The 21 best "girl dinner" ingredients

Cheese is the natural starting point for any “plate” being served on a cutting board, and feta is a great versatile option. You can eat it with veggies for a salad-adjacent replacement, pair it with crackers, or drizzle some honey on it for a sweet treat! Definitely a great girl dinner staple.

One of the most well-loved cheese varieties, gouda rarely disappoints. It is best paired with fruit, fresh or dried. However, note that if you have aged gouda, which is a bit more on the sweeter side, that should be paired with a sugary treat. We suggest dark chocolate or baked goods.

Often a decisive addition to any board, if you enjoy the taste, olives are a great thing to include in a girl dinner. They have a unique taste and texture that adds complexity to your snack-as-a-meal replacement. Additionally, olives are also a great palate cleanser.

You can use dill or sweet, large or small, but there’s no arguing how great pickles are on a charcuterie board. The acidity is a great addition to any flavor combination and can help ease your stomach in between hearty cheese and desserts.

Any color — red, yellow, orange, or even green (although the specific taste of the latter is truly an acquired one) makes for a great girl dinner inclusion. Bell peppers are fantastic to combine with hummus, cheese, crackers, and any other dips you choose to whip up!

So far, the list is tragically absent of any protein, and we can’t forget an important food group like that. Hummus is great because it packs a lot of nutritional value without being too filling. So you can rest assured that you’ll be satisfied but not bloated. It pairs well with almost everything on this list — crackers, veggies, baguettes, etc.

Of course, we can’t leave off every millennial's favorite breakfast item. It also makes the perfect addition to any dinner board. You can eat it alone, spread it on bread or crackers, drizzle balsamic vinegar or honey on slices, or mix it with other ingredients on a baguette!

You probably hated it as a child when your parents would make you eat beets. But try them again as an adult, particularly the pickled variety, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised!

Like bell peppers, carrots are a great crunchy veggie addition to any girl dinner. They’re great to munch on and are the ideal dippers for spreads and cheeses.

Another great dairy item to include is goat cheese, a great pair with so many other items on this list. From baguettes to crackers, veggies, and fruit, it’s a must for any girl dinner. And you’ll frequently find it sold in stores in interesting flavors like blueberry, honey, and more.

Honey is a great item to include, as it can change the flavor and complexity of so many other items on this list. From cheese to fruit and even bread and chocolate, spice up your board with the bee’s hard work! 

If hummus doesn’t do it for you in the protein department, don’t worry. There are plenty of other options! Salami, prosciutto, or whatever the butcher at your local grocery store serves up are all great options.

Another food group missing up until this point has been carbs…every girl’s BFF at dinnertime! So, if you want a bit more body to your meal, warm up a few slices of pita bread and throw it on that charcuterie board. Perfect for spreading hummus, avocado, and veggies in.

A lighter and crunchier option to bread, you can easily include rice cakes as a carb alternative. Like hummus, they’ll fill up your tummy without taking up too much room and pair well with many things on this list.

Of course, we couldn’t forget dessert! A few squares of dark chocolate are just what the doctor (AKA  you) ordered! Great on its own or mixed with some cheese or honey.

The list became a bit too veggie-focused, and we couldn’t continue without a bit of fruit. Grapes are amazing because of their fun texture and easy pairing with cheese.

If an apple a day keeps the doctor away, you definitely need to make sure girl dinner includes the forbidden fruit. Tastes well with cheese, honey, bread, and chocolate.

A very misunderstood vegetable. Some say it’s tasteless, but the subtle flavor makes cucumbers the best thing to include on a charcuterie board. They can be dippables, paired with cheese, or even meats for extra nutrition and hydration as they’re very water-heavy in content.

For those for whom this list was looking a bit bland, don’t worry! Grab sriracha, Tabasco, or whatever you usually use to spice up your meals! Then drizzle on pretty much anything for additional flavor.

We’ve listed enough cheeses, so if you’re a bit fromage-fatigued, don’t worry. Yogurt is also great to include, as it can be mixed with other ingredients to create new sauces. It can also serve as a palate cleanser.

Finally, what’s a charcuterie board without the OG girl-dinner staple — baguettes? Slice one up and enjoy with all the spreads, fruit, cheeses, meat, and more.