17 Kids Charcuterie Board Ideas

These kids charcuterie board ideas use foods most kids already eat: mild cheese, turkey, ham, crackers, grapes and apples, with a little something sweet on some of them. All the food comes from a normal grocery store, and none of these boards need any cooking.

Here are 17 ideas: easy snack boards, toddler boards with small, soft bites, fun shapes made with cookie cutters, and kid friendly boards for parties and playdates. Each one lists what's on it, with amounts and how many it serves. Most are for kids 4 and up. For younger kids, use the toddler boards and see the choking safety notes after the last idea.

Easy kids charcuterie board ideas for snacks and lunchboxes

1. Big Kid Favorites Board

All the mild stuff kids ask for on one big board: turkey, ham, salami, three easy cheeses, crackers, pretzels and plenty of fruit. Serves 6.

What's on the board

• 1 large board, about 14 x 20 inches
• 2 oz sliced deli turkey (about 4 slices)
• 3 oz sliced deli ham (about 6 slices)
• 2 oz mild salami (about 8 slices)
• 3 oz mild cheddar, cut into 3/4-inch cubes (about 10 cubes)
• 5 mozzarella string cheese sticks
• 6 mini round snack cheeses in red wax
• 14 round butter crackers
• 25 mini pretzel twists
• 6 strawberries
• 8 oz red grapes
• 1 apple, cut into 14 slices and tossed in 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1/3 cup honey mustard, in a small bowl
• 1/3 cup strawberry jam, in a small bowl

How to make it

1. Set the honey mustard and jam bowls on the board, well apart.
2. Lay the turkey, ham and salami flat in short overlapping runs, each meat in its own spot.
3. Add the cheddar cubes, string cheese and red-wax cheeses in small groups. Show kids how to peel off the wax, since it isn't for eating.
4. Line up the crackers and pretzels, then fill the gaps with strawberries and grapes.
5. Slice the apple last, toss it in the lemon juice so it doesn't turn brown, and fan the slices in a row.

Where to get it

Mini round snack cheeses in red wax are in the dairy case near the string cheese.

2. After-School Pretzel Dipper Board

Pretzels, ham, cheddar and apples with peanut butter and honey mustard for dipping, for hungry kids walking in the door. Serves 4.

What's on the board

• 1 board, about 12 x 18 inches
• 4 pretzel rods
• 35 mini pretzel twists
• 3 oz sliced deli ham (about 5 slices)
• 4 oz mild cheddar, cut into 3/4-inch cubes (about 14 cubes)
• 2 apples, cut into 20 slices and tossed in 2 tsp lemon juice
• 8 oz green grapes
• 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter, in a small bowl
• 1/3 cup honey mustard, in a small bowl

How to make it

1. Set the peanut butter and honey mustard bowls at the two ends of the board.
2. Lay the pretzel rods side by side and pile the mini twists next to them.
3. Lay the ham flat in short overlapping runs near the honey mustard, and add the cheddar cubes.
4. Slice the apples last, toss them in the lemon juice and fan them near the peanut butter.
5. Fill the gaps with the grapes. Apples and pretzels go in the peanut butter; ham and cheese go in the honey mustard.

3. Pack-Your-Own Lunchbox Board

Set out a row each of meat, cheese, crackers, fruit and one small sweet, and kids fill their own lunchbox from the board. Serves 4.

What's on the board

• 1 board, about 12 x 18 inches
• 3 oz sliced deli turkey (about 6 slices)
• 3 oz sliced deli ham (about 6 slices)
• 4 mozzarella string cheese sticks
• 4 mini round snack cheeses in red wax
• 10 round butter crackers
• 1 oz fish-shaped crackers
• 8 oz green grapes
• 7 strawberries
• 3 oz blueberries
• 6 mini chocolate chip cookies
• 1/3 cup honey mustard, in a small bowl

How to make it

1. Set the honey mustard bowl at one end of the board.
2. Lay the foods in rows: meats, then cheeses, then crackers, then fruit, then the cookies.
3. Give each kid a lunchbox and one simple rule: pick something from every row.
4. Spoon a little honey mustard into a small lidded container for anyone who wants it.
5. Pack the meat and cheese in an insulated lunch bag with ice packs so they stay cold.

