Planning charcuterie for a crowd can feel like guesswork. Use the quick guidelines below—or jump to the calculator—to estimate exactly how much cheese, meat, crackers, produce, and dips you’ll need for your guest count and style of event.
Quick answer (per person):
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Appetizer-style (pre-dinner grazing): ~2 oz cheese, ~1.5 oz cured meats, ~6–8 crackers or bread pieces, ~2 oz produce, ~1 oz dips/spreads.
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Meal-style (charcuterie as the main course): ~3.5 oz cheese, ~3.5 oz cured meats, ~10–12 crackers or bread pieces, ~4 oz produce, ~2 oz dips/spreads.
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Grazing table (2+ hours): Start with appetizer portions and add ~25%.
Handy Charcuterie Calculator
Portion Cheat Sheet (save this!)
Appetizer-style (per person):
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Cheese: 2 oz
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Cured meats: 1.5 oz
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Crackers/bread: 6–8 pieces
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Produce (fruit/veg): 2 oz
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Dips/spreads: 1 oz
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Sweets/nuts (optional): 0.5 oz
Meal-style (per person):
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Cheese: 3.5 oz
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Cured meats: 3.5 oz
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Crackers/bread: 10–12 pieces
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Produce (fruit/veg): 4 oz
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Dips/spreads: 2 oz
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Sweets/nuts (optional): 1 oz
Grazing table (2+ hours): Take appetizer amounts and add ~25% to prevent running out.
Kids: count each child as ½ portion.
Hearty appetites: add +10% cheese & meats.
Mostly drinks served: add +10% crackers/bread.
Real-World Examples
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10 guests, appetizer-style
Cheese 20 oz (1.25 lb) · Meats 15 oz (0.94 lb) · Produce 20 oz (1.25 lb) · Dips 10 oz (0.63 lb) · Sweets 5 oz (0.31 lb) · Crackers/bread ~70 pieces -
25 guests, meal-style
Cheese 87.5 oz (5.47 lb) · Meats 87.5 oz (5.47 lb) · Produce 100 oz (6.25 lb) · Dips 50 oz (3.13 lb) · Sweets 25 oz (1.56 lb) · Crackers/bread ~275 pieces -
50 guests, grazing table
Cheese 125 oz (7.81 lb) · Meats 93.75 oz (5.86 lb) · Produce 125 oz (7.81 lb) · Dips 62.5 oz (3.91 lb) · Sweets 31.25 oz (1.95 lb) · Crackers/bread ~438 pieces
How Many Varieties Should You Offer?
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Up to 12 guests: 3 cheeses, 2–3 meats, 2 dips, 2–3 accompaniments (olives, cornichons, jam/honey).
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12–30 guests: 4–5 cheeses, 3–4 meats, 3 dips, 4–6 accompaniments.
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30+ guests / grazing table: 6+ cheeses, 5+ meats, 4+ dips, lots of seasonal produce and breads.
Tip: Balance textures (soft, semi-soft, firm) and milk types; include at least one mild, one funky, and one crowd-pleaser.
Planning Tips
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Time of day matters: midday and late-night events eat more—lean toward meal portions.
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Other food present? If you’re serving pizza, tacos, etc., you can stick closer to appetizer portions.
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Label allergens: note nuts, gluten, and dairy-free options.
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Food safety: keep perishable items refrigerated until serving; as a rule of thumb, aim to keep boards out for under ~2 hours (refresh as needed).
Ready to Order?
Skip the math and let us portion it perfectly. Choose a board or portable grazing table and we’ll do the rest.
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