Platter perfection: expert advice on nailing your Christmas grazing platter
- Replies 0
When it comes to hosting, there’s nothing quite as satisfying as presenting a spread that leaves your guests impressed.
Whether you're working with a modest budget or ready to splurge, the key is in the details.
Keep reading for tips to create a show-stopping platter that impresses every time.
Some things seem to hold their magic no matter how old you get, and grazing platters are one of those timeless joys.
Loaded with cheese, cured meats, fruits, crackers, and more, they’re a feast for the senses. These spreads scream abundance and offer a self-serve snack haven, letting you float back and forth with a glass of wine in hand, savouring salty, crunchy, and fresh bites.
But creating a grazing platter can be costly, especially when paired with festive extras like decorations and drinks.
However, it’s possible to make a stunning spread on a budget with a little planning.
From sourcing affordable ingredients to making your own dips, the key lies in balancing cost with creativity.
Karina Venezia, owner of Sydney’s La Paparedda catering, noted that classic items are essential.
For cheeses, she often included ‘a blue vein or a gorgonzola, a brie or a camembert … and then a couple of hard cheeses such as a truffle cheese, a manchego or a jarlsberg or pecorino’.
On the meat front, she suggested options like ‘San Daniele prosciutto, mild salami, and a mortadella or wagyu bresaola’.
Seasonal fruits, such as grapes, figs, and berries, added vibrant colour with little prep work.
Venezia recommended filling gaps with nuts or chocolates and serving a variety of crackers, such as lavosh, wafer crackers, and even a loaf of bread.
Each platter below weighs about 2.5kg, providing enough for eight people as a starter.
The $20 Platter
A tight budget didn’t have to mean sacrificing quality. Aldi feta and affordable olives could be transformed into a delicious mix when marinated with olive oil, lemon peel, and dried herbs. Homemade hummus was another budget-friendly addition, made from canned chickpeas, lemon juice, garlic, and tahini (or peanut butter as a substitute).
While the base included crackers, vegetables, and a baguette, Venezia suggested swapping the baguette and some vegetables for cabanossi to up the protein.
Carrot (200g) – $0.60
Radish bunch – $1.99
Cucumber (300g) – $1.00
Tinned chickpeas – $1.10
Olives (200g) – $3.40
Aldi feta (200g) – $2.99
Aldi brie (125g) – $2.49
Aldi salami (100g) – $2.39
Water crackers (125g) – $0.89
Eton crackers (225g) – $1.39
Baguette (330g) – $1.90
Total Cost: $20.14
The $50 Platter
With a larger budget, this platter offered variety without relying heavily on bread or crudités. Specialty crackers, roasted tomatoes, and fig jam elevated the spread. Venezia advised including Australian prosciutto instead of cabanossi for a more premium touch.
Radish bunch – $1.99
Cucumber – $1.00
Sicilian olives (150g) – $3.75
Dari baba ganoush (200g) – $3.99
Roasted tomatoes (150g) – $4.18
Fig pomegranate jam – $5.49
Hunter Belle beer cheese (140g) – $7.99
President double brie (120g) – $4.43
Bleu cremeux (120g) – $4.79
Cabanossi (100g) – $2.40
Fennel soppressa (150g) – $5.99
Specialty crackers (100g) – $3.49
Baguette (330g) – $1.90
Water crackers (125g) – $0.89
Total Cost: $52.28
The $100 Platter
At this price point, opulence became easy. The platter featured serrano ham, truffled salami, aged manchego, and even white sardines. The finishing touches—rosemary crackers, sourdough crisps, and jewel-toned berries—ensured the spread looked luxurious.
Blackberries (170g) – $3.50
Blueberries (170g) – $3.29
Tomato punnet (250g) – $3.49
Basil bunch – $3.20
Quince paste (200g) – $5.99
Pilpel hummus (200g) – $3.99
Zanetti bocconcini – $10.49
Manchego (150g) – $7.95
Chevre (150g) – $8.99
Bleu cremeux (130g) – $5.19
Serrano ham (150g) – $7.50
Truffle salami (150g) – $7.50
RM white sardines (200g) – $12.99
Rosemary flatbread crackers (130g) – $8.99
Sourdough crackers (200g) – $3.99
Pastry twists (150g) – $3.49
Total Cost: $100.54
Each platter, whether simple or lavish, demonstrated how strategic choices could deliver an impressive grazing experience for any budget.
