I Set Out to Make an “Incredible” Cheese Board for Under $20 and Learned a Brilliant Tip Along the Way

There’s something about a good cheese board that instantly makes a gathering feel festive. It’s easy to set out and becomes a natural place for guests to mingle. The components are relatively straightforward: cheese, crackers, and a variety of different accoutrements.

Those items can add up quickly, especially if you head to the store without a plan. (Making a shopping list is the number one way to save money at the grocery store.)

This year, I challenged myself to build a budget-friendly cheese board that could feed six to eight people for $20 or less. Between my trip to Dollar Tree and a local grocery store, I picked up an impressive spread for guests to feast on (including the plate itself). Here’s how I did it.

In my quest to make a cheese board for under $20, I headed straight to Dollar Tree. I knew that the discount store would have a nice selection of platters for $1.25 (I was right!). I grabbed a pretty plastic one that could totally pass for nice glass.

Once I grabbed my platter, I headed to the snack aisle to start gathering my accoutrements. I got pretzels, crackers, dried fruit and nuts, some candies, and shortbread. And then, just for fun, I walked around the refrigerated section and was psyched to see a block of Kraft Sharp Cheddar for just $3 (noticeably cheaper than I’ve seen in other stores). Next to it was a bag of already-diced Kraft Cheddar Cheese for the same price, but it was 7 ounces compared with the 8-ounce brick, so I got the 8-ounce brick and cut it myself.

Then I shifted focus to the remaining items I’d need to build out my board. I like to have at least one more cheese, something fresh (either a fruit or vegetable), and something to dip or spread. With limited dollars at my disposal, I visited my local grocer and bought a jar of St. Dalfour Fig Royale Jam — fig jam is a dream with cheese and crackers, and it was on sale ($2 off!). I also bought a block of on-sale Cracker Barrel Gouda (to contrast with the cheddar) and a half pound of green grapes to bring some freshness to the spread.

I ended up with the plate and nine items for my cheese board:

After assembling my board, I had plenty of grapes, pretzels, crackers, and jam left over. I’d say that it comfortably feeds six to eight guests (and my coworkers agreed; and grazed happily).

Dollar Tree has plenty of budget-friendly crackers, accoutrements, and even platters for you to choose from (even a few cheeses!). Then, you can fill the rest of the board with other items on sale at nearby grocery stores — like a festive jam — to spruce it up. Consider this template as a guide for making your own cheese board this holiday season.

Did you make a snack board? Tell us about it in the comments.