Fall Movie Nights Just Got Better With These 5 Charcuterie Board Ideas

After a long day of hay rides, apple picking, corn mazes, and scouring the pumpkin patch for the perfect jack-o'-lantern, nothing's cozier than settling in with a good movie. Whether you're hosting a viewing of the original "Ghostbusters," introducing the kids to "Addams Family Values," or turning out the lights to set the scene for the latest installment of the "Halloween" franchise, the best part of movie-watching at home is that you're in full control of the snacks.

That means that instead of settling for overpriced boxes of candy and mini hotdogs, you have the opportunity to create a truly memorable autumn-themed charcuterie spread. Not only does expert advice for building the best charcuterie boards advocate for embracing seasonal items, there's something about fall flavors that feels truly special. You'll have a wide range of sweet and savory flavors to mix and match to truly let your creativity shine, and have a chance to get playful with the presentation, as well (maple leaf cheese slices, anyone?).

Possibly the best thing about centering your next movie night charcuterie around fall flavors is that it pleases a wide range of palates. Kids with a sweet tooth can snack on caramel dip and apple slices, while adults enjoy nutty crackers with pumpkin puree. You can also design your board around a central flavor or theme to keep yourself focused when deciding what to include, as it seems like autumn always abounds with some of the tastiest, most creative seasonal offerings of the entire year.

Though pumpkin and its wildly popular corresponding spice blend are far from the only flavors germane to autumn, no autumn charcuterie board can be complete without at least one pumpkin-centric item. In fact, there are so many easy and delicious recipes that use pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice — along with a wide array of pumpkin-shaped snacks gracing the shelves this time of year — that you could easily create a charcuterie board that's entirely pumpkin-themed without breaking a sweat.

For instance, pumpkin butter is a delicious addition to any fall snack board, as it's equally as tasty with apples and cinnamon bread as it is with smoked gouda or a slice of nutty, pungent aged cheddar. Tasty Greek yogurt based pumpkin dip recipes abound, many of which are sweetened with maple syrup to bring in even more seasonal flavor. This dip is the perfect pairing for sliced apples, crisp pears, graham crackers, or a tasty layer for mini pumpkin-forward parfaits served in shot glasses.

For the savory crowd, try adding pumpkin puree to your queso for an autumnal twist, eschewing tomatoey Rotel for roasted garlic, cayenne pepper and just the tiniest pinch of cinnamon for a cheesy topping that works beautifully with crostini, all types of savory crackers, and sweet potato tortilla chips. To prevent the dreaded double-dip, provide guests with tiny glass or ceramic bowls, so they can spoon out individual servings of queso, refilling it as many times as they like while keeping things sanitary.

No movie watching experience is complete without popcorn, so why not lean into the theme and center a charcuterie board around this crunchy, nostalgic treat? With little flavor of its own, popcorn is an excellent blank slate to carry any flavor you like, from classic butter and movie theater-approved Flavacol seasoning to using matcha to give your popcorn a savory makeover. Matcha may not seem on brand for fall, but you could combine it with white chocolate or pair it up with crushed nori paper to create "zombie popcorn" to complement a viewing of the original "Night of the Living Dead" or "Warm Bodies."

Mentioning pumpkin spice popcorn here is obligatory, as is a brief discussion of caramel popcorn. Both are popular flavors that work well in snack mixes with cheese crackers, mini pretzels, and the M&M's flavor of your choice, though we recommend snagging their seasonal black-and-orange coated candies. Some stores and farmers markets also carry apple cider flavored caramel, which would be absolutely delicious on kettle corn paired with cubes of classic yellow cheddar and smoked Gouda.

Presentation-wise, use mini Halloween candy buckets to hold each flavor of popcorn, plating the accompaniments around them and using additional mini buckets for each guest to serve themselves from the charcuterie board. This theme is particularly perfect for kiddos or teens, but can also be a really fun way for adults to indulge in some nostalgia and silly fun.