What’s your go-to ingredient or creative addition that always steals the show? Share your ideas in the comments.
Whether you're working with a modest budget or ready to splurge, the key is in the details.
Keep reading for tips to create a show-stopping platter that impresses every time.
Some things seem to hold their magic no matter how old you get, and grazing platters are one of those timeless joys.
Loaded with cheese, cured meats, fruits, crackers, and more, they’re a feast for the senses. These spreads scream abundance and offer a self-serve snack haven, letting you float back and forth with a glass of wine in hand, savouring salty, crunchy, and fresh bites.
But creating a grazing platter can be costly, especially when paired with festive extras like decorations and drinks.
However, it’s possible to make a stunning spread on a budget with a little planning.
From sourcing affordable ingredients to making your own dips, the key lies in balancing cost with creativity.
Karina Venezia, owner of Sydney’s La Paparedda catering, noted that classic items are essential.
For cheeses, she often included ‘a blue vein or a gorgonzola, a brie or a camembert … and then a couple of hard cheeses such as a truffle cheese, a manchego or a jarlsberg or pecorino’.
On the meat front, she suggested options like ‘San Daniele prosciutto, mild salami, and a mortadella or wagyu bresaola’.
Seasonal fruits, such as grapes, figs, and berries, added vibrant colour with little prep work.
Venezia recommended filling gaps with nuts or chocolates and serving a variety of crackers, such as lavosh, wafer crackers, and even a loaf of bread.
Each platter below weighs about 2.5kg, providing enough for eight people as a starter.
The $20 Platter
A tight budget didn’t have to mean sacrificing quality. Aldi feta and affordable olives could be transformed into a delicious mix when marinated with olive oil, lemon peel, and dried herbs. Homemade hummus was another budget-friendly addition, made from canned chickpeas, lemon juice, garlic, and tahini (or peanut butter as a substitute).
While the base included crackers, vegetables, and a baguette, Venezia suggested swapping the baguette and some vegetables for cabanossi to up the protein.
Carrot (200g) – $0.60
Radish bunch – $1.99
Cucumber (300g) – $1.00
Tinned chickpeas – $1.10
Olives (200g) – $3.40
Aldi feta (200g) – $2.99
Aldi brie (125g) – $2.49
Aldi salami (100g) – $2.39
Water crackers (125g) – $0.89
Eton crackers (225g) – $1.39
Baguette (330g) – $1.90
Total Cost: $20.14
The $50 Platter
With a larger budget, this platter offered variety without relying heavily on bread or crudités. Specialty crackers, roasted tomatoes, and fig jam elevated the spread. Venezia advised including Australian prosciutto instead of cabanossi for a more premium touch.
Radish bunch – $1.99
Cucumber – $1.00
Sicilian olives (150g) – $3.75
Dari baba ganoush (200g) – $3.99
Roasted tomatoes (150g) – $4.18
Fig pomegranate jam – $5.49
Hunter Belle beer cheese (140g) – $7.99
President double brie (120g) – $4.43
Bleu cremeux (120g) – $4.79
Cabanossi (100g) – $2.40
Fennel soppressa (150g) – $5.99
Specialty crackers (100g) – $3.49
Baguette (330g) – $1.90
Water crackers (125g) – $0.89
Total Cost: $52.28
The $100 Platter
At this price point, opulence became easy. The platter featured serrano ham, truffled salami, aged manchego, and even white sardines. The finishing touches—rosemary crackers, sourdough crisps, and jewel-toned berries—ensured the spread looked luxurious.
Blackberries (170g) – $3.50
Blueberries (170g) – $3.29
Tomato punnet (250g) – $3.49
Basil bunch – $3.20
Quince paste (200g) – $5.99
Pilpel hummus (200g) – $3.99
Zanetti bocconcini – $10.49
Manchego (150g) – $7.95
Chevre (150g) – $8.99
Bleu cremeux (130g) – $5.19
Serrano ham (150g) – $7.50
Truffle salami (150g) – $7.50
RM white sardines (200g) – $12.99
Rosemary flatbread crackers (130g) – $8.99
Sourdough crackers (200g) – $3.99
Pastry twists (150g) – $3.49
Total Cost: $100.54
Each platter, whether simple or lavish, demonstrated how strategic choices could deliver an impressive grazing experience for any budget.
What’s your go-to ingredient or creative addition that always steals the show? Share your ideas in the comments.
Last edited:
