I headed outside with a picnic charcuterie board

I built a snacky spread for an outdoor concert, including a picnic charcuterie board.

Written BY

Tanya Sillitti

My love language is cheese

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September 20, 2022

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Summer is coming to an end and it’s soon going to be my favorite season- fall. I personally love the cooler fall weather for picnics and outside dining; both for fashion reasons and because I don’t worry so much about the food getting too warm or spoiling. Before the summer ended, though, I did have the opportunity to build a charcuterie board for an outdoor concert and picnic.

The event was held in a little midwestern lake town and featured an incredibly fun cover band and a competition for the best picnic setup. I was put in charge of the food, which of course meant charcuterie!

The table was set by my mom, who chose a tablecloth from France and built on that theme with the rest of the decor.

picnic charcuterie board
The table was set and ready for our picnic

Building the picnic charcuterie board

I started with somewhat typical charcuterie board ingredients: cheese, crackers, fruit and meat. Because some of the people I was going to be serving were picky and/or kids, I decided to build a simple charcuterie board for one of the options. I go into more detail in our blog How to Build a Simple 5 Ingredient Charcuterie Board – check it out to see how I built a beautiful board made from easy to find ingredients. This also made the most sense for this event since I wasn’t near any grocers that carry specialty cheeses – we’re talking basic, baby! I ended up with two cheeses: gouda and gruyere, two meats: salami deli slices and cured white wine salami, and 1 fruit: red grapes.

picnic charcuterie board
5 ingredient charcuterie board for an outdoor concert picnic

I piled the goodies up on the wood and epoxy charcuterie board I made in a workshop document here.

Another simple dish for the picnic

I had grabbed a tub of hummus at the store, and in an effort to keep things relatively simple, opened the lid and placed it in its original packaging in the center of a tray. I then arranged two varieties of crackers around the hummus. To add a bit of color to the sea of beige, I placed a few cherry tomatoes and fresh basil leaves on the hummus for an edible, colorful pop.

picnic charcuterie board
Hummus spruced up with a little fresh basil and cherry tomatoes

Caprese Skewers

One of my son's favorite snacks are caprese skewers. I knew he'd be thrilled to see this addition to the table! These are so simple to make, healthy, easy to eat and super delicious, so they're a great addition to any party spread. I added fresh mozzarella balls, basil leaves and cherry tomatoes to skewers and piled them on the dish. I then drizzled a bit of extra virgin olive oil, sea salt and balsamic vinegar over the bunch. So quick, easy and gorgeous!

picnic charcuterie board
Cherry tomatoes, fresh basil and mozzarella skewers are an easy to eat addition

Finishing the picnic spread

I added some spinach dip to a small bowl and ripped up fresh sourdough bread, which I simply piled up around the bowl on top of a round lazy susan-style charcuterie board. We had small ramekins that we used for individual kalamata olive serving bowls to round off the food selection.

picnic charcuterie board
The final menu for our picnic & outdoor concert

The food was great and we got a bunch of compliments on our beautiful table- it looked much more gourmet than it actually was! One thing I didn't capture was one of the most important elements: food nets. With a park full of food and drinks, there are always bugs. I brought these collapsible, inexpensive food cover nets that we threw over the dishes any time we weren't eating. Highly recommend!

picnic dish net covers
If you like picnics and outdoor dining, pick up a set of these portable mesh food covers for outside

Further Reading
How to Pronounce Charcuterie: A Guide to Mastering the Art
In this article, we will guide you through the correct pronunciation of charcuterie, ensuring you can confidently order and discuss this culinary delight.
June 11, 2023
All About Vegan Cheese
Vegan cheese is a wonderful substitute for traditional cheese. It can make all of your dairy-free dreams come true thanks to a huge spread of options available on the market. Learn more about why people choose vegan cheese, how it's made, top brands, and our favorite vegan cheese recipes.
May 31, 2023