The weather is slowly but surely starting to heat up and we’re getting a glimpse of those long hot summer days which are upon us. Long hot summer days spent with your family and friends is always the best part about summer rolling around.
The struggle with these long hot summer days is how to feed a crowd without getting stressed out?! I don’t know about you but I don’t want to be slaving over a stove and getting my kitchen super hot in the middle of summer. Sometimes you also don’t feel like eating a full hot meal like you would in winter.
The answer?? PLATTERS!
Platters are super easy to put together and can easily be customised to feed a large crew, you don’t need to turn the oven on and make your house even warmer and you can leave the platters out for everyone to graze on as they get hungry.
Stick around to the end of this post to find out how you can WIN an awesome platter prize worth over $95 (The prize was so awesome I may have accidentally purchased the same platters for ourselves ;))
Important Elements of a Platter
While platters are easy to put together there are a few important elements which should always be included:
// Vehicle
The vehicle for your platter is the ingredient which forms the base for everything else to fall on top of, for our platter I used the Baked Flatbread by Huntley & Palmers. These Flatbread come in a variety of flavours including the new Caramelised Onion and Sesame, Cumin & Coriander and the versatile Toasted Sesame.
You can choose a mixture of vehicles or just stick to the one and have a few different flavours like I did, it’s your platter, your choice!
// Cheese
Every platter needs to have at least one sort of cheese on it, if not more. You don’t need to go crazy with cheeses but a couple of good cheese is always nice. I find it quite good to chop up some of the harder cheeses into small squares to make it easier for your guests.
// Protein
If you’re going to have platters for your meal then you should look at adding a few different sources of protein on your platter. Our protein came from a mixture of different deli style meats as well as the cheeses which I mentioned above.
// Crunch
A little bit of crunch always goes down nicely in a platter. It’s a nice change from the other textures and you really feel like you can sink your teeth into it. I have used the Baked Flatbread by Huntley & Palmers as well as a few nuts for my crunch factor on my platter.
// Sweet
It’s always nice to have a little something sweet on your platter, or you can do what I have done and create two separate platters, one sweet and one savoury for your guests to mix and match. Try my Christmas Flatbread Bark (recipe below) creation which can be made in only a few minutes and prepared ahead of time so you don’t need to dart away to the kitchen while your guests are there.
Christmas Flatbread Bark Recipe
1/2 Box Toasted Sesame Baked Flatbread by Huntley & Palmers
1/4 Cup Dried Cranberries
1/2 Block White Chocolate (Or melted Cacao Butter for a low sugar option)
Thanks to Huntley & Palmers we have $95 worth of Serve ware to giveaway to one lucky winner so they can create their own platters this summer!
The winner will get:
1 * Wooden Serving Board (Doubles as a chopping Board)
1 * Eco Wooden Serving Platter (as pictured below)
1 * Black Paddle Platter (as pictured above)
1 * Cheese Knife & Pate Knife Set (as pictured above)
2 * Packs of each of the new flavors of Flatbread by Huntley & Palmers
To be in to WIN simply comment below and let me know your one MUST HAVE on your platters…. Competition closes 17th November 8pm, open to NZ only. CLOSED! – Congratulations to Anya Kojis, flick us an email to claim your prize amanda@moveloveeat.com
For more inspiration check out Food To Love Here.
Must have bread – usually bagette cut up for dipping and jamming cheese into!!
My must have is chutney. A fruit chutney paired with a good cheese, pate and cracker is the best thing ever. It just makes the whole platter come together!
Love this post so much, and that serveware looks gorgeous!!
My must-have for any platter is nuts (especially almonds and macadamias!!), and I have to tell you just looking at your gorgeous photos is making me hungry! oxoxo
My must have is hummus, I’m so addicted to it!
Our platters has to contain water crackers – the plainest crackers so you can taste the delicious cheese or chutneys.
