Budget Friendly Family Spread (Printable)

An inviting spread with sliced meats, cheeses, veggies and crackers perfect for easy sharing.

# Components:

→ Meats

01 - 7 oz sliced cooked ham
02 - 7 oz sliced turkey breast
03 - 5.3 oz sliced salami

→ Cheeses

04 - 7 oz mild cheddar, sliced
05 - 5.3 oz Swiss cheese, sliced
06 - 3.5 oz cream cheese, for spreading

→ Vegetables

07 - 2 large carrots, sliced into sticks
08 - 1 cucumber, sliced into rounds
09 - 1 red bell pepper, sliced
10 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes

→ Crackers & Bread

11 - 14 oz assorted budget-friendly crackers
12 - 1 baguette, sliced

→ Extras

13 - 1 cup hummus
14 - ½ cup green olives
15 - ½ cup pickles

# Directions:

01 - Place sliced cooked ham, turkey breast, and salami in generous piles at different corners of a large serving platter or tray.
02 - Fan out sliced mild cheddar, Swiss cheese, and set a bowl with cream cheese near the meats for easy grabbing.
03 - Group sliced carrots, cucumber rounds, red bell pepper strips, and cherry tomatoes in accessible heaps around the platter.
04 - Fill small bowls with hummus, green olives, and pickles; distribute them evenly around the platter.
05 - Stack assorted crackers and sliced baguette in large quantities around the platter for easy access from all sides.
06 - Present the platter immediately, replenishing items as necessary for larger gatherings.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Zero cooking required—just slicing, arranging, and impressing everyone at the table
  • Budget-friendly ingredients that somehow look elegant when piled generously on a platter
  • Everyone finds something they love, from the meat lovers to the cheese enthusiasts to the veggie grazers
  • Perfect excuse to take a break from the kitchen and actually enjoy your guests
02 -
  • Arrange everything just before serving—vegetables stay crisper, cheese doesn't dry out, and the whole platter has that fresh, just-assembled feeling that makes people want to dive in
  • Buy pre-sliced meats and cheeses from the deli counter or budget brands; you'll save money and skip the slicing work
  • Group colors intentionally so your eye travels around the platter—reds next to greens, pale yellows next to dark salami—it all matters more than you'd think
  • If you must make this ahead, assemble everything on the platter but cover it loosely with plastic wrap, then remove the wrap just before guests arrive
03 -
  • Buy your meats and cheeses on sale and slice them yourself if you have time, or ask the deli counter to slice budget packs for you—they almost always will
  • Keep everything cold until the moment you arrange it; a chilled platter stays fresh-looking far longer than one that's been sitting at room temperature
  • The psychology of the platter: stack crackers in odd numbers (5 or 7 stacks instead of 4 or 6), and people perceive it as more abundant
  • If you're nervous about presentation, remember that generous piles always look better than sparse arrangements—err on the side of too much, never too little
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