If you’re looking for fun make ahead recipes for a spring or summer picnic, try making this picnic charcuterie board! It’s full of cute picnic themed treats, summer sides, and fresh foods that are perfect for your next picnic.
We are always looking for fun ways to serve up food and this picnic charcuterie board is perfect for an actual picnic or as an addition to any spring or summer party theme!
Want to save this recipe?
Enter your email below and we’ll send this idea straight to your inbox (plus you’ll receive fun weekly ideas from us too!)
Perfect Charcuterie Board for Picnic
I recently asked my community what kind of ideas they were looking for this summer and one of the most requested was fresh summer foods for things like cookouts, picnics, and outdoor parties. I shared a pool party charcuterie board last year that was a huge hit, but I thought it’d be fun to put together a picnic charcuterie board with more snacky make ahead items.
This picnic charcuterie board has everything from tomato and cheese ladybug bites and banana and almond bumble bees to cucumber, tomato, and melon flowers! It’s not just items put on a board – it’s simple summer treats, snacks, and salads all in one cute format!
Whether you want an idea for a kickoff to summer, an end of summer gathering, or picnic date night in the park, this board will be a hit! And the best part of all is that you can switch things out for your favorites!
Instead of fruit skewers, you could make caprese salad skewers and have a bowl of tropical fruit salad. You could also do something like swap the hummus for a cream cheese fruit dip. The possibilities are endless!
Why this is perfect for a picnic
- Easy to transport – with so many of the elements on skewers or toothpicks, this picnic charcuterie board is a great one to pack and take with you on a picnic or to the beach!
- Make ahead – all of the items can be made and stored ahead of time then just put on the board right before the picnic or party!
- Easily customizable – use what you’ve got in your fridge, what’s in your budget, and what you and your loved ones like to eat.
Ingredients
What’s Actually on the Board?
- Melon flowers – green grapes, cantaloupe on skewers
- Cucumber tomato flowers – cucumber slices, cheese cubes, cherry tomatoes.
- Caprese ladybugs – sliced mozzarella cheese, grape tomatoes cut in half, balsamic glaze, blueberries cut in half, and basil leaves.
- Banana bumblebees – banana slices, slivered almonds
- Cucumber flowers – mini cucumbers sliced very thin, with cherry tomatoes
- Mozzarella mushrooms – mozzarella cheese pearls, cherry tomatoes cut in half
- Coconut lime dip – coconut yogurt, fresh lime juice, vanilla extract
- More dips and fill-ins – hummus, honey, fresh strawberries, baby carrots, snap peas, ham, pita crackers, fresh blueberries
- Meats, cheeses, and crackers – if you want a little more traditional charcuterie and the look of the flowers, you can add these in too!
How to make a Picnic Charcuterie Board
Before we get down to the serious business of ladybugs and flowers, let’s talk strategy!
When planning to make a charcuterie board, you want to consider the size of your board. If you’re following my recipe exactly, you’re going to need a large board. I always like to use either a wooden board (raised edges are nice!) or anything sturdy with a solid color background. That way the board doesn’t distract from what’s going on on top.
- Place the bowls first – add a bowl of the hummus, honey, and coconut lime dip spread out evenly around the board to create the foundation of the board.
- Add skewered items – divide the items on the skewer among the board. I put the grape and melon flowers on one side and the blueberry fruit skewers on the other.
- Add the meat and cheese roses – since these are larger items, I recommended making these and adding them onto the board now. If you need assistance, here’s a great tutorial on making meat roses.
- Add medium sized items – fill in some of the large remaining spaces with the cucumber tomato flowers, ladybugs, mushrooms, and bumblebees. Keep these spaced out so they don’t overlap each other.
- Fill in the gaps – once all of those are down, it’s time to fill in the gaps around the bowls and in between the items with the remaining ingredients like blueberries, strawberries, snap peas, crackers, and baby carrots.
how to make individual picnic items on the board
Melon Flowers
- Cut flowers out of slices of cantaloupe, using a 1-inch flower cookie cutter.
