This Overflowing Trader Joe’s Charcuterie Board Cost Us Just $6.30 per Person

Danielle Centoni
Danielle Centoni
Danielle Centoni is a James Beard Award-winning food writer, editor, recipe developer, and cookbook author based in Portland, Oregon. Her latest cookbook is "Fried Rice: 50 Ways to Stir Up The World's Favorite Grain."
updated Feb 5, 2021
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
Charcuterie board with assorted meats, cheeses, crackers, vegetables, nuts, and dips on a marble surface.
Credit: Joe Lingeman

Few appetizers pack as impressive a punch, for such minimal effort, as a charcuterie board. Piling every inch of a cutting board or platter with cured meats, cheeses, fruits, and nuts is as easy as opening a few packages. And the result is a bountiful, joyful indulgence that just seems to shout, “Let’s eat!” Charcuterie boards are the very definition of festive hospitality. 

Of course, all those items can really add up when feeding a crowd, so with holiday party season here, I decided to see if I could make a beautiful and sumptuous board without breaking the bank. I hit Trader Joe’s, because I know they have some of the lowest prices next to Costco, and walked the aisles. 

I kept my eyes open for the kinds of tasty things that define a perfect party board. The goal is always to include a wide variety of tastes, textures, and colors, so there’s something for every craving. It should be seasonally appropriate, too.

The Building Blocks of an Ideal Charcuterie Board

  • Cured meats: Thin, delicate slices as well as robust salami bites and soft pâtés. Count on 2 ounces per person.
  • Cheeses: A variety that includes something soft, rich, and decadent (like triple-cream Brie), something aged and piquant (like Manchego or cheddar), and something really flavor-packed (like blue cheese or a fruit-studded Stilton). Choose cheeses that will go well with the meats. 
  • Colorful fill-ins: After grounding your board in meats and cheeses, fill in all the gaps with things that offer a break from the fatty richness. You’ll want something fresh (fruits and veggies), crunchy (nuts), tart (olives, mustards, chutneys, and pickles), and sweet (jams and dried fruits). 
  • Crackers and/or sliced baguette: To be used as delivery vehicles for the cheese.
Credit: Joe Lingeman

Building a Charcuterie Board with Items from Trader Joe’s

Anyone familiar with the groceries at Trader Joe’s knows there’s no shortage of items perfect for a charcuterie board. The store almost seems made for it. The hardest part is deciding between all the options. As I walked the aisles I took copious notes, comparing prices between the items, and also looking out for things that are particularly familiar and crowd-pleasing, so nothing on the board would go to waste. 

After careful consideration, I came up with a board that could serve at least 10 people, with nearly 20 ounces of sliced meat, nearly half a pound of pâté, 1 1/2 pounds of cheese, and tons of fresh fill-ins, all for $63.

Here’s what I picked, and why.

  • Colombo Sliced Italian Dry Salami Pack, $4.49 for 8 ounces: Classic and crowd-pleasing, this hard salami is cheaper than an unsliced log. But if you want thick slices or cubes for even more textural contrast, go with the Volpi brand salami log at $4.99 for 8 ounces.
  • Two San Daniele Combo Packs, $10.98 for 12 ounces: This pack offers a variety of thinly sliced prosciutto, calabrese, and capicola meats.
  • Chicken-Truffle Pâté, $5.49 for 7 ounces: Rich and spreadable, pâté is perfect for crackers or baguette slices with whole-grain mustard or pickles. But if you’re trying to keep your board under $50, just leave this out. 
  • Saint Andre Triple Cream Cheese, $5 for 1/2 pound: Decadent and not stinky, this cheese appeals to everyone. It also goes great with both thinly sliced cured meats, fresh fruits, and jams or chutneys.
  • Six-Month Aged Manchego, $6 for 1/2 pound: With its nutty flavor and firm, sliceable texture, Manchego goes great with both meats and fresh fruits.
  • Trader Joe’s Apricot White Stilton, $6 for 1/2 pound: Think of this sweet and crumbly fruit-studded soft cheese as your board’s dessert. It’s been a TJ’s fave for many, many years. If you want something more savory, go with a blue cheese. 
  • Caramelized Onion Dip, $2.99 for 10 ounces: Dips are great with veggies, of course, but this one can also be slathered on a baguette slice and topped with meat. Plus, it’s hard to find someone who doesn’t love onion dip. 
  • Marcona Almonds (truffle or rosemary), $5.99: A bag of regular almonds actually costs more, although you’ll get more nuts. Still, if you’re just buying them to stock the board, go with the premium, crispy, oily, herby Marcona almonds. But if you’re looking to cut costs, you can easily omit and go with something cheaper, like the Trader Joe’s Marinated Olive Duo ($1.79 for 8 ounces)
  • Fresh Pears, $1.58 for two: Thinly sliced pears go with a variety of cheeses and add juicy sweetness to the board’s options. (Toss the slices in lemon juice to prevent browning.) If you can’t get ripe ones in time, go for apples. During the summer, of course, I’d opt for berries or stone fruits.
  • Baby Carrots, $1.29 for 16 ounces: Everyone loves baby carrots. They’re familiar, easy to eat, great on their own or with dip, and add a bright pop of orange color. This bag offers enough to replenish the board as the night goes on or to have satellite bowls of carrots and dip.
  • English Cucumber, $1.49 each: Cucumbers double as a refreshing palate cleanser and a vehicle for dip. Plus, they add a splash of green to the board’s palette. Slice one up and you’ll have plenty to go around.
  • Endive, $2.69 for a pack of three: Endive leaves work great as a cracker alternative. Use them as scoopers for dip or spread lightly with pâté. Their slight bitterness adds a refreshing edge. 
  • Red and Yellow Bell Peppers, $2.18 for two: Sweet bell peppers add great color to a board, plus they’re great with dips. But you can also totally skip these and stick with the baby carrots.
  • Whole-Grain Mustard, $1.79 for 12.3 ounces: Whole-grain mustard is a great accompaniment to cured meats and pâté, and it’s not as nose-burning as Dijon. Be sure to check your fridge first, though — you might already have a few tablespoons you can use. Note: Dijon is also totally fine if that’s what you have!
  • French Baguette, $1.99: Slice and serve some pieces plain and some brushed in olive oil and toasted, so you have a variety of textures. Its long length means you’ll get a ton of slices out of it.
  • Organic Cracker Assortment, $3.99 for 13 ounces: This assortment has something for everyone — five different crackers, from hearty whole-grain crackers to perfectly neutral water crackers. But if you could easily skip it and just stick to the baguette. 

Total: $63.94

Credit: Joe Lingeman

Building a Cheaper Charcuterie Board at Trader Joe’s

Although this seems pretty reasonable for a big board that serves at least 10 people, if you want to get the cost down to under $50 you can skip the pâté, almonds, bell peppers and crackers, and add in those olives. The total would then be $44.50.

And if you are serving a much smaller crowd, think strategically. You won’t need as much meat and cheese, so skip one combo pack and maybe the pâté. Cut the apricot stilton in favor of the St. Andre — it’s similar but more versatile. Go with either the carrots or the bell peppers, but not both. And ditch the crackers for the baguette.

Credit: Kitchn