Where to get it

Fish-shaped crackers are in the cracker aisle.

4. No-Touching Picky Eater Board

A snack board for kids who hate when foods touch: every plain, mild food gets its own spot with a little space around it. Serves 4.

What's on the board

• 1 board, about 12 x 18 inches
• 3 oz sliced deli ham (about 6 slices)
• 3 oz sliced deli turkey (about 6 slices)
• 4 oz mild cheddar, sliced (about 8 slices)
• 10 round butter crackers
• 35 mini pretzel twists
• 1 apple, cut into 8 slices and tossed in 1 tsp lemon juice
• 6 strawberries
• 1/3 cup vanilla yogurt, in a small bowl

How to make it

1. Set the yogurt bowl in one corner of the board.
2. Give each food its own spot, with about an inch of bare board around it, so nothing touches.
3. Lay the ham, turkey and cheddar flat in short overlapping runs.
4. Add the crackers, pretzels and strawberries in their own spots.
5. Slice the apple last and toss it in the lemon juice.
6. Want them to try something new? Set one small new food in its own corner and don't say a word about it.

5. Saturday Morning Breakfast Board

Ham, Colby Jack, mini croissants and mini muffins with berries, bananas, yogurt and jam, so kids can pick their own breakfast. Serves 5.

What's on the board

• 1 board, about 12 x 18 inches
• 5 mini croissants
• 12 mini muffins
• 4 oz sliced deli ham (about 8 slices)
• 3 oz Colby Jack, cut into 3/4-inch cubes (about 12 cubes)
• 10 strawberries
• 1 banana, cut into about 14 rounds
• 6 oz blueberries
• 1/2 cup vanilla yogurt, in a small bowl
• 1/4 cup strawberry jam, in a small bowl

How to make it

1. Set the yogurt and jam bowls on the board.
2. Set the croissants in a row and the muffins in a row, each one by itself.
3. Lay the ham flat in short overlapping runs and add the Colby Jack cubes.
4. Add the strawberries in two groups.
5. Slice the banana right before serving so it doesn't turn brown, overlap the rounds in a row and fill the gaps with the blueberries.

Where to get it

Mini croissants and mini muffins are in the bakery section.

Toddler charcuterie board ideas with small, soft bites

6. Toddler Snack Board

Soft, tiny bites of turkey, cheddar, bread and fruit, with every grape cut lengthwise into quarters and no nuts at all. Serves 2.

What's on the board

• 1 small board, about 10 x 14 inches
• 3 oz sliced deli turkey, cut into pieces no bigger than 1/2 inch
• 2 oz mild cheddar slices, cut into 1/2-inch squares
• 3 oz green grapes, each cut lengthwise into quarters
• 4 strawberries, cut into pieces no bigger than 1/2 inch
• 1 ripe banana, cut into thin half-moons
• 2 slices soft white sandwich bread, crusts cut off, cut into 1/2-inch squares
• 1/4 cup plain whole milk yogurt, in a small bowl

How to make it

1. Set the yogurt bowl in the middle of the board.
2. Cut the turkey, cheddar and bread small, then set each one in its own little pile.
3. Cut each grape lengthwise into quarters, and cut the strawberries into small pieces.
4. Slice the banana last and add it to the board.
5. Serve it at the table, with a grown-up sitting close by.

7. Toddler Lunch Board

A little lunch of ham, Colby Jack, soft bread, ripe pear, avocado and watermelon, with applesauce for dipping. Serves 2.

