Looking to enjoy some spooky snacks without the sugar crash? Charcuterie boards are the perfect solution – these versatile platters offer convenience, nutrition and a touch of fanciness, while taking just minutes to whip up. With our simple guide to decking out a killer Halloween charcuterie board, you’ll have the perfect snack to share this Sunday.

From affordability to flexibility, there are a number of reasons why a grazing board should top the list for your Halloween culinary creations this year – just take a look at the shortlist:

• They’re easy and fun to prepare – and there’s no cooking required!
• There are no limits, you can add whatever you or the kids like.
• These boards are so easy to adorn with festive decorations to set the spooky tone.
• It’s a tasty, healthy – and nutritious! – alternative to sugary Halloween food.
• They have versatile range of uses, from party appetisers to snacks for the kids.

But before you get started, make sure you’ve got a game plan in place. Consider the theme and colours you’re after – orange, white, red, green and black all work well for Halloween. So to minimise waste, make sure you get a list down of the kinds of fruits and veggies that you’ll use – we’ll share a few fun ideas to get those creative juices flowing.

Cheese and crackers

What charcuterie board would be complete without cheese? We recommend buying a large wheel of brie as it’s easy to work with – and delicious! – though a wheel of any cheese of your choice will work too. If you’re not a brie fan, here are a few other options to get you going:

• Camembert
• Cheddar
• Swiss
• Blue cheese
• Gouda

Now you’ll want to carve out some spooky shapes into your cheese with a knife – we made ours into a skull:

You could also go for a ghost, pumpkin or coffin shape. After you’ve set up your creepy cheese design, spread out some crackers on the board and if you’ve got any extra cheese – particularly a dark orange-coloured cheese like cheddar – you could cut them into pumpkin shapes for decoration, while mozzarella balls also work as creepy-looking “eyes”.

Note: Check the ingredient list to ensure there are no sneaky added sugars hiding in your crackers!

Cold cut meats

There are numerous things you can do with cold cut meat to create shapes and figures on your charcuterie board. Wrap slices of ham or turkey up to create witches fingers, gruesome entrails for any zombie, skeleton or witch figures, or just as a bit of general blood and gore to spice up your platter. Any of the following cuts will work wonders on your board:

• Salami
• Prosciutto
• Chorizo
• Ham
• Turkey slices

Fruit and veggies

Kiwis: You’ll want to add some cut-up kiwis – go for a zig-zag cut to get that sharp teeth-like look. Feel free to use other fruits and veggies to make “eyes” for your kiwi mouths.

Dark berries: Blackberries and blueberries help intensify that gothic look, plus they make for great “eye” decorations if you’re going for a witch, zombie, vampire or skeleton theme.

Olives: These are another great way to make creepy eyes for your designs, and their dark green colour adds to the sickly, eerie Halloween vibe. Scatter them throughout your platter for a colour hit – you could even stuff them with red chilli to give it a more disturbing edge.

Cornichons: These French pickled cucumbers just so happen to make for the perfect spooky shape, whether you’re making a ghost, zombie or just going for a generally creepy vibe, don’t skip out on these guys. Plus, they taste great with a bit of cheese!

Dates and prunes: The texture of these fruits is enough to wig most people out on a regular day – but on Halloween, these guys come into their element. Use them to create bugs, worms or other creepy crawlies to really set the tone. But keep in mind, those prunes might give your toilet a workout!

Extras

Feel free to get creative with the decorative process – you may want to include some non-edible items to add to the spookiness of your board, such as skeletons, fake cobwebs or spiders. You might also want to add any nuts or seeds you have for extra texture, flavour and nutrition. These boards are the perfect place to offload any old food you’ve got lying around – just add them in! These platters look better when they’re full, so you really can’t go wrong with your ingredients.

Note: Just be cautious with non-edible decorations if there are little ones around!

Picking a board

Your choice of board will depend on the amount of food you plan on serving, but a medium-size works well for a family celebration, though you might want to spring for a large if you’ve got a sizeable guest list to cater to. There are a number of types of boards that work well, chopping blocks work well since most of us already have one at home, but you could also try a pizza board, a metal tray, a stone board or even a baking tray will do the trick.

Now it’s your turn! Get creative this Halloween and whip up a cracking charcuterie board.

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