Fresh strawberries always!😊
For me, grapes are a must-have on a platter 🙂 So yummy! Thanks for the recipe for flatbread bark, I never would have thought of that 🙂
Definitely need an array of hard cheeses as well as olives, Beetroot dip, hummus, Sundried tomatoes and crackers.
Camembert, pickled onion, gherkins, salami, hummus, range of crackers, grapes, strawberries, fresh pineapple
Must have olives, they my go to party food
serveware looks delish .. Thanks for the recipe for flatbread bark will try this week end
Must have pickled veges-yuuummy!
Cheese is a given though right?
My must have on a platter is a selection of cheeses.
I’ve been eating Huntly and Palmers cream crackers since I was little and you can’t bet them..but for platters water crackers and flat breads definitely the one…with all the relishes ,hummus ,cheeses cold meats salami’s grapes….olives ,sundried tomatoes gherkin and onions…yummm and or with a bread platter with oils and a reduced balsamic and homemade dukkuh crumbs mmm…love platters..they are so good and versatile..
Must have platter items would have to be Camembert and pumpkin and Kumara hummus
Mine has got to be pickled onions sliced 🙂
I always have grapes, good with Cheese and crackers
My must-have is cranberry raisins! They go with everything!!! Be it sweet or savory 😀
Silverskin onions, mini pork pies & stuffed celery sticks to start with (that’s the pom coming out in me)
You must have salami in every platter
fresh mixed fruit platter
I must have olives and artichoke hearts on my platter. Mmmhm. They go with everything. YUM SCRUM.
Oh this serve-ware is gorgeous! Must have item on any platter is more than one cheese knife & little spoons for scooping up relish/chutneys. I always love the conversation when having a platter, its more relaxed & ongoing. So much fun!
My must have is chess. …we love cheese!
My must have is cheese, you can’t go wrong with cheese on crackers it’s an absolute essential on a platter. As well as some sweet components to contrast with the protein, grapes, cranberries, strawberries are also another must on my summer platters! Looks totally awesome need to go taste the flat breads hopefully my supermarket stocks it!
Rutherford & Meyer – Fruit Paste – New Zealand made and goes amazing with camembert and goats cheese on flatbread! What a great prize!
My favourite summer platter staple is crackers or flatbreads for placing tasty toppings on, such as hummus and sundried tomatoes.
My must have on a platter would be camembert cheese! Yum
pickeled onions yummo
My must have on a platter is Abe’s Bagel Crisps and Dips
Must have a combination of cheeses to satisfy all the guests
Definitely fresh strawberries
Id love to get this prize pack 🙂
I flipping love platters! My must have in summer time is some delish soft cheese and crackers! Throw some grapes, nuts and cold meats in there and you’re sorted!
Must have is sweet, crunchy and yum! Carrot sticks!
Must haves are : gherkins, pickled onions, chicken liver pate I could go on. …
Cheese, cheese and more cheese! That counts right? I mean, you can never have enough cheese!
Must have strawberries, avocado, grapes, a selection of cheeses and layered dip! Yum!
Sundried tomatoes and black olives
I love fruit paste as it gives the cheeses a nice sweet tint
Must have would be cheese, of any kind, Camembert, feta, blue…. Yummm!
Woo congrats Anya!
A good creamy blue cheese!!!!
Strawberries!
Yum so many things. Yummy bre cheese
Must have on my summer platter are crackers, ham and cheese 😊
My must have platter item would have to be baby bell peppers stuffed with cream cheese… So so yummy!
Also love cucumber sticks wrapped in smoked salmon.
Bruschetta and marinated artichoke hearts! Yummo!!!
I believe every platter needs a really good quality chutney to tie items together or to have on its own on a cracker. I’m loving Tamrind chutney at the moment. It’s goes so well with everything!
Salmon with a nice creamy cheese
The platter MUST HAVE for me is triple cream brie cheese because it’s a crowd pleaser! Can’t go wrong with a delicious creamy brie 🙂
feta, olives, grapes, crackers are all a go on a platter, also nice creamy blue brie goes down well
Platters are my fav way to serve delish snacks when having friends over. My go to is definitely some spicy chorizo, creamy Camembert, grapes, perfectly crunchy crackers, a yummy pate & a fruit chutney! Gah I’m hungry just thinking about it!!!