What's on the board

• 1 small board, about 10 x 14 inches
• 3 oz sliced deli ham, cut into pieces no bigger than 1/2 inch
• 2 oz Colby Jack slices, cut into 1/2-inch squares
• 2 slices soft sandwich bread with no seeds, crusts cut off, cut into 1/2-inch squares
• 1 ripe pear, peeled and cut into pieces no bigger than 1/2 inch
• 1 cup seedless watermelon, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 ripe avocado, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1/4 cup applesauce, in a small bowl

How to make it

1. Set the applesauce bowl in one corner of the board.
2. Cut the ham, Colby Jack and bread small, then set each one in its own little pile.
3. Use a pear that feels soft when you press near the stem. Peel it and cut it small.
4. Cut the watermelon into small cubes, pick out any seeds and add it to the board.
5. Cut the avocado last so it stays green, and serve the board at the table.

Charcuterie board for kids with fun cookie cutter shapes

8. Cheese Star and Ham Heart Board

Cheese stars and ham hearts cut with little cookie cutters, with crackers, strawberries and grapes around them. Serves 6.

What's on the board

• 1 board, about 12 x 18 inches
• Tool: a 2-inch star cookie cutter and a 2-inch heart cookie cutter
• 6 slices mild cheddar, cut into 6 stars
• 6 slices Colby Jack, cut into 6 stars
• 8 slices deli ham, cut into 8 hearts
• 11 round butter crackers
• 8 strawberries
• 8 oz green grapes
• 6 oz blueberries
• 1/3 cup strawberry jam, in a small bowl

How to make it

1. Press the star cutter into each cheese slice and the heart cutter into each ham slice. Thin deli slices cut the cleanest.
2. Set the jam bowl on the board.
3. Lay the stars and hearts flat, each one by itself, in small groups across the board.
4. Add the crackers in a row and the strawberries in two groups, then fill the gaps with the grapes and blueberries.
5. Save the scraps for a snack or for tomorrow's lunch.

Where to get it

Small star and heart cookie cutters are with the cake decorating supplies. Stock varies, so check a craft shop or order them online.

9. Dinosaur Snack Board

Cheddar dinosaurs walk through a jungle of green grapes and kiwi, with turkey, pepperoni and crackers to snack on. Serves 5.

What's on the board

• 1 board, about 12 x 18 inches
• Tool: a 3-inch dinosaur cookie cutter
• 6 slices mild cheddar, cut into 6 dinosaurs
• 4 oz sliced deli turkey (about 8 slices)
• 1 oz pepperoni (about 16 slices)
• 20 round butter crackers
• 1 lb green grapes
• 1 kiwi, peeled and cut into 7 rounds
• 1/3 cup ranch dip, in a small bowl

How to make it

1. Press the cutter into each cheddar slice to make 6 dinosaurs.
2. Set the ranch bowl at one end of the board.
3. Make the jungle: pile the grapes across the middle of the board and tuck in the kiwi rounds.
4. Lay the dinosaurs flat along the edge of the jungle, each one by itself.
5. Lay the turkey and pepperoni flat in short overlapping runs and line up the crackers at the other end.

Where to get it

Dinosaur cookie cutters are sold online and at some craft shops. Stock varies, so a simple star or circle works too.

10. Flower Garden Snack Board

Cheese flowers on pretzel stick stems with apple slice leaves, growing next to ham, turkey and berries. Serves 6.

What's on the board

• 1 board, about 12 x 18 inches
• Tool: a 2 1/2-inch flower cookie cutter
• 5 slices mild cheddar, cut into 5 flowers
• 5 slices mozzarella, cut into 5 flowers
• 10 thin pretzel sticks
• 1 green apple, cut into 10 slices and tossed in 1 tsp lemon juice
• 3 oz sliced deli ham (about 6 slices)
• 3 oz sliced deli turkey (about 6 slices)
• 17 round butter crackers
• 10 strawberries
• 6 oz blueberries
• 1/3 cup ranch dip, in a small bowl

How to make it

1. Press the cutter into each cheese slice to make 10 flowers.
2. Lay the flowers flat in a row across one half of the board, then set a pretzel stick below each one as a stem.
3. Slice the apple last, toss it in the lemon juice and lay the slices beside the stems as leaves.
4. On the other half, set the ranch bowl and lay the ham and turkey flat in short overlapping runs.
5. Add the crackers in a row and fill the gaps with the strawberries and blueberries.

