Plan a charcuterie board quantity.
Charcuterie quantities are driven by whether the board is a starter or the meal itself — roughly 60 g each of cheese and meat per guest for nibbles, close to double that when it is dinner. Dividing the cheese total by the number of varieties matters more than the total: buying six cheeses for ten guests means tiny wedges that dry out, so fewer, larger pieces usually serve better.
Cheese
grams = guests x 60 (appetiser) or x 110 (main)
Per variety
total cheese / number of varieties
Board area
cm2 = guests x 90 (appetiser) or x 160 (main)
Keep perishable cheese and cured meats out of the 5-60 C danger zone for no more than two hours, and refrigerate leftovers promptly.
Three to five for most gatherings, chosen for contrast — something soft, something hard, something blue. More varieties means smaller portions of each without adding much interest.
Take cheese out 30-60 minutes before serving so it reaches room temperature and the flavour opens up, but keep cured meats chilled until closer to serving.