The salad bar offers entry to a dinner party as well as the main character of a party without dinner. Sausages are not limited to cheese and charcuterie, but they are also lighter foods like fruit and bread. This can be a more practical option when it comes to providing flavors and textures to guests. You can use all your creativity to surprise everyone without forgetting the balance between sweet and savory flavors.
Turn the strain into the best decoration for your table, because all kinds of celebrations can count on the cold table: it can be present at weddings, children’s parties, baby showers, parties of 15 years, informal parties, bar parties and barbecues.
Before you get any inspiration, read some general planning tips:
What do you serve at the table with cold cuts and a menu?
The whole table of the cold table has to be chosen beforehand so that you can take care of each combination and offer options, for example, if your party has children, the best options are the softer cheeses and the colorful fruits. There is a wide variety of foods to be served at your cold table, from cheese (national and / or imported) and side dishes to side dishes such as fresh fruit, jellies, nuts, olives, bread, toast and drinks such as wine, beer , Sparkling wines and soft drinks.
Here is a list of suggestions for each menu item:
- Cheese : the list is almost endless. You can use the Gouda, Edam, Gorgonzola, Emmentaler, Parmesan, Provolone, Pecorino, Brie, Camembert, Gruyère, Grana Padano, Ricotta, Mozzarella, Cheddar, Minas Frescal cheese, among many others that will sharpen your palate and guests.
- Sausages and the like : carpaccio, raw ham, cooked ham, salami, turkey ham, Canadian loin, pastrami, canape, and turkey breast.
- Bread and toast : What is not missing are delicious options on your table. From whole grain bread to white bread, Italian bread, whole grain crackers, crackers and toast in different sizes.
- Fresh fruits : grapes, plums, strawberries, figs, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and oranges.
Other snacks: cashews, walnuts, pistachios, and almonds are welcome, plus semi-bitter chocolate, jams, fruit jellies, jams, and honey. If you want to vary further, you can also use pies, sauces, guacamole, and humus.
More tips:
- The amount of cold and food : It all depends on the number of guests and on whether the cold table will be the centerpiece or just extras among the dishes. As a starter you can consider 150g of cheese and cold cuts per person, even if the cold table is the main course, an amount between 200g and 300g per person is ideal. In the case of bread and toast, you can consider 100g for each. Keep in mind that the same amounts apply to children as this creates a balance between the amount adults and children eat.
- Exposure time on the table : The ambient temperature is ideal for consuming the kind of food we will be serving at this party. Try to remove the cheeses and sausages 1 hour before serving in the refrigerator and the packaging just a few minutes. If your table is exposed for hours, some foods should be avoided, such as mayonnaise-based sauces.
- Food Position: The position of the food is very important for both decoration and the convenience and ease with which your guests can help themselves. Try to keep all the cold ones close together and group toasts and pies together.
- Table and decoration : You can choose whether you want to use a tablecloth (light and firm or with a lot of color and more boho chic prints) or you can prioritize the table yourself. The wooden surfaces can give a rustic or delicate air, depending on the color and texture. In addition to actually arranging food, you can use other decorative features such as decorated bottles, candlesticks, cutting boards, and floral elements such as small flower arrangements and / or plants. In addition to the layout of the meal, the location of the utensils is also very important on a cold table: everything should be within reach of the guest and organized according to their needs.
60 decoration ideas for the cold table
See our gallery below of over 60 amazing cold table party inspirations and by the end of the post, you’ll know how to make yours step by step:
Simple and cheap cold table
Image 01 – Brie, raw ham, blackberries and oranges – harmony of different elements.
Image 02 – Bet on the taste and beauty of the spices.
Image 03 – Plaquinhas to signal every cheese.
Image 04 – Single serving with fruits and olives.
Image 05 – A small piece of each to taste with the wine.
Image 06 – Tasting of different flavors and textures of cheese.
Image 07 – Wood and cutlery for sophistication and delicacy on your table.
Image 08 – Fresh herbs to decorate and eat.
Image 09 – Know your cheese.
Figure 10 – Chunky cheese will give your board a rustic tone.
Image 11 – Grissini and fruits.
Picture 12 – Individual boards as an entrance.
Picture 13 – Jelly on the spoon, fruits and cheese.
Picture 14 – Two cheeses with sauce, jelly and bread.
