There’s a reason charcuterie boards are so popular…they’re filled with delicious food, easy to create, and beautiful to look at!
Lately I’m seeing more individual size graze or charcuterie boxes and I love the idea! I mean, who wouldn’t want to receive an adorable mini box of snackables?! With Valentine’s Day coming up, a combo of sweet and savory is the way to go!
Treat friends, neighbors, and teachers to something special on Valentine’s Day!
Because it’s a Valentine’s essential, I built these boxes around chocolate…use our favorite chocolate treats or try Natural Delights Dark Chocolate Covered Medjool Dates and bite-sized Cacao Mini Medjools.
Here, they’re the stars of the show! The dreamy chocolate covered dates are sprinkled with sea sea salt for the right amount of sweet and salty goodness in each bite. And soft, brownie-like Cacao Pecan and Cacao Coconut Mini Medjools (no added sugar!) are super flavorful and fiber rich.
Decadent yet wholesome, these chocolate treats are fantastic for Valentine’s or any day you want to satisfy your sweet tooth! Use this store locator to find them at a store in your area or online!
How to Build a Mini Charcuterie Box
In my opinion, a sweet and savory combo is the way to go! First, I placed the chocolate treats in a diagonal row across the bottom of the box. Then, to balance the chocolate, I added salty/savory snacks around the edges to fill the box; heart shaped slices of cheese (made with a cookie cutter), salami roses, and rosemary marcona almonds (a fave Trader Joe’s find), and green grapes for a pop of color!
Some of the components can be prepped in advance…
Save time by making the boxes, pre-cuting tags, tissue, and twine, washing produce, slicing cheese and meats and storing in air-tight containers so they’re ready to go. But, for maximum freshness I recommend actually assembling the boxes with all if the ingredients no more than a day ahead. And make sure you have enough space to refrigerate them…
Pro Tips- The more color the better! Customize these little boxes to suit any budget, taste, or dietary preference and let your creativity shine!
The Exact Products I used for my Charcuterie & Chocolate Boxes…
- Bakery Boxes– for the individual size you see here I used 4 x 4 x 2.5 inch sized boxes. This size holds plenty of treats for 1-2 people! If you’re making a bigger box for 3-4 people go with 6 x 6 x 3 size. The boxes you see here have a heart shaped window but other shapes are available too.
- Printed Tissue– I lined the box with tissue to keep it all together and absorb any moisture/oil.
- Mini Paper Baking Cups– I used these cups to hold the Mini Medjools in place and separate them from the rest of the food. Found them on Amazon and they were the perfect size for the mini boxes. They also come in a larger size and multiple colors.
- Twine or ribbon– You can use any you like, but I love simple red and white twine tied in a bow! More colors here.
- Gift Tags or Stickers– Joy Creative Shop has a fantastic selection of Valentine’s tags and stickers for kids and adults! Because I was in a time crunch and didn’t want to wait on shipping, I ordered personalized print at home Valentine’s tags! These printables are emailed to you and you can print as many as you need on cardstock or sticker paper. Easy breezy! Each tag/sticker design is $14 and available in personalized or non-personalized, for all occasions.
The Best Thing about Mini Charcuterie Boxes…
You don’t need to be crafty to make them and they’re not just for Valentine’s Day! Build a box any time you need snacks or appetizers on the go or prepared ahead of time. The possibilities are endless!
More ideas-
- Create a larger chocolate and charcuterie spread on a board with (more of) these same ingredients.
- Pair the gift with a mini bottle of champagne or gift card to your fave local coffee shop!
If you try these let me know and be sure to tag me on instagram, @loubiesandlulu in your creations! For more Valentines Inspiration browse my top gift ideas/finds and cozy night in essentials. Thanks for stopping by & wishing you a very Happy Valentine’s Day!
Photography: Victoria Saperstein
Love love love dates. Your recipes are fabulous
Thank you so much! I’m happy to hear you like the recipes 🙂