Charcuterie board calculator: cheese and meat per person
Enter your guests and how big a role the board plays to see how much cheese, cured meat, crackers and fruit to buy. Wisconsin Cheese suggests about 1 oz of each cheese and at least 2 oz of charcuterie per person.
Enter your measurements
More options: Kids · Extra
- Cheese, all kinds
- 5.5 lb
- Of each cheese
- 22 oz
- Cured meat (salami, prosciutto…)
- 2.8 lb
- Crackers or baguette slices
- 132 pieces
- Fresh and dried fruit
- 2.8 lb
- Nuts, olives and pickles
- 1.4 lb
Cheese: 20 adults × 1 oz × 4 cheeses × 1.1 = 5.5 lb (22 oz of each)
Meat: 20 × 2 oz × 1.1 = 2.8 lb · Together 8.3 lb
- Cut cheese and meat sit out like any perishable food. Perishable food should not sit out more than 2 hours (1 hour above 90 °F / 32 °C). Keep hot food at 140 °F (60 °C) or above and cold food at 40 °F (4 °C) or below (USDA FSIS).
Quick answers for common sizes
| Example | Answer |
|---|---|
| Charcuterie board for 20 people | 5.5 lb cheese + 2.8 lb cured meat |
| Charcuterie board for 50 people | 17.2 lb cheese + 10.3 lb cured meat |
Cheese and meat by number of guests (role as above)
| Guests | Cheese, all kinds | Cured meat (salami, prosciutto…) | Crackers or baguette slices |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | 2.2 lb | 1.1 lb | 53 pieces |
| 12 | 3.3 lb | 1.7 lb | 80 pieces |
| 20 | 5.5 lb | 2.8 lb | 132 pieces |
| 30 | 8.3 lb | 4.1 lb | 198 pieces |
| 50 | 13.8 lb | 6.9 lb | 330 pieces |
| 100 | 27.5 lb | 13.8 lb | 660 pieces |
A charcuterie board is mostly cheese and cured meat, and those are the two things worth measuring. Wisconsin Cheese, the state’s dairy marketing board, gives a clear rule: plan one ounce of each cheese and at least two ounces of charcuterie per person, and drop toward half an ounce of each cheese when there is plenty of other food. Everything else on the board — crackers, fruit, nuts, pickles — fills the gaps.
How the board is worked out
| Role of the board | Each cheese, per person | Cured meat | Crackers | Fruit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| One appetizer among lots of other food | 0.5 oz | 1.5 oz | 4 | 1.5 oz |
| The main nibbles before a meal or at a party | 1 oz | 2 oz | 6 | 2 oz |
| A grazing table standing in for a meal | 1 oz | 3 oz | 10 | 3 oz |
cheese = adults × oz of each cheese × number of cheeses × appetite × (1 + extra) cured meat = adults × oz of meat × appetite × (1 + extra)
Notice that the cheese total depends on how many cheeses you choose. Four cheeses at an ounce each is four ounces of cheese per person — a quarter pound — which is why a board with lots of variety needs more cheese, not just more kinds.
Worked examples
- Charcuterie board for 20 people — a holiday or birthday party board, with the shopping list.
- Charcuterie board for 50 people — a grazing table for a shower or reception.
Building a board that goes the distance
- Three to five cheeses, different textures: something soft (brie), something firm (cheddar or gouda), something blue or aged, something mild for the kids.
- Cut some, leave some whole. Pre-sliced cheese goes faster; a few whole wedges with a knife slow people down and look generous.
- Fill gaps with the cheap things. Crackers, grapes, apples and nuts take space without taking budget.
- Refresh, do not top up. Keep half the cheese and meat in the fridge and swap in a fresh plate. Perishable food should not sit out more than 2 hours.
A board covers grazing, not dinner, unless you plan it that way. For a full appetizer spread, add the appetizer calculator; for a meal, the food per person calculator.
What you’ll need
- Large charcuterie boardMid-range price
A big board or two smaller ones. For a crowd, several small boards around the room keep lines short.
See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab) - Cheese knife setBudget price
A soft-cheese knife, a hard-cheese knife and a spreader cover most boards; put one with each cheese.
See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab) - Digital kitchen scaleBudget price
Weighs cooked meat, cheese and batter so portions match the plan instead of guesswork.
See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
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Frequently asked questions
How much charcuterie per person?
Wisconsin Cheese suggests about 1 oz of each cheese and at least 2 oz of cured meat per person, scaled down when there is plenty of other food. With four cheeses, that is about 6 oz of cheese and meat per guest.
How much cheese per person on a cheese board?
Half an ounce to an ounce of each cheese per person, by Wisconsin Cheese’s guidance — closer to half an ounce when the board is one appetizer among many.
How many cheeses should be on a charcuterie board?
Three to five is a good start, according to Wisconsin Cheese. More than that is hard to tell apart and makes the board more expensive without making it better.
How long can a charcuterie board sit out?
Treat it like any perishable food: no more than 2 hours at room temperature, or 1 hour above 90 °F (USDA FSIS). Keep backup plates in the fridge and swap them in.
Sources
- Wisconsin Cheese (Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin) — How to build a perfect cheese board (opens in a new tab) — 0.5 to 1 oz of each cheese per person; closer to 0.5 oz with lots of other food; three to five cheeses.
- Wisconsin Cheese (Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin) — Charcuterie and cheese board basics (opens in a new tab) — One ounce of each cheese and at least two ounces of charcuterie per person, scaled to the other dishes served.