This gluten and dairy-free snack board, also known as a charcuterie board, is perfect for entertaining as an appetizer for dinner or an impromptu get-together.
Enjoy this snack board made with all gluten-free and dairy-free ingredients.
Note: I am a proud Amazon, Chomps, MunkPack, and Thrive Market affiliate and am happy to recommend their service and products to you. Please know that as an affiliate, I may receive a small commission on the products you purchase after clicking through my links. For more info, please see my disclosure policy here.
When it comes to hosting gatherings or impromptu dinner get-togethers, what could be more inviting than a snack board?
When you’re eating a gluten and dairy-free diet, snack boards often feel off-limits, because many traditional ones are full of cheese and gluten-filled crackers.
I set out to make a snack board last Christmas when I was asked to bring an appetizer, and even though I added cheese and normal crackers for others, I realized just how easy it is to make a gluten and dairy-free snack board just by adjusting the ingredients slightly.
Ever since that Christmas dinner, I’ve been making snack boards as dinner when no one in my family is feeling too hungry, but snacks sound great.
In the summer, this was one of our go-to meals, even though it’s really meant to be an appetizer tray.
I even make up mini individual snack boards just for myself as lunches once in a while.
Individual snack plates also work well as after-school snack options if you have kiddos at home or for movie nights when you don’t want to put in too much effort but want some easy snacking while watching a movie.
Charcuterie can be fun and an easy way to bring a lot of seemingly unrelated ingredients together to make a beautiful spread.
Read on: Gluten and dairy-free lunch ideas
What I love about snack boards – gluten and dairy-free or not – is that there’s something for everyone. You can pick and choose what you eat, and you definitely don’t have to try everything.
Enjoy salami and pepperoni? Don’t love dried fruit or nuts? You can grab little nibbles of what you like – and everyone else can do the same.
It’s really one of the most versatile appetizer ideas, because it’s truly easy to please everyone!
And yeah, if you’re headed to an event and you want to bring a snack board, you could just as easily slap a block of cheddar cheese on it, and appease that one person who can’t live without cheese.
Read on: Is cheese gluten-free?
Read on: Is cheddar cheese gluten-free?
Get as fancy or casual as you want with your charcuterie or snack board!
Change out the ingredients, create shapes out of some of the ingredients, or put your different ingredients in a unique shape to add a theme and make it festive.
The components of a gluten-free dairy-free snack board
You can really get as creative or basic as you want with your snack board.
These are some of the ingredients that I try to add to many of my own snack boards when I create them.
Gluten-free salami, pepperoni, or other meat
One of my favorite things about a snack board is the meat. Usually on a snack board, you’d find something salty, like salami, pepperoni, or other cured meat.
These are all great options, along with simple deli meat if that’s what you have on hand.
Be sure to do some research or look at the ingredients list before buying to ensure they truly are gluten-free. Sometimes gluten hides in processed meat products.
Fresh fruit and veggies
I like my snack boards to be a mix of salty and fresh. That’s where fresh fruits and veggies come in. Grab some celery and carrots, and cut them into sticks.
Toss on some fresh button mushrooms. Cucumbers, radishes, broccoli, and red pepper slices all make great additions to a gluten-free dairy-free snack board too.
Add some fresh fruit like big clumps of grapes, strawberries, blueberries, apple or pear slices, or whatever other fruit is in season when you’re making your snack board.
There’s truly no way to go wrong with fresh fruit or veggies.
Gluten-free crackers
In a traditional cheese board, you’d be likely to find cheese and crackers.
Well in this gluten-free dairy-free snack board, we’re omitting the cheese entirely (who really needs cheese?), and swapping the normal crackers for gluten-free ones.
There are so many gluten-free cracker options available, so just be on the lookout for what’s available near you at the grocery store.
Always read ingredient lists and double check there is no hidden gluten or hidden dairy that might surprise you later.
My favorite cracker brands are Mary’s Gone Crackers, Simple Mills crackers, and Edward & Sons rice crackers.
Get some of these delicious gluten and dairy-free crackers on Thrive Market.
If you aren’t familiar with Thrive Market, click here to get 25% off your first order with Thrive Market.
For a huge list of gluten-free crackers and brands, don’t miss this post: The Best Gluten-free Crackers
Dips
Hummus, olive tapenade, and other bean based dips are great options for your gluten and dairy-free snack board. Dairy-free pesto can be great too!
