A trend you might have seen on TikTok recently is the bring a board night. But what is it, and how can you plan the perfect one at your student accommodation? Simply, it is where you plan a night in and everyone is assigned a ‘board’ to bring – a grazing board, that is. They come from the classic charcuterie board…
According to Darcy’s Meats, charcuterie (shar-KOO-ta-REE) is a specific term with origins reaching as far back as 15th century France; literally translated, it means the products of a fancy pork butcher. Modern charcuterie does often include pork, but the definition has widened to reflect a dish served throughout many cultures.
So a typical charcuterie board generally contains cold cuts of meat alongside crackers, grapes and so on. But you can make a board of whatever you fancy – a dessert board, a pastry board, a pick ‘n’ mix board… The options are endless, and we’ve put together some ideas for you below so you can plan the perfect bring a board night at your student accommodation!
The original
On an original charcuterie board, you’ll often find the following:
- Ham
- Pepperoni
- Chorizo
- Salami
- Cheese chunks
- Apple slices
- Olives
- Crackers
- Grapes
- Pâté
This is a great starting point for your student accommodation bring a board night!
The dessert board
You don’t want desserts that are going to be messy and sloppy on your board (which can just be a chopping board, by the way…) – opt for things of solid substance. These might be:
- Chocolate covered anything: pretzels, strawberries, nuts
- Biscuits, especially brightly coloured ones
- Donuts
- Individual cheesecakes (in pots)
- Cupcakes
The fruit board
A fruit board is a fun and refreshing option! Pick a wide variety – most fruits work for a bring a board night, but some of the best include:
- Strawberries
- Kiwi slices
- Grapes
- Cherries
- Pineapple chunks
- Blueberries
- Raspberries
- Watermelon slices
The picky bits board
Remember those ‘picky bits’ dinners your mum would make when it was too hot to cook and a proper meal? Turn that into your board! Some great options are:
- Sausage rolls
- Cocktail sausages
- Cucumber
- Cherry tomatoes
- Chicken nuggets/goujons
- Potato waffles/smileys/wedges
- Onion rings
- Pork pies
Serve this one with a pot of baked beans and/or spaghetti hoops for that real nostalgic feeling…
Pick ‘n’ mix board
Who doesn’t love pick ‘n’ mix? This one doesn’t even need a list – just get down to the supermarket and grab a load of bags of sweets, then arrange them artfully on your board. Then you’re good to go. Sugar rush: pending!
Cheese board
Okay, so the classic charcuterie board has cheese on it. But what about a board of *just* cheese?! This one might be a little beyond a student budget, but if you agree to share your board with someone else it could work. The best cheeses for a bring a board night are:
- Cheddar
- Camembert
- Brie
- Red Leicester
- Gruyere
- Feta
- Halloumi
Some of these obviously need preparing and cooking but really, it’s so worth it.
Other ideas
There are endless ideas when it comes to creating the perfect grazing board for a night in with your flatmates. Theme them around the holidays, make a totally vegan board, pick a country to theme your board around… whatever you do, enjoy hanging out in your communal area and eating good food!