I think it needs good variety of things but to tie it all together deffs a good chutney or pickle
Some kind of really delish PESTO. there are so many diffrent kinds that can b made….soft..oily..with abit of crunch too scrummy with anything on a cheese platter.!!
Every platter needs an amazing dip, preferably a yummy homemade one, to go with flatbreads. I have found some amazing recipes to try this summer – bring on the entertaining!
Has to be quince paste on a cheese platter! It’s old school but a total compliment to strong cheeses- my fav!
Gherkins and boiled asparagus
I luv different cheeses & fruit, with crackers. Either hummus or a fruit chutney, yum!
I would have to habe a large aray of deli meats on my platter all different salami, hams, pork, pastrami it all goes great with cheese and crackers!
Hummus and crackers are my must haves!!
Mums homemade pate!!!! Nom nom nom and Whitestone Windsor blue cheese!!!!!!!
Fresh fruit, like grapes and strawberries, and fresh vege sticks, yummo
Definatly a cheese ball! Creamy, nutty cheesiness
Cheese!! Always cheese!
Tomato relish. My nana’s secret family recipe makes the best relish ever!
Grapes definitely. Yummy and refreshing!
bintage or aged chedder! Can’t get enough of it! Yum 👌🏻
Vintage or aged cheddar! Can’t get enough of it! Yum 👌🏻
Lots of different yummy cheeses and a beetroot hummus
Lots of different kind of cheeses
Huntley & Palmer crackers of course lol and some amazing nz cheeses
My no fuss food is cheese and crackers preferably a nice Brie
I love adding fruit to my platters…blueberries go,well,with cheese and watermelon or grapes too
Must haves on my platters: Salami, Brie, Blue Cheese, Pesto, Cashews, chocolate peanuts, hummus, cucumber, tomato and olives.
Must have crackers!
Flatbread maori bread toast kina crayfish half cooked kutai oyster thousand island sweet chilli pesto cheese game meat pork n chicken …a bit fresh but yuuumy oh and roock melon lol
A must have for our platters are stuffed bell peppers!!!!
My must have is homemade basil pesto, I love the stuff! I grow heaps of basil to make it and freeze it.
There are so many things that I love on a good platter, but if I had to pick one it would be a good prosciutto .
My must haves are a creamy Camembert and grapes, yum yum
Fancy bread. Olives. Cheeses. Deli meats.
Cheese 😆
I have to have alot of different spreads like chutney pesto hummus cheeses
I love cheeses!!! I like platters better than main meals, just snack the evening away!!
My must have is cheese and tomato
Double cream Camembert…if you’re having a platter you may as well go all out!
My must have on a cheese plater would have to be oat cakes cheddar cheese a sherry onion jam yumm
cheese cob loaf is always a pick of mine
My must have is tomatoes
I would have to add a hot cheese and bacon dip all time fave
My must haves on a platter would be a selection of cheeses, raw nuts, deli cut meats and strawberries & grapes! Yum!
I have to have a delicious homemade apricot chutney on my platters. Such a lovely accompaniment.
Love Hummus, cheese, cream cheese, sauces,nuts, cut meats also the fruits strawberries and grapes…
my must have is fresh summer fruits platters with lots of different nuts
My must have is crackers, avocado and cheeses. Yum. Simple but good.
must have pate, something that not many people have, but i love it
Camembert, pickled onion, gherkins, cherry tomatoes, relish, salami, meal mate crackers, grapes, fresh pineapple
good old onion dip made with reduced cream
A must have on platters.
My fav thing on platters is cheese. I always have at least one camembert and one blue cheese. Plus often more
Anything cheese. Love all cheese.