Where to get it

Flower cookie cutters are with the cake decorating supplies. Stock varies, so check a craft shop or order one online.

11. Star and Heart Sandwich Board

Little ham and cheese sandwiches cut into stars and hearts, with Colby Jack, fish-shaped crackers and fruit. Serves 6.

What's on the board

• 1 board, about 12 x 18 inches
• Tool: a 3-inch star cookie cutter and a 3-inch heart cookie cutter
• For 6 cut-out sandwiches: 12 slices soft white sandwich bread, 6 slices deli ham and 6 slices mild cheddar
• 5 oz Colby Jack, cut into 3/4-inch cubes (about 20 cubes)
• 2 oz fish-shaped crackers
• 10 strawberries
• 8 oz green grapes
• 6 oz blueberries
• 1/3 cup honey mustard, in a small bowl

How to make it

1. Make 6 ham and cheese sandwiches.
2. Press the star cutter down through 3 sandwiches and the heart cutter through the other 3.
3. Set the honey mustard bowl on the board and lay the sandwiches flat around it, each one by itself.
4. Add the Colby Jack cubes and crackers in small groups.
5. Fill the gaps with the strawberries, grapes and blueberries. Save the sandwich scraps for a snack.

12. Under the Sea Snack Board

Cheese fish swim through a blueberry sea with fish-shaped crackers, next to ham, salami and green grape seaweed. Serves 5.

What's on the board

• 1 board, about 12 x 18 inches
• Tool: a 2 1/2-inch fish cookie cutter
• 4 slices mild cheddar, cut into 4 fish
• 6 slices Colby Jack, cut into 6 fish
• 3 oz sliced deli ham (about 6 slices)
• 2 oz mild salami (about 10 slices)
• 2 oz fish-shaped crackers
• 12 round butter crackers
• 12 oz blueberries
• 4 oz green grapes
• 1/3 cup honey mustard, in a small bowl

How to make it

1. Press the cutter into each cheese slice to make 10 fish.
2. Make the sea: pour the blueberries in a wavy band across the middle of the board.
3. Lay the cheese fish flat along both sides of the sea, each one by itself, then add the fish-shaped crackers.
4. Set the honey mustard bowl at one end, and lay the ham and salami flat in short overlapping runs.
5. Line up the butter crackers at the other end, then tuck in the grapes as seaweed.

Where to get it

Fish cookie cutters are sold online and at some craft shops. Stock varies, so a simple star or circle works too.

Kid friendly charcuterie boards for parties and playdates

13. Balloon Birthday Board

Round cheese balloons on pretzel stick strings float across the top of this kids' birthday board, with ham, fruit and sprinkle cookies. Serves 4.

What's on the board

• 1 board, about 12 x 18 inches
• Tool: a 2 1/2-inch round cookie cutter
• 2 slices mild cheddar, 2 slices Colby Jack and 2 slices mozzarella, cut into 6 round balloons
• 6 thin pretzel sticks
• 3 oz sliced deli ham (about 6 slices)
• 9 round butter crackers
• 9 strawberries
• 8 oz green grapes
• 6 oz blueberries
• 5 frosted sugar cookies with rainbow sprinkles
• 1/3 cup honey mustard, in a small bowl

How to make it

1. Press the cutter into each cheese slice to make 6 balloons.
2. Lay the balloons flat across the top half of the board, then set a pretzel stick below each one as the string.
3. Set the honey mustard bowl on the bottom half and lay the ham flat in short overlapping runs next to it.
4. Add the crackers in a row and the cookies flat in a row.
5. Fill the gaps with the strawberries, grapes and blueberries.

