How to Make a Grazing Table – Ideas for Parties and Weddings

Catering for a wedding or a party is one of the most exciting aspects. Festive food for the celebration should be delicious and at the same time, it is important to serve it the most appetizing and attractive way. If you want more than a traditional and somehow boring buffet, you should try something more stylish and original – a grazing table. We are ready to tell you about this kind of catering, as well as to offer you a few simple grazing table ideas for the most fashionable party or a beautiful wedding.

Taken from Pinterest

What Are Grazing Tables?

The key difference between a grazing table and a buffet is the arrangement of snacks and appetizers. This type of finger food involves an arrangement of food on the table in a way you can pick up the desired piece here and there instead of standing in line with the plates in front of the buffet. A grazing table awakens both visual and taste fantasies-the beauty of grazing table boards with delicious appetizers will remain in the memory of your guests for a long time.

So, How Can I Build a Grazing Table in a Right Way?

We would like to please those who seem to be far from being perfectionists! There are no exact rules of the grazing table arrangement! However, those who have already known the ropes at the organization of fashionable parties, including outdoors events, will be happy to give you some recommendations.

Use a large table. If the table is spacious, all your guests will have access to the food whenever they like.
Cover the whole table with food. The essence of a grazing table is in abundance, and your task is to provide this abundance in the best possible way. Do not worry if the food sets are repeated – each of your guests will be able to try everything at once.
A perfect decor matters! Try to find textiles, dishes, and accessories in the same style. And try not to mix the textures. For example, even Chinese porcelain with different patterns will be much better than porcelain, paper, and metal mismatched. That would be also good to add some inedible decorative elements provided by nature, including plants, flowers, and herbs.
It is not necessary to arrange all the food on platters. Meat snacks are often served in beautiful paper packages, and some prefer to serve meat and cheese in this way.
Place the appetizers on different levels. Use boards and shelves to place more food on the table and organize it in the most appetizing way.
Choose products that do not need heating and cutting at the table. Take care of comfortable preparation and serving – all products that require cutting must be cut in advance.
Use products of different colors and textures to make your grazing table look really gorgeous.
Organize everything with a maximum of convenience. You can arrange all the meals at the same time on the grazing table or build a separate dessert grazing table.

Taken from Sydney Food Stylist

Try to place the table away from direct sunlight. A cool, air-conditioned place is the most preferred. In this case, the snacks and appetizers will stay fresh for a longer time and you will not have to serve new food throughout the party.

And What About Grazing Table Food List?

Now, we are going to please you again: if you are going to shop for a party with a grazing table, you do not need to look for any specific sets of products and snacks. Focus on your own taste and habits as well as the needs of your guests.

However, as a rule, grazing table menu ideas are quite simple and appetizing finger foods. This list may include the following:

artisan cheeses (4 or 5 variants);
cured meats (you may choose 3, 4, or even more variants);
wholesome dips;
freshly baked buns and bread;
pate;
chocolate;
spiced and roasted nuts;
fruit (both fresh and dried);
different kinds of crackers;
fresh vegetables and crudités;
olives and pickles;
sauces;
different herbs (for both decoration and consumption).

Taken from Kerrie Legend

You can expand your grazing table ingredients list by adding some appetizers that you may cook on your own. There a lot of recipes on the Internet if you are really interested.

Any Cheap Grazing Table Ideas?

Are you inspired? So, we’ll give you some hints about what to begin with.

Summer Party

That looks a bit like a regular buffet-although it hundred times more convenient, bright, and fashionable!

Taken from Instagram

A Tasty Square

There is hardly anyone to deny the fact that the square table for grazing is much more convenient than a rectangular one. Besides, all these grazing table props look very harmonious on it.

Taken from Instagram

A Shabby Shic Farm

A great view for hearty food fans who prefer to enjoy it in the fresh air. A vintage table and a farm-like setting add charm to this arrangement.

Taken from Instagram

A Grazing Wedding

This wedding food arrangement is a bright, stylish, and convenient solution. Besides this DIY grazing table costs surprisingly less than you may expect. Do not forget about the stylish tablecloth, beautiful glasses, and flowers.

Taken from Vera’s Wedding Help

Little and Tasty

This is a charming grazing table for a friendly company. Pay attention to the small sandwiches and cupcakes – this size is perfect for finger food, as it is convenient for the guests to take and dose their meal.

Taken from Instagram

What Is a Grazing Platter

If you can imagine a smaller version of a grazing table then it will be a grazing platter. You don’t need to wait for a party to arrange it – a family meeting or a usual breakfast seem to be rather suitable. So, if you like to try yourself with something grazing and more compact here is some platter ideas for you.

Happy Breakfast

This is a perfect variant for those who never know what they want for breakfast. To serve everything at once seems to be the better way out. A grazing platter will help to make everything in the cutest way.

Taken from Instagram

A Fruity Rainbow

Bright. Appetizing. Juicy. Very healthy. A grazing platter with sliced fruit will brighten up any hot summer day.

Taken from Pinterest

Nuts&Chocolate Pleasure

This dish will drive mad any sweet tooth in your company. However, if you add cheese and fruit, the pleasure will be perfect.

Taken from Bloglovin’

Nothing But Cakes

The flavor, the lightness, the taste, the chocolate dream, and the tenderness of the dough. A cake grazing platter will make you touch the sky of gourmet pleasure.