My Mom’s Secret for Feeding a Crowd Starts With Grilled Cheese

Whenever we have holidays in my family, we all head back to our childhood home to stay with my parents. Between children and grandchildren, it’s a full house! After the holiday itself, my mom loves to make big boards and platters for everyone to pick on throughout the weekend. Not only is this approach efficient and easy, but it also continues bringing everyone together around the table to snack and chat, and then chat and snack some more.

After a week of intense holiday prep and cooking (if you know, you know), Mom aims to keep it simple, from cooking to clean-up. Whether it be breakfast, lunch, or dinner time, she prepares one big variety of a single dish in bulk and places it on the counter for whenever people get hungry. It’s usually something that will be tasty whether it’s eaten fresh, reheated hours later, or just enjoyed at room temperature. And one of her biggest hits is a big grilled cheese board!

How to Make Mom’s Grilled Cheese Board

Simplicity may be the mantra for this, but mom never slacks on flavor or presentation. A grilled cheese board requires as many or as few ingredients as you desire. Whether you plan your platter ahead of time with a grocery run, aim to use whatever you have on hand in the refrigerator or pantry, or want to put those leftovers to delicious use, there are a few other things you will need to have on hand in order to bring a successful grilled cheese board to life.

• Choose the right bread. A loaf of sliced white sandwich bread is always a fail-proof, traditional option. If you’re looking for additional variety on your board, include some other sturdy, yet soft options like sourdough, rye, or brioche. Avoid large rolls or harder loaves of bread, as they’re hard to toast up and cook evenly with the melty cheese.
• Say cheese. When it comes to grilled cheese, the meltier, the better! Stick to a few varieties of color and flavor, such as yellow American cheese, sharp Cheddar, or a classic, creamy and gooey mozzarella; or try fancier options such as rich and nutty Gruyère, buttery and slightly sweet havarti, or ultra-creamy and luxurious Brie.
• Grab a sheet pan. Fully prepare and line up your grilled cheese components on a sheet pan, so you can quickly throw them together for pan frying. This means coating any bread, slicing cheese, and cutting or portioning out any additional ingredients you plan to work with ahead of time, like sautéed onions, sliced apples, or greens. Working with a sheet pan as the base for your ingredients also makes it quick and easy to move around the kitchen if necessary—a game-changing tip I learned over the years from professional chef friends!
• Use a griddle or large frying pan (or both). In order to roll out grilled cheese sandwiches in bulk, you need to pan base to cook multiple servings at a time. If your stove top has a built-in griddle, amazing! If not, no worries. Cover each burner with a frying pan, skillet, or griddle, and aim to save time by multitasking. Don’t forget to keep your spatula on hand for flipping, as well!
• Serve everything on a large board or platter. Finally, you can’t serve an epic grilled cheese board without a huge board or platter! A large round one makes for a beautiful presentation. One special touch my mom loves is scattering bits of vibrant fruit throughout, such as grapes, strawberries, blueberries, orange slices, and even some dried apricots or raisins. That pop of color looks gorgeous on the table, plus it’s a fresh and tasty little touch!
• Get creative. Ever the intuitive cook, Mom never slacks on creativity, either! The most important part is making sure there is something for everyone. This means making your board versatile, fun, and making the most of the ingredients you have. Of course she makes the classic grilled cheese, but she also whips up options using different cheeses; condiments such as mayonnaise or using mustard; toppings like bacon, tomato, scrambled eggs, and spicy peppers; sometimes adds caramelized onions or fig jam. Mom even makes some brushed with maple syrup for a sweet and savory option.