Where to get it

Frosted sugar cookies are in the bakery section. Stock varies, so plain sugar cookies work too.

14. Sleepover Snack Board

A big board for a house full of kids: pepperoni, salami, Colby Jack, string cheese, crackers and a little popcorn, with cookies for later. Serves 6.

What's on the board

• 1 large board, about 14 x 20 inches
• 1 oz pepperoni (about 12 slices)
• 3 oz mild salami (about 10 slices)
• 4 oz Colby Jack, cut into 3/4-inch cubes (about 14 cubes)
• 4 mozzarella string cheese sticks
• 20 round butter crackers
• 25 mini pretzel twists
• 12 strawberries
• 8 oz green grapes
• 8 mini chocolate chip cookies
• 1 oz plain popped popcorn, in a small bowl
• 1/3 cup ranch dip, in a small bowl

How to make it

1. Set the popcorn and ranch bowls on the board, well apart.
2. Lay the pepperoni and salami flat in short overlapping runs.
3. Add the Colby Jack cubes and string cheese, then line up the crackers and pretzels.
4. Add the cookies in a row and fill the gaps with the strawberries and grapes.
5. When the snacking winds down, put the meat and cheese back in the fridge.

15. Nut-Free Playdate Board

No nuts and no peanut butter, so it's easier to share when a guest has a nut allergy. Mild meats, cheese, crackers and fruit. Serves 6.

What's on the board

• 1 board, about 12 x 18 inches
• 3 oz sliced deli turkey (about 6 slices)
• 3 oz sliced deli ham (about 6 slices)
• 5 oz mild cheddar, cut into 3/4-inch cubes (about 18 cubes)
• 4 mini round snack cheeses in red wax
• 18 round butter crackers
• 35 mini pretzel twists
• 1 apple, cut into 14 slices and tossed in 1 tsp lemon juice
• 8 oz red grapes
• 10 strawberries
• 6 oz blueberries
• 1/2 cup vanilla yogurt, in a small bowl
• 1/3 cup strawberry jam, in a small bowl

How to make it

1. Read every package first. Some crackers, pretzels and jams carry a nut warning, so choose ones that don't.
2. Ask the other parents about any other allergies before the playdate.
3. Set the yogurt and jam bowls on the board, and lay the turkey and ham flat in short overlapping runs.
4. Add the cheddar cubes, red-wax cheeses, crackers and pretzels in small groups.
5. Slice the apple last, toss it in the lemon juice and fan it in a row, then fill the gaps with the grapes, strawberries and blueberries.

16. Build-Your-Own Mini Sandwich Board

Soft slider rolls with turkey, ham, two mild cheeses and sweet pickles, so every kid builds their own little sandwich. Serves 4.

What's on the board

• 1 board, about 12 x 18 inches
• 9 soft slider rolls
• 4 oz sliced deli turkey (about 8 slices)
• 3 oz sliced deli ham (about 6 slices)
• 6 slices mild cheddar
• 6 slices Colby Jack
• 12 sweet pickle chips
• 6 strawberries
• 8 oz red grapes
• 1 apple, cut into 7 slices and tossed in 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise, in a small bowl
• 1/4 cup yellow mustard, in a small bowl

How to make it

1. Slice the rolls through the middle but leave them closed, so they're easy to fill. Set them in rows, each one by itself.
2. Set the mayonnaise and mustard bowls on the board.
3. Lay the turkey, ham and cheese flat in short overlapping runs, and add the pickle chips.
4. Slice the apple last, toss it in the lemon juice and fan it in a row.
5. Fill the gaps with the strawberries and grapes. Two little sandwiches is about right per kid.

Where to get it

Slider rolls are in the bakery section or the bread aisle.