One of the quintessential experiences of autumn is enjoying treats of all kinds around a bonfire, snuggled up in blankets and looking at the stars. While it may be a bit harder to see the stars indoors, you can bring much of that ambience inside with you to recreate that coziness for movie night. Creating a campfire themed charcuterie board is really all about ambience. The first thing you'll want to do is set the mood with a woodfire scented candle set on a side table to observe good fire safety while also creating the right atmosphere.

The next thing to think about is what people normally enjoy around a bonfire or campfire. Making s'mores indoors might be a bit risky, but you can add graham crackers, chocolate ganache, and marshmallow fluff to your board for a similar fire-free treat. Little pigs in a blanket evoke the feeling of roasting hot dogs over a fire, while apple cider donut holes, cheesy mini corn muffins, and corn chips with taco dip round out the outdoor fireside dining experience.

When it comes to beverages, consider filling an insulated coffee urn with spiced cider or hot chocolate along with mini bottles of whiskey or vanilla vodka if you're hosting adults. Round out the whole experience by setting realistic battery-powered tealights around your board in little glass candleholders to gently illuminate the food the same way the warm, flickering light from a campfire might.

Everyone knows Trader Joe's is the place to go for building the ultimate charcuterie board. Not only is the store famous for stocking a wide array of artisanal cheeses, fresh seasonal produce, and unusual and interesting boxed snacks and crackers, it's notorious for the annual frenzy around its seasonal autumn offerings. As soon fall hits, Trader Joe's shelves become chock-full of everything from organic spiced apple cider and pumpkin spice cookie mix to chips and crackers in several on-theme shapes, including maple leaves and ghosts. While these items taste like ordinary potato chips or wheat crackers, they're on-theme when it comes to aesthetics.

Crackers and chips are also a tasty accompaniment to TJ's fall harvest salsa, which features pumpkin, apples, and butternut squash balanced out by spice from hot peppers and other more expected salsa ingredients. The store's pumpkin bisque also offers a solid choice for an autumn charcuterie board, as it just needs some thickening up with cream cheese or sour cream to transform into a creamy dreamy dip perfect for scooping up with leaf-shaped tortilla chips or hearty cranberry bread.

Trader Joe's is also no slouch on the sweet treats front. Choices include two different kinds of fall-themed Joe-Joe sandwich cookies — a blondie version with pumpkin creme, and a chocolate cookie, vanilla creme version with jack-o-lantern faces pressed into the chocolate wafers. These, along with their maple cream sandwich cookies, could be delicious dunked in hot cocoa or paired with sharp cheese.

Whether you're sick and tired of pumpkin getting top billing every autumn or simply want to challenge your creativity, leaving this orange squash off of your charcuterie board is excellent motivation to explore all the other flavors this season has to offer. Sliced apples and pears are sweet, tangy dippers that work with both sweet and savory offerings. Prosciutto wrapped figs are elegant, unexpected, and bound to be a hit with almost everyone.

Additionally, fruity apple, pear, or peach butter and fig jam are divinely delicious with smokey, pungent and creamy cheeses — think chevre, triple creme Brie, and long-aged Dubliner's cheese. They also make a tasty accompaniment for baked goat cheese, baked Brie's more pungent (and unbelievably delicious) cousin. Homemade cranberry chutney is another tasty and versatile option, especially together with garlicky autumn spreads made with mashed butternut squash or sweet potatoes in place of pumpkin. You can also make these dips sweet with a dollop of maple syrup or, if you're feeling daring, hot honey.

For an interesting, bite-sized sweet treat, opt for caramel dipped green grapes over caramel apples. They offer the same tangy flavor profile, are a snap to make at home, and look absolutely gorgeous on a charcuterie board. Not to mention, grapes ripen in the autumn, making them a seasonally appropriate choice, as well. Roll them in crushed spiced nuts or mini M&Ms and spear them with toothpicks to make them look like mini caramel apples.