Join me as I take you through one of my favorite stores to get all the best items for charcuterie boards. I’m giving you an insider look at all of my go to things from Trader Joe’s for my charcuterie boards. From cheeses to garnishes, I include it all in this list and I am so excited to share this exclusively with YOU!
Trader Joe’s is known for their unique options that are yummy, and a lot of people go to there to find special items to incorporate on their charcuterie boards. As you may know, charcuterie boards are built using all of your own favorite options, and there are no wrong things to include on a board. So for me, I like going to Trader Joe’s to find unique things to include on my boards that I know that my guests are going to love.
Coastal Cheddar
Coastal Cheddar is probably my FAVORITE cheese that we make sure to include on all of our boards! Coastal is a very mild cheddar, so it is a great option because your guests of all ages are bound to love it, and it pairs well with jams and mustards! Coastal Cheddar is a rugged aged white cheddar, and when serving it on a grazing table, we cut it into thin slices and break it over the grazing table, to accentuate the rugged texture and utilize it to add to the overall texture of the board.
Trader Joe’s English Coastal Cheddar – $7.99/lb*
Fig & Olive Crisps
Another one of my favorite Trader Joe’s options are the Fig and Olive Crisps. Often, people are initially intimidated when they hear the name of these crackers. But, I urge you to grab your favorite cheese (Brie is AMAZING with these crackers) and try them out. It is great to include a wide variety of crackers on your board, like traditional water crackers, multi grain crackers, rice crackers, and these fig and olive crackers are another great choice to add.
Blueberry Vanilla Goat
One of my personal favorite cheeses is the blueberry vanilla goat! This goat cheese is a fan favorite- and I have found that even people who typically don’t love goat cheese end up trying this one and loving it. Not only does it have great flavor, but its color also makes it very distinctive on the board and the bright purple adds so much to the board. Pair this goat cheese with a water cracker and I guarantee you’re gonna love it!
Trader Joe’s Blueberry Vanilla Chèvre – $4.99
Délice de Bourgogne
Commonly referred to as “cheese frosting” by our clients, this creamy, brie like cheese is a fan favorite! It is a sweeter, full fat version that pairs well with crackers, like the Fig & Olive Crackers or Almondina Crackers! Trader Joe’s sells this yummy cheese in small chunks, so I definitely recommend that the next time you are at Trader Joes, grab a small chunk of Delice de Bourgogne, and serve it on your next cheeseboard!
Seasonal Baked Lemon Ricotta
This baked Lemon Ricotta is truly a very unique and delicious cheese option for your next cheese board. It has a taste similar to lemon cheesecake, and it has a fantastic, light taste to it. A lot of our clients refer to lemon ricotta as their favorite “dessert cheese” and it truly is a special something sweet option for your board. Unfortunately, most stores only sell this yummy cheese during the holidays, so when it returns to my local store in November, I make sure to stock up, especially for all of our holiday gatherings!
Baked Lemon Ricotta Cheese
Cracker Assortment
This box of crackers is a simple, but easy way to include a variety of crackers in one board, especially if you are not building a big grazing table, but still want to include a yummy variety of cracker options. This Cracker Assortment includes plain water crackers, Whole Wheat Entertainer Crackers, Pepper & Poppy Water Crackers, and Vegetable Entertainer Crackers. Each of these flavors come in their own individually wrapped sleeve, which is very helpful because you don’t have to open and use all of them when making a charcuterie board! I always include traditional water crackers on boards, and I like to add one or two other cracker flavors to the board for some variety!
Garlic Aioli Mustard
Last, but most definitely not least, I want to share with you my absolute favorite mustard that I make sure is on EVERY charcuterie board I make. The Trader Joes Garlic Aioli Mustard is a fan favorite and a must buy for your next Trader Joe’s run. This mustard has a unique, tangy taste that is the perfect blend and addition to your board! This mustard pairs well with a lot of the cheeses, and my personal favorite pairing is with the Irish Dubliner or Coastal White Cheddar (don’t worry- both of those cheeses are already on our shopping list as well!)
SWEETS
Belgium Waffle Crisps
Especially on our brunch boards, waffle crisps are a great alternative to traditional waffles. It can be very difficult to serve traditional, warm waffles on your charcuterie as there is always a high risk of the waffles getting soggy and cold while they are sitting out at the event. Trader Joe’s Waffle Crisps are a great alternative because they are dry, so there is no need to worry about them going bad while waiting to be eaten. They also still have the same great taste of traditional waffles, and your guests are bound to LOVE these waffle crisps paired with our Homemade Cannoli Dip. Click HERE to read the complete vlog and recipe for the cannoli dip!
Caramel Butterscotch Balls
Some of my favorite garnishes to include on our boards or grazing tables include Caramel Butterscotch Dark Chocolate Balls. These are a great sweet option to incorporate into your charcuterie board. These are a great option, especially if you have to keep your board free of nuts for any allergies or dietary restrictions.
Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups
We don’t typically include these on our traditional grazing tables, but these yummy peanut butter cups are a great add on for dessert boards or to use as a garnish on a traditional board. If you know that you do not need to worry about nut allergies for your guests, I would definitely recommend including these on your board!
Pro Tip: For snacking, these peanut butter cups taste amazing when they are left in the freezer! These are my favorite late night snack!
Make sure to check out our “Charcuterie Made Simple” online course to learn how you can make your own charcuterie boards with the products used in this blog!
“7 Must Have Trader Joe’s Cheeses For Your Next Cheeseboard” Blog Available Now!
Click Here for the Blog!