Photo 15 – Container with a little bit of everything.
Image 16 – Simple, cold table with a mirrored tray and candlestick.
Photo 17 – Make honey the perfect combination on your board.
For a party or a simple birthday meeting
Picture 18 – Intimate meeting with a cold and clean table.
Picture 19 – Cold table with plants and wood.
Image 20 – Striped towel and picnic mood.
Image 21 – Combine light colors with natural themes.
Picture 22 – Composition of the delicacies on the slate.
Picture 23 – A little corner in the garden.
Image 24 – A toast! Cold table for the engagement.
Picture 25 – Red fruits and the care with the details.
Image 26 – Plaquinhas with the names and composition of the cheeses.
Photo 27 – Central flower arrangements and individual portions on the slate.
Image 28 – Cold and fruit table with expansion and variety.
Picture 29 – Decorate your cold table for party with Bandeirinhas.
Photo 30 – Combine fresh fruit, bread and nuts at your wedding table.
Image 31 – Let nature invade your table with fresh and dry leaves.
Picture 32 – Eating with friends.
Image 33 – Off-white tones in the flowers and utensils to combine the vibrant colors of the food and wood.
Image 34 – Spread honey on certain points on your board and place cheese and other items to harmonize flavors.
Picture 35 – Deconstructed objects on the table.
Picture 36 – A small board in front of the plate.
For parties and meetings with 50 and 100 people
Image 37 – Color and variety for a large table where everyone can sit and help themselves.
Figure 38 – If you want, you can use an exclusive corner for a cold table for 50 people.
Image 39 – Position the wine bottles with the snacks.
Picture 40 – A piece of shredded cheese looks much nicer next to grapes.
Picture 41 – Herbs and fruits leave your table in the colors of the orchard.
Image 42 – Combine the colors of your cold table with the mood of many Boho Chic prints.
Picture 43 – A thousand colors and flavors in every bowl.
Image 44 – This tree cut board will surely give the highlight your cooling counter deserves.
Image 45 – Trays with mounds of everything.
Picture 46 – Bet on the variety of seasoned pieces.
Image 47 – Refreshment and lightness on the cold table for 100 people.
Cold with fruit
Picture 48 – In the open air and with lots of fruit.
Image 49 – Brighten up your table with candles and clear details, contrast with a dark center that gives the table unity.
Picture 50 – Sign the cold point on your desk.
Picture 51 – Semi-bitter chocolate and dark fruits add a remarkable taste to your table.
Image 52 – Refreshing and colorful drinks that go with the red fruits and other extraordinary flavors of your cold table.
Image 53 – Crackers and dried fruits offer more crispness for their combination of flavors.
Picture 54 – Place special combinations in marked places.
Image 55 – The perfect balance! Mix creamy cheeses with whole grain bread, nuts and fresh fruits to find harmony between sweet and salty.
Picture 56 – The softness of the pears is a perfect pair for cheeses with a more precise flavor.
Image 57 – Dried fruits are also a good request.
Image 58 – Distinctive salads and sweet fruits.
Image 59 – At a party for more guests, the long table allows small parts of all elements to be arranged along the table, so that the traffic in the room becomes more fluid and everyone is more comfortable.
Image 60 – The leaves of the fruits that are served can be part of the decoration of your cold table. Make a composition that mixes whole pieces and pieces of fruit and cheese.
How to set up a cold table
The table layout is the time when you can propose a combination of flavors to your guests so that everyone has the feeling of care and delicacy in the smallest details.
- Use a spacious base suitable for cuts such as wood or marble.
- Arrange the knives close to the ingredients, you can reserve the knives with saws for hard cheese and those without a saw for soft cheese or pies, jellies and other pasty side dishes.
- Put the cheese and sausages on the board. Don’t forget that these are the protagonists of the table so keep them in the center. You can choose to cut just a few slices and leave the rest uncut, or spread the cut as you prefer.
- Spread small bowls of olives, pies, jams, and cucumbers around the cold cuts.
The loaves can be sliced and spread over the board while the toast should be near the butter cheeses. - If you are using the whole fruit, place it directly on the board as the cut fruit can be in bowls with chopsticks.
- You can still combine the texture and taste of semi-sweet chocolate into coarser chunks scattered all over the platter. It combines perfectly with salty ingredients.
