce will vary depending on the brand. Generally, it will come out to three to five crackers per ounce.

Bear in mind that not all the ingredients on your charcuterie board are equal. DiBartolomeo says, "The nuts, fruits and veggies, assume about a half ounce per person." You wouldn't want to draw unnecessary attention to supplementary ingredients, so all the complementary elements (anything other than meat and cheese) should be served in smaller portions.

Arranging your presentation can be a lot of work, which is why assembling a charcuterie board ahead of time can be a substantial stress reliever leading up to your event. Sometimes you don't have the time or energy to make anything else for your visitors. If this is the case, DiBartolomeo suggests adjusting the portions on your display so guests aren't searching for the nearest fast food joint after they leave. "If the cheese and charcuterie board is your main meal, I would double the amounts I listed for each respective category," he says.

Making more food than necessary is a concern for some other dishes, but with a charcuterie board, this should be a lesser worry. As DiBartolomeo says, "I love leftovers so I almost always have more." Most of the goodies on your charcuterie board store well in the fridge anyway — just be sure to remove the cheese from the fridge early enough for the best results. Your primary consideration should be ensuring your guests are content when they leave, so making bigger portions is almost always the way to go.