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There is nothing worse than going to a dinner party and seeing delicious food on the table but you don’t know what it is. What do you do? As a host or hostess, you want your guests to be comfortable and confident in their food choices. That is why labeling your food displays is a must!
There are three popular ways to label a charcuterie board or food display. You can insert a flag or food label into the food item. You can display labels directly on the table next to each food item. You can also create a food map showing the layout of the board with each food identified on the map.
With so many labeling options on the market to choose from, you could get lost in the endless pages of amazon. Luckily for you, I did the research for you and found the best labels and accessories to throw the perfect dinner party.
Labeling Foods Using Insertable Flags or Signs
The most common way hosts and hostesses label their charcuterie boards, food and grazing tables is with insertable flags or signs.
This is the most popular method for a many reasons.
- They are small and can be placed on any size of food, from a small jar or honey to a large cheese wheel.
- They can be placed in tight spaces like a grazing table where the table is completely covered in a large variety of foods
- They are visually appealing. With the large number of options on the market, you can find labels that enhance the visual appeal of your board or table.
- They are inexpensive so you can spend the majority of your budget on the food itself
- Some types are reusable so you only have to buy them once
There are a few cons to this type of food labeling.
- They are not as sanitary, since you are placing a foreign object into the food itself.
- They cost the most of the three methods (although the cost is still pretty low).
- If you reuse the labels, especially ones that have a wood base, like a toothpick, bacteria can get into the wood and transfer into the next food you insert them into.
- If you are using insertable labels as a professional caterer, I would not recommend reusing labels unless you can be 100% certain that they are sanitized before the next use.
- If you purchase chalkboard labels, which are really cute and popular, you will need to also buy a chalkboard pen.
Here are a few of my favorite insertable food signs.
Favorite Find:
I love these Norpro cheese fork labels (link to amazon). They only list the 6 most commonly used cheese, but they are awesome! Plus since they are made of stainless steel, they can be sanitized and reused indefinitely.
Best Design:
I like this Blulu 50 piece chalkboard signs set (amazon link) because they come in large quantities (50/pack) and have a really cute design shape. These are perfect for parties like a wedding, baby or bridal shower or a birthday party.
Best Cost/Practicality:
If you are looking for a basic food sign, low cost and plan on tossing them after you event, then these Pangda 100 piece blank toothpick flags(see these on Amazon) are right up your alley.
Favorite Chalk marker:
Remember to get a chalk marker to write on your signs. I like this Chalk Ink 1mm white chalk marker(check price on Amazon.) because its the smallest tip you can get.
Labeling Foods Using Table Signs
Labeling foods displays with table signs is another popular method hostesses use. You can either use a folded piece of card stock with the food description written on it, or kick things up a notch and use some really cute decorate food labels with their own stands (my personal choice).
My recommendation for which kind of table sign to use is dependent on the event you are hosting. If you are hosting a formal dinner party or elegant wedding, I would opt for a beautiful and elegant table card. If you are hosting a more fun event like a shower, birthday party, brunch or casual wedding, then the you will definitely want to go with a decorative table label with it’s own stand.
Using table signs have some benefits that the insertable labels don’t provide.
- They work well on tables with space in between the food, like a potluck style display.
- They add a decorative element to the table and reduce the amount of space that needs decorating.
- They can be place on the dish that the food is on and not ruin the food itself. This is best used for displays like cupcakes or pastries.
- They can be quick and easy to make using supplies that most people already have at home.
- They are a great solution events that you were so busy planning, you forgot to order insertable signs.
- Depending on what kind of table signs you use, cards or table signs, they can have a more elegant feel to them than inserted labels. Events like weddings and formal dinners lend themselves more to this type of labeling method.
- Since they are more sanitary then insertable labels, they can easily be reused for multiple events. If you plan to reuse them, make sure you get chalkboard labels with an erasable chalk marker.
Like the insertable flags and signs, folded cards and table signs have their cons as well.
- They have limited applications. Because they are usually placed on a flat surface like a table, they are not practical or recommended for use on charcuterie boards or grazing tables, where, by design, there is no open space available. The only exception would be if you have different levels to you grazing table and have room to place them on plates or elevated decor.
