How to Host a Grazing Board Dinner {Galentine’s Day}
One of the most fun and creative gatherings I attended this past year was a Grazing Board Dinner at my friend Kristin’s house. We each brought a grazing board of our choice and it was so fun to see what everyone came up with. Some people made them, some bought them, but they were all creative, fun, and gorgeous! The boards were in different shapes and sizes, from a traditional cheese board with a wide variety of cheeses to a taco board and even a sushi board. Needless to say, it was the ultimate girl dinner!
What is a grazing board?
A grazing board is a large platter of food served at parties or gatherings for guests to share. Grazing boards, like charcuterie boards, are typically served on a wooden board or large platter with an assortment of cheeses, a mixture of meats, nuts, fresh fruits, and crackers, but a grazing board goes one step further. It can be any kind of food presented platter-style for sharing.
Make it a “board night”
A “board night” is a casual gathering of friends where guests bring a variety of food boards to share. Galentine’s Day lines up perfectly for a grazing board girl dinner but any occasion can be turned into a board night!
Why host a grazing board dinner?
IMO, everyone should host a grazing board dinner party because it is just so much fun. It’s uniquely different from a regular “dinner party” and is a great option because it takes the pressure off the host. Everyone is excited to create and bring a board to share on the grazing table. Some of the boards brought to our dinner were a crudité board, a taco board, a butter board, a sushi board, a salad board, a bread board with dipping sauces, and a dessert board!
There are an unlimited number of ideas. I’m going to make a brunch board next time – think bagels & cream cheeses or different toasts. How yummy would that be?
Planning & Preparation
- Number of Guests. Typically I prefer a smaller number for dinner parties, 6-8 people, but for a grazing board dinner, I think you can add a few more because of the nature of grazing and sharing. I think 8-12 guests is ideal. We had 11 ladies at our event and it worked out great.
- Prep. As always, there is no need to stress. Give your kitchen a good wipe down but just spot clean the common areas. Your house doesn’t need to be spotless.
- Timing. I don’t feel the need to plan dinner parties too far in advance, but for this type of gathering, I would make sure you give your guests enough time to come up with an idea for their board. This is also a type of party that I don’t like to give an end time. Let the conversation flow and the evening just happen.
- Stock up. Make sure to have dinnerware (disposable or not, host’s choice), extra ice, extra serving utensils, and platters in case a guest needs any.
- Set up. Set up a beverage area with wine, champagne, or prosecco and/or cocktails if you’re serving alcohol. Make sure to have non-alcoholic options as well. This is the only real setup you need to do other than deciding where everyone will place their boards, preferably a large table or island with plenty of room for guests to gather.
Grazing board assignments.
One of the key things to hosting a grazing board dinner is what type of board everyone will bring. You can assign guests a type of board to bring, but I think the most fun way is to send a group message and have everyone chime in with what type of board they want to create. There is no strict recipe, let the creative juices flow! The grazing platter can be as simple or as complex as the guests want to make. There are so many grazing board ideas and everything is up for grabs.
The host can suggest a theme, like Galentine’s Day, or you can leave it wide open. Whatever works best for your group and the time of year.
Easy Tips for the Host.
- Decide on your “grazing room” where there is a large table or island for gathering.
- Set up a beverage area for drinks (or hire a friend to bartend like we did!).
- For decor, all you need is some themed dinnerware (i.e. pink napkins, etc for Galentine’s Day) and a few fresh flowers.
- Pick a fun, girly playlist to have on in the background!
- Grazing boards can get pricey! If you think it might deter guests you can give a spending cap.
- Have takeout containers available. Board nights are conducive to having way too much food. Having takeout containers on hand is a nice way to send guests home with leftovers they will appreciate.
- I think this style would be a great way to serve food at wedding receptions or at a corporate event. It’s unique and unexpected with loads of visual interest! This is my corporate event-planning wheels turning now 🙂
I can’t tell you how much fun this night was! It was super cool to see everyone’s favorite combinations. The boards really were next level! So many bright colors. I think the sushi or the taco board was the biggest grazing board at our party but they were all gorgeous and bountiful!
The dessert boards were great additions to round out the night. The macaroons, mini cupcakes, cookies, and cake pops were so good and made for a pretty board. The bubbly was flowing and the girl talk was just what the doctor ordered! It was definitely a highlight during the winter months! I’m ready for the next event!
Need a simple Galentine’s Day board rec? That Cheese Plate is the queen of the cheese tray and she has an example of a beautiful Galentine’s Day-themed board.
If you need a cute wood board for Galentine’s Day check out this heart-shaped board set! A large round lazy Susan board is my favorite type of board.
Check out more fun hosting ideas. I also have a whole Pinterest board dedicated to grazing board ideas. Head to Pinterest and start planning your party!
Cheers!
