Last minute & make ahead Thanksgiving appetizer ideas

Not ready for Thanksgiving and watching the clock tick down? Don't panic! You can probably still make a really beautiful appetizer with minimal fuss! 

A charcuterie board is a great option for both last minute and make ahead - plus you can customize the ingredients to suit the dietary needs or restrictions of you and your guests!

Charcuterie is typically meat and cheese but if you need it to be vegetarian friendly, it can be, and if you need it to be dairy free, you can do that as well!

Optional items for a successful charcuterie board:

• Thinly sliced cured meats like salami, pepperoni, prosciutto, cappicolla
• Hard cheese - cheddar, provolone, or Gouda
• Soft cheese - brie, mozzarella, or bleu
• Fruits - grapes, figs, berries, sliced melon, cherries
• Olives
• Pickles
• Roast red peppers
• Marinated mushrooms and artichokes
• Nuts
• Crackers
• Spreads can be hearty mustard, fig spread, mashed avocado, or hummus

Tips for arranging:

• For wet ingredients or small items like pickles or olives, consider using a small bowl on the platter or board.
• Mix up colors and textures.
• Use two different types of crackers or considering mixing in small rounds of toasted bread.
• FILL the board or serving platter rather than leave empty space - the fuller it looks, the more appealing to guests.
• Provide small serving forks, toothpicks, or skewers to ensure guests avoid using their fingers especially during this pandemic holiday season.

Another bonus of preparing a charcuterie board is you can have more ingredients precut or rolled in the refrigerator to refill the board as needed.

Take time this holiday season to enjoy your family or friends, especially since the number of guests at the table is likely reduced this year due to Covid concerns.

Thanksgiving is my personal favorite holiday and I will certainly be enjoying a charcuterie board with my loved ones. We will share the things we are thankful for in this challenging year and appreciate being Fed Well.

For more Thanksgiving (or Christmas) make-ahead appetizer ideas, please visit my post on the Zulily blog - click here and feel free to share both posts!

Happy Thanksgiving from Fed Well!