The question we answer most often at our Santa Monica cheese counter: "How much do I actually need?" Here's the math we use for every board we build.
The Golden Rule
For an appetizer or pre-dinner spread, plan on 2 ounces of cheese and 2 ounces of cured meat per person. If the cheese board is the main event — a wine night, picnic, or grazing-style dinner — double it to 4 ounces of each per person.
Quick Reference
- Date night (2-4 people): 2-3 cheeses, 1-2 meats — about half a pound of each total. This is exactly what goes on our Date Night board.
- Small gathering (6-8): 3-4 cheeses, 2-3 meats — about a pound of each.
- Party (10-15): 4-6 cheeses, 3-4 meats — two pounds of each, plus generous accompaniments.
- Big celebration (20-30): 5-7 cheeses, 4-5 meats — this is our Large board territory, or consider a full grazing table installation.
Don't Forget the Supporting Cast
Accompaniments stretch your board and round out every bite. Per 10 guests, we suggest: two boxes of crackers, a fresh baguette, a jar of preserves or honey, a cup of olives, and a generous pile of seasonal fruit. Guests eat about 30% less cheese when there's plenty of fruit and bread alongside — useful math when feeding a crowd.
A Few Pro Tips
Take cheese out of the fridge an hour before serving — cold mutes flavor. Give every cheese its own knife. And when in doubt, round up: leftover cheese is never a problem that needs solving.
Skip the Math Entirely
Every Lady & Larder signature board is portioned by these exact rules, sized from date night (serves 3-4) to large (serves 20-30), available for Santa Monica pickup or Los Angeles delivery with 24-hour notice.