Yes plz
Totally agree platters are fantastic and always a winner if cheese is involved….. so many varities and goes with so much
Yum what a great idea! 🙂
Would love to win this , spend far too much time enjoying a good platter in the beautiful sun. Must have would be a good flatbread cracker.
Hummus is my fav on platters
I must have gherkins…love them
Must have crackers with cheeses and relish!
always need cheese and chutney.
Crackers dips and bread
Olives and feta
Must have sundried tomatoes on my platter, love having a sweet with my servings as well works well with a wine.
our one must have would have to be homemade basil pesto.
Cheese! No platter can truly be awesome without cheese
Must have figs or grapes
Cheese! Lots of it, soft & hard cheeses
My platters have to have blue cheese, chutney and crackers
My must have is grapes so you nibble on something fresh
Olives, as many different kinds as I can find
Must have some yummy fresh fruit and some delish cheeses
My go to must have is flatbread crackers with cheese, gherkins and I love a good Beetroot dip!!
You have to have a bit of chocolate 😛
Carrot sticks and hummus!!! Abd choc covered strawberries for a sweet treat ☺️
my must have is sun dried tomatoes – so yummy with cheese and crackers on a cheese plate
You must have cheese and crackers with salsa
I must have pickled onions and several cheeses
Omg love a platter. Cheese and gherkins are must for me. So much nom noms.
Platter must have eye appeal. Lots of visual delights. Appeal to your taste buds. Delicious smoky meats, cheeses, gorgeous savoury crackers, crunchy healthy veggies.. A buffet of deliciousness on a plate. Come and help yourself .
I love this blog. My must have is definitely brie cheese. Its my favourite.
My must have has gotta be cheeeeeeeese. Soft delicious cheese! And that choc cranberry flat bread looks delicious! I could definitely give that a go!
My must have and always the starting point is a good cheese as you can build your platter from there – cheese can be eaten by itself or teamed with any and everything else including meats, dips, veggies and of course these amazing flatbreads (that I only found out about on Saturday – SO good!!)
My MUST have for any good platter is plenty of good spreads / patès / relishes – cheese and crackera go without saying, but spreads and toppings for them make it SO much more delicious. Along with a cheeky glass of wine or two! X
I always need a great knife for my cheese platters, and my mother in law makes the best Tamerillo chutney it’s so good with cheese and crackers and I have just started liking olives (I don’t know until know what I was missing!) these are great ideas for making platters great and easy . always great to entertain with a glass of wine and a good chat 🙂
Platters
Yummo! So cannot wait to try this i absolutely love cheese and anything that goes with it 😍
Cheese! I can live without the rest, but all platters MUST have cheese, even if it is just a platter of only cheese! mmmmm cheese.
Must have: grapes & a really good blue cheese
Chutneys and pickles are a must, to go perfectly with yummy cheese and crackers!
Looks Devine: must have: grapes and cheese can a sneak chocolate in there lol
Yummy all sounds delish
Looks delish! 🙂
Apart from the obvious cold meats, cheeses and spreads to go with the crackers or crusty bread, I would have gherkins, apricots and grapes.
Proscuitto! Absolute fave and goes with any and all cheeses! <3
Gouda!
A must have for me is cranberry jelly! it’s my favourite thing to go along with strong cheeses
Absolutely got to have cheese cubes and grapes on a platter! Yum!
Brie cheese
These flatbreads are actually my latest obsession! The mixed herb ones with pumpkin and kumara hummus! Oh it’s a must try!!
Very much enjoying flat bread of late!!! Very nice light summer choice to have with a variety of toppers 🙂 this would be a fab win!
Absolutely have to have blue cheese and pesto! Mmmmm
I find you also must have avocado and some smoked salmon besides the asortments of cheese and pickles.
Camembert cheese with a mango chutney is a must have!
We always serve my mum’s amazing homemade tomato chilli relish It’s so good with sharp cheeses or even on fresh vegetables like carrots or celery.
My platter must haves are crackers, beetroot hummus, cheese and grapes.