By the time you reach your 40s (like me), a lot of stuff has likely happened to you. Bug stuff. Life stuff. That stuff breeds wisdom, isn’t that what they say? Which, I would think, should make me one heckuva wise woman by now. I’m not sure that’s so, but I have figured one thing out — life is too short to wait around.

Maybe it’s because I’m a southern girl at heart, or maybe it’s because I have an artistic nature, and pretty things simply bring me joy. Whatever the reason, I like a little fancy, and I make no apologies for it. In fact, I’ll go so far as to say we all ought to have more fancy in our lives. Whatever that means to you, whether it’s using the “good” dishes for dinner, putting flowers on your bedside table or wearing those diamond earrings to the grocery store. Why do we have pretty things if we don’t use them? What are we waiting for?

Drinking wine, for example. There’s something about uncorking a bottle and pouring a glass that just elevates the situation, you know what I mean? Even if I’m drinking out of a jelly jar, which I’ve certainly been known to do in a pinch (see above re: southern girl at heart), wine always feels a little bit special.

So I’ve come to learn how to extend that feeling to other parts of my wine drinking experience. For example, Charlie and I frequently put out cheese, crackers and other snacks when we are sipping our vino. We could just eat them out of the packages, sticking our hands into that Triscuit box and slapping on cheese right from the plastic. And who am I kidding? We do that ALL THE TIME. But lately I’ve decided to do better — make it feel a little nicer — and it’s so easy to accomplish. Really not much harder than opening the Triscuit box.

So keep reading five steps for turning those everyday snacks into something more elegant — and worthy of that wine I know you’ll be drinking.

Steps for Building a Beautiful Appetizer Tray / Charcuterie Board

Step one: Pour some wine.

Really, this can be step one for soooo many things. 🙂

Step two: Find a foundation.

Because even the most modest snack looks better when it’s on something pretty, pull out your favorite platter and start with that. Other ideas for a foundation include a beautiful wood cutting board, a slate tile, a cool pedestal cake plate — basically anything that makes you happy and can hold some food. You may need more than one, so consider bowls and little dishes that will all work together (pro tip: that does NOT mean they all should match. In fact, your spread will look more sophisticated with a collection of dishes that are complementary but contrasting.).

Step three: Survey what you have available.

Open the fridge and the pantry and make a mental list — cheeses, crackers, bread, olives, fruit, honey or jam, nuts, chocolate — all of these things are perfect for your snack plate, but you don’t need them all. Take stock of what’s there, then go to step four.

Step four: Choose four to six items with balance and variety in mind.

I like to choose two or three savory items, one or two that are salty, and a sweet. Maybe two cheeses, a hard and a soft, with some crackers or bread to put them on. Add something sweet like honey to drizzle, or apple slices or grapes to munch on. Include a little salt with some olives or nuts.

Step five: Is it colorful?

Review your choices — including the plates and bowls — and decide if it’s aesthetically pleasing. Cheese and crackers are often similar in color, and olives or nuts don’t add a lot of pop. If you don’t already have color in your dishes, try adding a printed napkin, bright fruit or a colorful ramekin to catch the olive pits.

Bonus step: Pour some more wine!

Whether you’re 21 or 101, life is passing you by, and not a single one of us knows how long we have left. Don’t wait for an excuse to use the pretty dishes anymore. Now — today — is the only excuse you need. Cheers!