Styling a Grazing Table: 7 Top Tips

Grazing tables are perfect for casual events - they allow you to feed a large number of guests, whilst encouraging guests to mingle over delicious food. But, if you’re planning to make one yourself, how do you make a grazing table look good?

Here are seven top tips to consider when styling your grazing table:

Create contrasts in height

Arrange food in a way that makes sense practically

Avoid plastic & foil trays

Add fresh, seasonal foliage

Incorporate utensils

Add cute signs & labels

Finish with themed decorations

Read on to find out how to style a grazing table, which types of foliage to use, and how to ensure practicality when catering for a large crowd.

What is a Grazing Table?

Grazing tables serve a similar purpose to standard buffets but focus on more visually appealing (and less beige!) food items. They are a large table laden with charcuterie, cheese, antipasti, and occasionally salads and sandwiches. 

They are a more informal way of presenting food, creating a relaxed and interactive dining experience. Guests can nibble at a grazing table throughout an afternoon or evening, whilst continuing to mingle with one another and enjoy the event.

How To Style & Decorate a Grazing Table

One of the most important parts of a grazing table is its Instagramability! Even if your food is delicious, you can’t just throw everything onto your table and hope for the best - styling is key. Below, you’ll find five top tips to follow when styling and decorating a grazing table of your own:

Create Contrasts in Height

Flat-lay grazing tables are a popular choice for many, however, this doesn’t help the table (or food) stand out. Instead, try to create height for some of your platters. Use various stands, bowls, and risers to create height and depth on your grazing table. This adds visual interest and makes it easier for guests to reach different items. 

Wooden crates and boxes turned upside down can be a great way to add height to your table without breaking the bank. What’s more, wooden crates double up as storage boxes when you aren’t using them for catering purposes! For affordable and durable stands, explore our Wooden Basket collection.

Consider Eatability & Flow

The flow and layout of a grazing table should make sense from a guest’s perspective. To ensure practicality, consider grouping complementary items, whilst maintaining an equal distribution of different food types. We follow these guidelines when setting up a grazing table:

• Place cutlery & plates on one side of the table 
• Group all sandwiches and bagels together 
• Chop cheese into bite-sized pieces where possible
• Keep chutneys & crackers next to the cheese and charcuterie
• Keep dips & hummus near to the crudites 
• If you’re serving sweet treats, put these to one end of the table

Avoid Cheap Plastic & Foil Trays

Trays and platters play a big part in grazing tables; from food creation and transportation, right through to the displaying of the finished product. To keep your grazing table looking pleasing to the eye, we would avoid using plastic and foil trays. Everyone knows these are super cheap, and quite frankly, they don’t display food very well!

Instead, opt for traditional and sustainable materials, such as bamboo or wicker. Our Wicker Basket Trays and Wicker Bread Baskets are perfect for displaying sandwiches and bagels and can be used to separate flavour combinations (ideal for avoiding cross-contamination!) If you don’t have wicker trays on hand, bamboo works as a great alternative.

 Don’t Skimp On the Foliage

Foliage works as a great gap filler on a grazing table, whilst adding a touch of seasonal charm. We also use baby’s breath and other seasonal flowers in small bud vases, which we dot along the grazing table for a pop of colour. Keep these seasonal - we love to use Dahlias or Tulips in the spring, or Holly & evergreen foliage in the winter.

Fresh is always best when it comes to grazing tables. Real foliage adds to the ‘wow’ factor of your table and is also seen as more sustainable than plastic copies. However, we understand that not everyone has the budget for real foliage, so it's worth investing in good fake flowers and leaves where possible. 

• Eucalyptus (our favourite - not only does this look fantastic, but it smells great too!)
• Baby’s Breath (also known as Gypsophila)
• Holly & Ivy
• Fresh herbs like Rosemary, Thyme, and Sage 

Keep it Practical With Utensils

Another important factor to consider when creating your grazing table is practicality. You want everything your guests could need in one place, so you (the host of the party) aren’t running around trying to find knives, napkins, or anything in between! For a basic grazing table, you should include:

• Cheese knives (placed next to the correct type of cheese to use it with)
• Honey drizzlers
• Spoons for any dips or chutneys
• Bamboo tongs 
• A wicker basket filled with cutlery & napkins

Utilise wicker cutlery holders and glass Kilner jars to hold knives, cutlery, napkins, and bamboo tongs. This helps to make the items look intentionally styled on your grazing table, whilst helping to keep everything in one handy place. 

High-quality utensils are key when hosting friends and family. For our top recommendations, visit this blog - Posh Picnics: Your Ultimate Guide

Ensure You Have Signage & Labels

You might think that signs and labels ruin the appearance of a grazing table, but that simply isn’t the case. We always recommend labelling foods that aren’t obvious to the eye. Generally, this includes sandwich/bagel fillings, salads, dressings, chutneys, and types of cheese.

Not only does signage help guests know what they are choosing, but it can also help highlight any allergens or dietary requirements (such as if a salad is suitable for vegans or vegetarians). On your grazing table, we suggest using a mix of: 

• Cocktail stick flags - these are perfect for sticking into cheeses.
• Mini easels - use these to label types of dips, sweet treats, or salads.
• Small chalkboard signs - perfect for displaying beside trays of sandwiches and bagels, or for placing in front of salad platters.
• Label stickers - ideal for adding to jars of chutney, or onto bottles of olive oil or salad dressings.

 

Finish With Themed Decorations

Extra decorations never hurt when styling a grazing table! If you want to go the extra mile, adding seasonal decorations can help add the ‘wow’ factor to your table. Start by considering the theme of your event. What time of year is it? Is it a birthday party, baby shower, or wedding? Is your food inspired by a particular cuisine? If so, you could consider:

• Signage or banners for hen dos, baby showers, or weddings alike
• Halved and whole citrus fruit if you’re celebrating outdoors in the summertime
• Mini pumpkins or squash around the autumn season
• Christmassy foliage, baubles, tinsel & winter citrus in December
• For a girl's birthday; pink bows, fun pink fruits & pink napkins

Creating a grazing table for a summer garden party? You might enjoy our helpful blog - Garden Party Planning: Themes, Decorations, Food, & More!

Grazing Table Essentials From Northern Willow

Looking for inexpensive yet gorgeous grazing table decorations? Look no further than Northern Willow. From wooden crates to cutlery holders, bread baskets, wicker trays, and more, we have everything you need to style your grazing table without breaking the bank. 

If you’re looking for tailored recommendations, or you have a question, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our friendly team. For more food and lifestyle advice, keep up to date with our handy blog.

Related Questions

What Do You Cover the Table With Before Creating a Grazing Table?

We recommend first covering your table with an inexpensive tablecloth. White is a safe option, but you could choose a colour to match your theme. Next, cover your table with parchment paper (also called butcher’s paper by some caterers). This will help protect the table, whilst doubling as a food-safe surface to lay your food on.

How Far in Advance Can You Prepare a Grazing Table?

Some items can be prepared in advance, but others, especially perishable ones (like cheese and charcuterie), should be added closer to the event. Remember, foods that should be kept in the fridge should be kept at room temperature for no longer than four hours. If you’re hosting an outdoor party on a particularly hot day, don’t keep your food outside for longer than three hours.