- They are larger than insertable labels so they take up more room.
Here are a few table signs that I love.
Best Decor/Creativity:
These UCEC mini chalkboards with easels are my favorite table food labels. They look great on any table plus they are really cute. They can be used for many applications, not just food decor.
Formal Events and Weddings:
These RGJC LLC acrylic table number holders-set of 10 (check price on amazon) are elegant enough to hold their own at any special event, yet their see- through design allows the beauty of the event to shine through. You can use temporary, permanent markers, paint, or stickables. And since they are see through, you can print out a template in the font you love and trace it onto the sign. Love Love Love!
One of a kind:
I love these Ilyapa mini slate chalkboards on wooden stands (link to amazon) because, well, they are just awesome! Your food table will stand out and your guests will be impressed at the lengths you went to to present such an amazing table. I also really like these for a rustic or country wedding. They just feel like nature to me.
Labeling Foods Using Food Maps
Food Maps are the least used method of the three, mainly because they are time consuming and require artistic or digital skills. However, do not discount them. They are a fun and creative way to label your food. Plus they make a great decorative display element for your table. Find a cute table easle, create a sturdy, cute food map and display it next to your charcuterie board for your guests to enjoy.
These kinds of food labels are gaining popular among trendsetters in the food industry, who are looking to stand out from the crowd. If you look on pinterest, you will see alot of digitally created renditions of charcuterie boards or food tables. It is a great way for artistic people to add a little flair to their displays as well.
Here are some things food maps have going for them:
- They give your guests a quick overall view of what each food is and where it is located.
- Best used for charcuterie boards since charcuterie boards are the easiest to map.
- On a board that is chalked full of different foods, using inserted signs or flags can muddy up the display and become too crowded. Food maps keep the area clean and keep the focus on the board.
- They are a unique idea so you will stand out as a host.
- The sky is the limit as to how you create your map. Let your creativity soar. You will see below to options, one created digitally and the other drawn by hand.
- They are a great added decorative element on the table.
- They are a more sanitary option since objects are not being inserted into your food or spreads.
As with everything, there are draw backs to food maps.
- They are more time consuming to create than the other methods.
- They have space limitations so are best used with food displays that have open space on the table.
- They are not really practical for grazing tables since there is such a large quantity of food places randomly all over the table.
- Computer graphic skills and software like Illustrator are required if you want to make a computerized food map. Although this way is really fun!!!
Digitally Created Food Maps
To recreate the original photo digitally, I inserted the original photo into Adobe Illustrator, and then using layers, recreated each item on top of the original. Then I grouped all the digital images together and moved them to the right of the original image.
To isolate your image so you can print it, frame it and set it on your food table, you can either hide the layer with the original photo or delete it. Then you will only be left with the digital rendition.
I am really happy with how it turned out. Now, of course, you don’t have to label every little thing, like every orange or pomegranate. Your guests will be able to identity those pretty easily. Its up to you how thorough you want to be.
Hand Drawn Food Maps
Hand drawn renditions can be done very beautifully as shown in the following example. I found these fun and amazing table displays on Etsy by an artist named JesMarried. She draws them custom for any event. I love love love these cupcake drawings. She does other drawings for weddings as well. Check out her etsy shop. (not an affiliate link – I just love her work)
If you want to try to do your own drawings, the best way to do it is using a light box or an exterior window of your house. Simply layer the paper that you will be drawing on over the top of the original image. (Yes you will want to take a picture of your food display if you are trying to recreate it identically). Tape both of them to the top of a light box or onto a window in your house that gets a good amount of sunlight. Then you should be able to see well enough through the paper to trace what is underneath it.
If you want to use this method for a special event like a wedding, it may be worth it to hire an artist like JesMarried to make the drawing for you.
No matter what method you choose to use, labeling your food trays is an important part of your guests’ eating experience. Take the guess work and stress out of it. Give them a heads up and let them enjoy the delicious options you have prepared for them. Good Luck.