17. Rainbow Snack Board

Rows of red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple, made from pepperoni, strawberries, cheddar, pineapple, grapes and blueberries. Serves 5.

What's on the board

• 1 board, about 12 x 18 inches
• 2 oz pepperoni (about 30 slices)
• 7 strawberries
• 5 oz mild cheddar, cut into 3/4-inch cubes (about 18 cubes)
• 1/4 fresh pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into 10 chunks
• 8 oz green grapes
• 6 oz blueberries
• 8 oz red grapes
• 12 round butter crackers
• 1/2 cup vanilla yogurt, in a small bowl

How to make it

1. Set the yogurt bowl in one corner of the board and the crackers in a row along one long edge.
2. Lay the rows across the board in rainbow order: first the pepperoni and strawberries, then the cheddar cubes.
3. Next come the pineapple chunks, the green grapes and the blueberries.
4. Finish with the red grapes as the purple row. Pick the darkest bunch you can find.
5. Let kids name each color as they eat their way across.

Choking safety for kids under 4

Most of these boards are for kids 4 and up. For kids under 4, the American Academy of Pediatrics says round, firm foods need to be cut very small, since their shape can block a young child's throat. Some kids need these rules for longer, so go by your own child. Here's what that means on a board:

• Grapes: cut each one lengthwise into quarters. Never serve them whole.
• Nuts, popcorn and hard candy: leave them off.
• Hot dogs: never in rounds. Cut them lengthwise, then into tiny pieces.
• Meat and cheese: cut into pieces no bigger than 1/2 inch. Skip string cheese and chunks of cheese.
• Hard raw fruit and vegetables: finely chop or grate apples and carrots.
• Berries: cut them up too.
• Also leave off: marshmallows, gummy candy, spoonfuls of peanut butter, meat sticks, sausages, pretzels, cookies and crackers with seeds.

Kids should sit down to eat, with a grown-up watching. Perishable foods like meat and cheese shouldn't sit out more than 2 hours (USDA FSIS).

New to boards? See how to make a charcuterie board for the basics. Want more simple ideas? Try these easy charcuterie board ideas.

Kids charcuterie board FAQ

What do you put on a kids charcuterie board?

Stick to mild foods most kids already like: turkey, ham, mild salami or pepperoni, cheddar, Colby Jack, string cheese, crackers, pretzels, grapes, berries and apple slices. Add one small treat, like mini cookies, and one or two dips, such as honey mustard, ranch or yogurt.

How do you make a charcuterie board kid friendly?

Cut everything bite size and keep the flavors mild. Skip strong cheeses, spicy meats and olives unless your kids like them. Fun helps a lot, too: cut cheese into stars or dinosaurs with a cookie cutter, or lay the food out in a rainbow. Let kids help build it, too.

What goes on a charcuterie board for picky eaters?

Use plain foods your child already eats, like ham, cheddar, crackers, pretzels and apple slices. Keep each food in its own spot so nothing touches, and keep dips in small bowls on the side. If you want them to try something new, set out one small piece and don't push it.

Is a charcuterie board safe for toddlers?

Yes, if you change the food. Cut grapes lengthwise into quarters, and cut meat, cheese and soft fruit into pieces no bigger than 1/2 inch. Leave off nuts, popcorn, hard candy, marshmallows and string cheese. Serve it at the table with a grown-up watching. The two toddler boards above are already set up this way.

Can you make a kids charcuterie board ahead of time?

Yes. Build it up to 3 hours ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. Add the crackers, pretzels and apple slices right before kids eat, so they stay crisp and fresh.

Can you pack a charcuterie board in a lunchbox?

Yes, and it's easy. Use a box with small sections and add one meat, one cheese, one cracker, one fruit and a small sweet. Our Pack-Your-Own Lunchbox Board above lets kids pick their own. Use an insulated bag and ice packs for anything with meat or cheese.

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