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Budget-Friendly Halloween Charcuterie Board for the Whole Family

budget-friendly halloween charcuterie board - featured image

A spooky, budget-friendly charcuterie board that feeds a crowd for under $25. Featuring cheese cut into Halloween shapes, mummy fingers, a graveyard scene, and a spider dip, it’s perfect for pre-trick-or-treat fuel or Halloween parties.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 8 ounces block cheddar cheese (orange cheddar works best for pumpkin shapes)
  • 8 ounces mozzarella cheese block (for ghost shapes)
  • 4–5 ounces spreadable cheese (garlic and herb variety)
  • 4–6 sticks string cheese (for mummy fingers)
  • 6 ounces salami or pepperoni (sliced thin)
  • 4 ounces prosciutto or ham
  • 1 bag pretzel sticks
  • 1 sleeve round crackers (Ritz or store brand)
  • 1 package breadsticks or grissini
  • 1 bunch red grapes
  • 1 bag baby carrots
  • 1 apple (green apples for contrast)
  • 1 small can black olives
  • 1 small container blackberries or blueberries
  • 1 small package edible googly eyes (optional)
  • 1 cup marinara sauce
  • 1 container hummus (green hummus looks especially creepy)
  • Pumpkin-shaped cheese ball or cream cheese (mix cream cheese with pumpkin puree and spices for homemade version)

Instructions

  1. Prep Your Cheese Shapes (5 minutes): Take block cheddar and mozzarella out of the fridge. Let them sit on the counter for about 5 minutes. Slice each block into 1/4-inch thick slabs. Press Halloween cookie cutters into the cheese slabs firmly, then wiggle gently to release. Save scraps for the snacking pile.
  2. Assemble the Mummy Fingers (3 minutes): Cut string cheese sticks in half crosswise. Wrap each half with a thin strip of prosciutto or ham, leaving a small gap at one end to look like a fingertip. Press an edible googly eye (or a small dot of cream cheese with a black olive sliver) into the exposed end. Arrange in a small cluster.
  3. Build the Graveyard Scene (3 minutes): Break about half of the pretzel sticks in half. Arrange full pretzel sticks vertically in a small cluster to look like a fence. Place a small pile of round crackers at the base to look like tombstones. Add a few black olives near the base to look like spiders.
  4. Create the Spider Scene (2 minutes): Place a small bowl of hummus or cream cheese in the center of the board. Arrange 8 breadsticks or pretzel sticks around the bowl to look like spider legs. Place a black olive on top of the dip for the spider body. Press two edible googly eyes into the olive if desired.
  5. Fill In with Fruits and Veggies (2 minutes): Arrange red grapes in small clusters. Place baby carrots in a small pile with pointed ends facing outward. Arrange apple slices in a fan pattern. Scatter blackberries or blueberries in small groups.
  6. Add the Dips and Finishing Touches (2 minutes): Place marinara sauce in a small bowl near the cheese shapes. If using a pumpkin cheese ball, place it in the center or at one end. Drizzle extra olive oil over the hummus. Sprinkle edible googly eyes around the board. Fill any empty gaps with extra crackers or fruit.

Notes

Assemble the board no more than 2 hours before serving to keep crackers crunchy. Spray cookie cutters with non-stick cooking spray for clean cheese shapes. For a dairy-free version, use vegan cheese blocks and hummus as the primary dip. Leftover cheese shapes keep in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Nutrition

Keywords: Halloween charcuterie board, budget-friendly, spooky snacks, party platter, kid-friendly, easy appetizer