- Place the flower on the end of a skewer and add three to four grapes on the skewer to make the flower stem.
- Repeat for as many skewers as you’d like to make!
Banana Bumble Bees
I recommend doing this last minute so the bananas don’t brown too quickly!
- Slice a banana then take black writing gel and create lines on each banana slice to make the bee stripes. You could also just pipe peanut butter if you prefer – I was just avoiding peanuts!
- Add two slivered almonds to create wings.
Cucumber Flowers
- Thinly slice mini cucumbers then place five on the board to create petals.
- Place a cherry tomato half in the center of the “petals”.
- Repeat for as many cucumber flowers as you would like!
Coconut Lime Dip
- In a small bowl, fill with coconut yogurt.
- Mix in 1⁄2 tsp vanilla extract and 2 tsp lime juice.
- Stir until combined.
Ladybug Caprese Salad
- Cut a mozzarella log into slices then top each one with a fresh basil leaf.
- Drizzle a bit of balsamic glaze on the basil leaf then place half of a grape tomato.
- Add a blueberry half to the top of the tomato to create the head of the ladybug.
- Take a toothpick dipped in balsamic glaze and create dots on the back of the ladybug.
Cucumber Tomato Flowers
- Cut a cucumber into 1⁄4 inch slices then take a 1⁄2 inch round cutter and remove the center of the cucumber slices. Cut each slice in half.
- On a toothpick, place one cube of cheese then top the cheese with a half cucumber slice. Top that with a cherry tomato.
Mozzarella Mushrooms
- On a toothpick place a mozzarella pearl then top that with a cherry tomato half to create a mushroom.
Expert Tips & Storage Information
Blank spaces are not your friend. Fill up the boards as best as you can! If there is too much open space, you may need a smaller board.
To keep it budget-friendly, choose seasonal fruits whenever possible.
Don’t keep it out for too long. Since the beautiful board does contain dairy (if you are using cheese) don’t keep it sitting out for more than a couple of hours.
Make ahead and refrigerate. Since we’re using fresh ingredients, if you’re assembling the entire tray in advance, you’ll want to cover it in plastic wrap and keep it in the fridge until you serve it.
If you are traveling far with the contents, you can store everything in individual containers, and keep them cold with ice packs. Then, assemble your summer picnic charcuterie board on sight!
Recipe FAQs
How long will it take me to assemble this picnic charcuterie board?
The way the recipe is written, including slicing fruit and veggies, skewering, making the dip, and then assembling, it should take about 45 minutes.
What drinks pair well with a charcuterie picnic?
To cut through the meat and cheese, carbonated water is a good choice. Adding lemon slices or fresh berries for flavor is a good idea! Lemonade, raspberry punch, and mint lemonade are just as amazing.
More Charcuterie Boards
There’s a reason why creative charcuterie boards are so trendy! It’s an easy way to entertain and allows everyone to sample a little bit of everything!
- Ice cream sundae bar – setup your very own ice cream sundae bar on a dessert board with this fun tutorial!
- Mexican Charcuterie Board – this Mexican charcuterie board is the perfect way to celebrate Cinco de Mayo or Taco Tuesday!
- Birthday Charcuterie Board – replace the traditional birthday cake with the board of their party dreams, filled with all of their favorite sweet treats!
- Breakfast Charcuterie Board – a breakfast charcuterie board is a great way to serve up a variety of breakfast items to give everyone choices!
- Smores Charcuterie Board – add a variety of crackers, chocolates, marshmallows, and toppings for a night of s’more fun than you’ve ever had before!
Want more Goodies?
Want more delicious recipes just like this one? Enter your first name and email address in the form below to join the Play Party Plan community! You’ll receive weekly recipes and party ideas directly to your inbox!
Picnic Charcuterie Board
Ingredients
- 18 Green grapes
- ¼ Cantaloupe
- 1 Banana sliced
- 10 Strawberries
- 25 Blueberries divided (some cut into halves)
- 1 Cucumber cut into slices
- 16 Cherry tomatoes divided (some cut in half)
- 12 Grape tomatoes
- 6 Mini cucumbers sliced
- 20 Baby carrots
- 12 Snap peas
- 12 Cheddar cheese cubes
- 1 Mozzarella log sliced
- 24 Mozzarella cheese pearls
- 12 Provolone cheese slices
- 24 Slivered almonds
- ½ lb sliced ham Deli slices
- 10 Basil leaves
- 24 Pita crackers
- ½ cup Hummus
- ¼ cup Honey
- 2 TBS Balsamic glaze
Coconut Lime Dip
- 8 ounces Coconut yogurt
- 2 tsp Fresh lime juice
- ½ tsp Vanilla extract
Instructions
Melon Flowers
- Cut flowers out of slices of cantaloupe, using a 1-inch flower cookie cutter.1/4 Cantaloupe
- Place the flower on the end of a skewer and add three to four grapes on the skewer to make the flower stem.18 Green grapes
Cucumber Tomato Flowers
- Cut a cucumber into 1⁄4 inch slices then take a 1⁄2 inch round cutter and remove the center of the cucumber slices. Cut each slice in half.1 Cucumber
- On a toothpick, place one cube of cheese then top the cheese with a half cucumber slice. Top that with a cherry tomato.16 Cherry tomatoes, 12 Cheddar cheese cubes
Caprese Ladybugs
- Cut a mozzarella log into slices then top each one with a fresh basil leaf.1 Mozzarella log, 10 Basil leaves
- Drizzle a bit of balsamic glaze on the basil leaf then place half of a grape tomato.2 TBS Balsamic glaze, 12 Grape tomatoes
- Add a blueberry half to the top of the tomato to create the head of the ladybug.25 Blueberries
- Take a toothpick dipped in balsamic glaze and create dots on the back of the ladybug.
Banana Bumble Bees
- Slice a banana then take black writing gel and create lines on each banana slice to make the bee stripes.1 Banana
- Add two slivered almonds to create wings.24 Slivered almonds
Cucumber Flowers
- Thinly slice mini cucumbers then place five on the board to create petals.6 Mini cucumbers
- Place a cherry tomato half in the center of the “petals”.16 Cherry tomatoes
- Repeat for as many cucumber flowers as you would like!
Mozzarella Mushrooms
- On a toothpick place a mozzarella pearl then top that with a cherry tomato half to create a mushroom.24 Mozzarella cheese pearls, 16 Cherry tomatoes
Coconut Lime Dip
- In a small bowl, fill with coconut yogurt.8 ounces Coconut yogurt
- Mix in 1⁄2 tsp vanilla extract and 2 tsp lime juice.1/2 tsp Vanilla extract, 2 tsp Fresh lime juice
- Stir until combined.
Assembly
- Place the bowls first – add a bowl of the hummus, honey, and coconut lime dip spread out evenly around the board to create the foundation of the board.1/2 cup Hummus, 1/4 cup Honey
- Add skewered items – divide the items on the skewer among the board. I put the grape and melon flowers on one side and the blueberry fruit skewers on the other.
- Add the meat and cheese roses – since these are larger items, I recommended making these and adding them onto the board now.12 Provolone cheese slices, 1/2 lb sliced ham
- Add medium sized items – fill in some of the large remaining spaces with the cucumber tomato flowers, ladybugs, mushrooms, and bumblebees. Keep these spaced out so they don’t overlap each other.
- Fill in the gaps – once all of those are down, it’s time to fill in the gaps around the bowls and in between the items with the remaining ingredients like blueberries, strawberries, snap peas, crackers, and baby carrots.10 Strawberries, 12 Snap peas, 24 Pita crackers, 20 Baby carrots
Leave a Reply