I even found a red pepper and eggplant spread at Trader Joe’s that was perfect for a snack board one time.
While most store-bought hummus doesn’t contain gluten, it never hurts to check ingredient lists to do your due diligence.
You can easily make both hummus or your your own dips at home with a few ingredients and a food processor.
Read on: Is hummus gluten-free?
Nuts
In smaller quantities, you can add some nuts to your snack board. I like to sprinkle these throughout the snack board as something a little more filling and hearty to offset the fresh fruits and veggies.
Choose whatever your favorite nuts are to add to your snack board.
I like adding a few handfuls of cashews, pecans, almonds, or walnuts. Go with roasted, raw, or seasoned, like these pumpkin spiced nuts or smoked almonds.
Or try some of these sweet and savory chocolate almonds for a sweet twist.
Dried fruit
Dried fruit is a fun addition to your snack board if you don’t have much fresh fruit on hand.
Whole fruits like dried apricots, figs, and plums are nice, because they’re larger in size.
Smaller dried fruits are nice when you want to fill in smaller spaces on your board, like raisins or dried cranberries.
Whatever you choose, you can’t go wrong!
Read on: Are raisins gluten-free?
Olives
I love to add olives to my snack boards, and since I often keep different types of olives on hand in my pantry, I’m always ready for a delicious snack board.
Black, kalamata, and even green olives are a delicious addition to your gluten-free dairy-free snack board, and the salty bite plays nicely against fresh veggies.
Fresh herbs for garnish
A completely optional component to your gluten-free dairy-free snack board are fresh herbs for garnish. In the fall and winter, I like to add some sprigs of rosemary.
In the spring and summer, I like to add some parsley, mint, or basil. Whatever you have on hand or can pull from your garden, you can add to your charcuterie board!
Really, you’re not going to be eating these herbs on the snack board, but the greenery pops and sure can make everything look a little prettier.
What to serve your gluten-free dairy-free snack board on
When it comes to serving your gluten-free dairy-free snack board, you can go any which way you want.
When I’m at home, I often pile these different ingredients up on my cutting board and let everyone come graze as they pass by.
Last year for Christmas when I brought a snack board to a family gathering, I put everything in a roasting pan, because I needed the sides to keep everything in place while I was transporting it there.
The thing about snack boards is that the idea is that it’s casual.
Even if things look fancy when all put together, because it looks like everything has a place, you and I both know it’s not about expert precision on where things go.
It’s just about putting things on the board, and filling in the spaces to make it look pretty and complete.
Choose from cutting boards to a plate or platter to a roasting pan if you’re traveling. Pizza stones or pans or baking sheets work just as well.
Get as creative or simple as you’d like!
I also like having a few small dishes and ramekins for some hummus and dips on hand. That way I can place my dips on the board, then fill in around them, since they take up the most space.
For the most part, all the other ingredients can be arranged around these somewhat harder lines.
Bringing your gluten-free dairy-free snack board all together
There’s truly no right or wrong way to build your snack board.
You can plop all the ingredients you’ve chosen for your snack board onto a cutting board and call it good.
Or you can be a little more thoughtful when placing things on your gluten-free dairy-free snack board.
Just to give you an idea, here are the steps I followed to put my gluten-free dairy-free charcuterie and snack board together:
- Choose a serving dish. I usually grab a cutting board because it’s quick and easy.
- Place the ramekins with dips on the board first. Depending on how many I’m using, I try to make them evenly distributed on the board.
- Fill in the gluten-free meats and crackers around the ramekins.
- Next, add the fresh fruits and veggies in the open spaces.
- Finish everything off with a few nuts, dried fruits, or olives.
- Add a couple fresh herbs as garnish.
- Enjoy!
Make a charcuterie board for every holiday
You might even decide to make your snack board themed for a special occasion. Here are a few ideas on how to make your snack board super fun and festive!
Valentine’s Day dairy-free charcuterie board ideas
Use all red and pink foods for Valentine’s Day: beet hummus, red pepper sticks, strawberries, pepperoni, red candies, etc.
Organize your board into the shape of a heart!
St. Patrick’s Day dairy-free charcuterie board ideas
Use all green food for St. Patrick’s Day: kiwifruit, green grapes, green pepper sticks, pistachios, herbs, celery, etc.
Make a shamrock shape with your ingredients or use a green board.
4th of July dairy-free charcuterie board ideas
Use red, white, and blue foods for the 4th of July or Labor Day: berries, bananas, pear slices, gluten-free toast, cashews, blue tortilla chips, etc.
