I’ve been drooling over the massive cheese and veggie boards coming through my Instagram feed and finally gave in and just had to make one. Lucky for you, you now have a easy reference point for where to start – and just in time for New Years.

I sheepishly came home from Whole Foods with $100 sunk into this, but it definitely does not need to cost that much if you stick to some basics and self control. (I have no self control.) We brought this all over to a friend’s house for a game night and definitely didn’t need dinner after.

Making an Epic Cheese Board

Serves – 6-8 comfortably

You’ll need:

• 4-5 types of cheese – I recommend at least one soft like brie, one hard like Manchego, a blue of some kind, and one of your other favorites. I did a Brie, Bleu soaked in brandy, Manchego, aged cheddar, and a goat chèvre.
• 2 types of meat – salami or summer sausage always works great, but pancetta or even a fancier jerky could also work.
• 2 types of olives – we did more since we’re a bit olive obsessed, but choosing a green (Castelventrano is growing as my current fav, I just love the nuttiness of it) and a nice kalamata will work well.
• Apples, pears, and/or grapes – fruit adds a touch of sweetness.
• Dried fruit – at least one variety. I really like dried apricots, prunes, or cherries.
• A nice sliced baguette to hold the meats and cheese.
• 2 types of crackers – I really like one to be more of the water cracker variety and the other to be a bit more seedy. I chose a rosemary cracker and a gluten free Nut Thin.
• A fruit spread. I chose a Quince paste, but you can use anything you prefer.
• And optionally but highly recommended if you have a cheese like chèvre – honey.
• I almost forgot – wine! I like a nice red, but go with whatever floats your boat. A nice sparkling grape juice could also work.

Since this was going to be eaten up right away, I didn’t have my natural light to highlight all of the beautiful colors. But in the end, it’s not what it looks like but how it tastes – and this tastes darn good. I also added some dolmas since they were on sale and I absolutely love them after spending a semester in Greece.

Maybe a roasted veggie board is next on my list? Gotta keep things balanced with all of the high fat cheeses, meats, and olives.

What’s your favorite indulgent snack?