This Is Exactly How Far In Advance You Should Start Assembling Your Charcuterie Board

A charcuterie board is the backbone of any party. It's so much more than just a snack — it's the visual anchor at the table, the conversation starter, and a fun way to express your creativity. There are plenty of tips for building a better charcuterie board, and if possible, you shouldn't assemble your board until just before serving it. If you prep it too early, you're making a big charcuterie mistake.

Assembling the board too far in advance leaves the items exposed to room temperature, which alters their texture and appearance. Plus, for food safety reasons, perishable foods should not be kept out for more than two hours per CDC guidelines. However, it is possible to assemble the charcuterie board earlier if you have the space to store it in a refrigerator. You can also assemble certain parts of the board before others, and add to it as the party time gets closer.

If you have to slice meats and hard cheeses, you can do so up to 24 hours in advance. Hard cheeses include low-moisture, aged cheeses such as cheddar, Parmesan, or Gouda. These cheeses will hold their shape and texture if they're sliced a day in advance, but you still need to refrigerate them and properly cover them to avoid air exposure, which could lead to drying out. Wrap the cheese in parchment paper for the best storage results.

Sliced meats will hold up in the refrigerator, but they also need to be properly covered and stored. Oxygen exposure has the same effect on the meat's texture, so to keep it moist, tightly wrap it in plastic wrap, or store it in an airtight container. Jams can be removed from their jars and placed in the small dishes you plan to serve them in; just wrap those tightly with plastic wrap as well. For ease, you can assemble the hard cheeses, meats, and jams right on the charcuterie board, then just tightly wrap the entire board. Just before serving, add the other, more fragile elements.

Soft cheeses include brie, burrata, and goat cheese. Soft cheeses have higher moisture content than hard ones, so they could lose their texture and shape faster if they're sliced in advance or put out at room temperature too soon. It's best to hold off on adding these to the board until just before serving.

Bread and crackers can be sliced or portioned out ahead of time, but if you're assembling the board in advance and need to store it in the refrigerator, don't add either of these items until it's time to serve. You should not store bread in the refrigerator; it can lead to moisture loss and a stale texture. And if you've ever accidentally stored chips or crackers in the fridge, then you know that the fridge makes them soft; keep these off the charcuterie board until you're ready to serve it. If you have leftovers after the board is served, store any soft or hard cheeses in parchment paper; meats and jams should be tightly wrapped and refrigerated as well. Wrap the bread or crackers tightly to avoid air exposure and staleness, and store those in the pantry.