Make your charcuterie board to look like an American flag!
Halloween dairy-free charcuterie board ideas
Use oranges, candy corn, sweet potato crackers, olives (eyeballs), strawberries (hearts), dairy-free chocolate or white chocolate covered pretzels or pretzel rods (spiderwebs or fingers), gluten-free Oreos, blackberries.
Add lots of fun Halloween decor like pumpkins, skeleton hands, bats, and candy!
Thanksgiving dairy-free charcuterie board ideas
Use fall colored foods for Thanksgiving: salami, ham, oranges, figs, grapes, pecans, walnuts, apples, etc.
Arrange the ingredients into a turkey or leaf shape, or add to a butcher block cutting board for a rustic look.
Christmas dairy-free charcuterie board ideas
Use red and green foods for Christmas: pepperoni, apples, cucumbers, grapes, green olives, kiwifruit, tomatoes, dairy-free pesto, fresh herbs mixed into your hummus, etc.
Arrange your board into a Christmas tree, present, or snowman!
Gluten-free Dairy-free Snack Board
This gluten and dairy-free snack board is perfect for entertaining as an appetizer for dinner or an impromptu get-together. Enjoy this snack board made with all gluten-free and dairy-free ingredients.
Ingredients
- Gluten-free salami, pepperoni, or other meat
- Fresh fruit and veggies
- Gluten-free crackers
- Dips, like hummus, bean dips, gluten and dairy-free spreads
- Nuts
- Dried fruit
- Olives
- Fresh herbs for garnish
Instructions
- Choose a serving dish. I usually grab a cutting board because it's quick and easy.
- Place the ramekins with dips on the board first. Depending on how many I'm using, I try to make them evenly distributed on the board.
- Fill in the gluten-free meats and crackers around the ramekins.
- Next, add the fresh fruits and veggies in the open spaces.
- Finish everything off with a few nuts, dried fruits, or olives.
- Add a couple fresh herbs as garnish.
- Enjoy!
I hope that if you’ve been thinking about what to serve as a gluten-free dairy-free appetizer that this gluten-free dairy-free snack board has been inspiring to you!
Pick a few ingredients, arrange them on a board, and wow your friends!
Remember, the key is choosing ingredients that work for your gluten and dairy-free diet!
When you do that, you’ll have an amazing and delicious snack board that not only tastes good, but will impress anyone who gets to enjoy it!
Find more gluten -free appetizers that are also dairy-free here.
Love this post? Check out some of my other great Christmas and Holiday posts!
Looking for some Christmas and holiday recipes that are gluten and dairy-free? Check out these great posts!
Gluten-free Dairy-free Christmas Yogurt Parfaits
This gluten and dairy-free Christmas yogurt parfait made with dairy-free yogurt, a homemade gingerbread granola, pistachios, and strawberries.
Dairy and Gluten-free Christmas Candies from the Store
Looking for some gluten-free dairy-free Christmas cookies this holiday season? Check out these 25 cookie recipes that are perfect for baking with your family, giving and gifts, and of course, eating!
25 Gluten-free Dairy-free Christmas Recipes
Looking for some gluten-free dairy-free Christmas recipes? Check out this post full of 25 Christmas breakfast, snack, dinner, drinks, and dessert recipes.
25 Gluten-free Dairy-free Christmas Cookies
Looking for some gluten-free dairy-free Christmas cookies this holiday season? Check out these 25 cookie recipes that are perfect for baking with your family, giving and gifts, and of course, eating!
21 Gluten-free Dairy-free Christmas Breakfast Ideas
Enjoy Christmas breakfast with these 21 gluten-free dairy-free Christmas breakfast ideas, including breakfast casseroles, make ahead breakfast ideas, and more!
Dairy and Gluten-free Homemade Christmas Candies
Make your own dairy and gluten-free Christmas candies at home with these recipes and tips. Included in this post are: fudge, toffee, peppermint bark, chocolate covered pretzels, peanut brittle, truffles, peanut butter truffles, marshmallows, and caramels.
Gluten-free Dairy-free Gingerbread Waffles
These gluten and dairy-free gingerbread waffles are great for the holidays or Christmas breakfast. They freeze well and reheat well in the toaster.
101 Holiday Gluten-free Dairy-free Recipes
Ready for some holiday inspiration with gluten-free dairy-free recipes? Included in this holiday gluten-free dairy-free recipe roundup are: breakfast, appetizers, main courses, side dishes, desserts, crockpot recipes, and more!
Dairy-Free Egg Nog
We’re finally gearing up for Christmas around my house. It took a little while this year. Usually I’m quick to want to break out the tree and start decorating right after Thanksgiving, but this year I felt more like it would be too much work to take everything out and put it all back away again.
How to Enjoy the Holidays When You're Living with Food Intolerances
Do you have food intolerances to gluten or dairy? Thanksgiving, Christmas or the holidays in general just getting you down? Check out this post to find out how to enjoy the holiday season and all the glorious food while you’re learning how to eat a gluten-free dairy-free diet!
Gluten-free Dairy-free Diet: Your Holiday Survival Guide
Are you looking for some tips and recipes to get you through the holiday season on your gluten and dairy-free diet? Check out this holiday survival guide, with these holiday inspired blog posts!
Dairy-free Hot Chocolate Mix
Homemade dairy-free hot chocolate mix for the cool weather months and holiday season
Gluten-free Dairy-free Cinnamon Rolls
Try these gluten-free dairy-free (and vegan) cinnamon rolls for a weekend breakfast or special holiday treat!
Gluten-free Dairy-free Gingerbread Granola
This gluten-free gingerbread granola is both gluten and dairy-free, perfect for gift giving, and tastes like the holidays in each bite.
Gluten and Dairy-free Gingerbread Cake
Looking for a healthier version of classic gingerbread? Check out this gluten-free dairy-free vegan take on a classic holiday favorite!
Gluten-free Dairy-free Spritz Cookies
Gluten and dairy-free spritz cookies are perfect for the holiday season! Not only do they have no gluten or dairy, but this recipe has an optional egg-free option too, making it completely vegan-friendly.
Gluten-free Dairy-free Chex Mix Recipe (Half Batch)
Gluten-free Dairy-free Chex Mix is perfect for snacking, entertaining, and giving as gifts. Enjoy this half batch recipe to enjoy this snack without too much left over.
Dairy-free Peppermint Hot Chocolate
This dairy-free peppermint hot chocolate is festive, sweet, and perfectly minty.
Gluten-free Dairy-free Snack Board
This gluten and dairy-free snack board is perfect for entertaining as an appetizer for dinner or an impromptu get-together. Enjoy this snack board made with all gluten-free and dairy-free ingredients.
8 Gluten and Dairy-free Gift Ideas
Wow your friends and family with these 8 gluten-free dairy-free homemade Christmas gift ideas. Enjoy all these treats for yourself or make a few batches and give them as gifts!
If you loved this post, I hope that you’ll share it with your friends on Facebook and pin it for future reference on Pinterest.
Love these snack ideas? You might also want to check out these posts!
Get tons of snack ideas from this list of gluten and dairy-free posts all about snacks!
101 Gluten-free Dairy-free Snacks
Get 101 different snack ideas that are gluten and dairy-free! Recipes and ideas to help you get between meal times without going hungry.
Gluten-free Dairy-free Snacks: 21 Healthy Ideas from the Store
Need a few gluten-free dairy-free snacks that take no prep at all? Check out these 21 gluten-free dairy-free snack ideas that are healthy and store-bought.
50 Gluten-free Dairy-free Snack Ideas for Kids (& Toddlers)
Need some gluten-free and dairy-free snack ideas for your kids and toddlers? Check out this list of 50 snack ideas, including fruit and veggie snacks, homemade snacks, and store-bought snacks. Scroll down to see all the ideas!
21 Gluten and Dairy-free Store-Bought Snacks For Kids (& Toddlers)
Does your kid or toddler need to follow a gluten and dairy-free diet, but you have no idea what snacks you should buy for them at the store? Get 21 easy-to-find snack ideas to help keep your kiddo full between meals.
Gluten and Dairy-free Hiking Snacks
Try these 23 gluten and dairy-free snack ideas for hiking and hitting the trail. Stay fueled through your hike and keep on your gluten and dairy-free diet.
5 Best Gluten-free Dairy-free Snack Bars
Looking for a gluten-free dairy-free snack or protein bar? Check out these 5 snack bars you can get at the store to help get you through until your next meal.
If you’d love even more inspiration and recipes for a gluten-free dairy-free diet, be sure to grab my free shopping list – plus 5 free recipes – by entering your details below!
Leave a Reply