Budget Friendly Family Spread (Printable)

A simple budget-friendly family spread with sliced meats, cheeses, vegetables, and crackers for easy sharing.

# What You Need:

→ Meats

01 - 7 oz sliced cooked ham
02 - 7 oz sliced turkey breast
03 - 5 oz sliced salami

→ Cheeses

04 - 7 oz mild cheddar, sliced
05 - 5 oz Swiss cheese, sliced
06 - 3.5 oz cream cheese, for spreading

→ Vegetables

07 - 2 large carrots, cut 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 - 1/2 cup green olives
15 - 1/2 cup pickles

# Directions:

01 - Place sliced ham, turkey, and salami in generous piles at separate corners of a large serving platter or tray.
02 - Fan out sliced cheddar, Swiss, and place cream cheese in a small bowl adjacent to the meats for easy access.
03 - Group sliced carrots, cucumber rounds, red bell pepper, and cherry tomatoes in large heaps around the platter for balanced presentation.
04 - Fill small bowls with hummus, green olives, and pickles; place these evenly around the platter for convenience.
05 - Stack assorted crackers and sliced baguette in high-volume piles, ensuring they are reachable from all sides of the serving platter.
06 - Present immediately and replenish items as necessary during gatherings to maintain abundance.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It requires zero cooking skills—just arranging and slicing, which means even the busiest evenings become manageable
  • Everyone finds something they love, from the picky eaters to the adventurous ones, making it the ultimate crowd-pleaser
  • You can prep it in twenty minutes and spend your energy actually enjoying time with people instead of being stuck in the kitchen
  • It stretches your food budget further than you'd think, feeding a crowd without breaking the bank
02 -
  • Slice everything last—I mean right before serving, not an hour before. Vegetables weep, meats dry out, and cheese can get sad and sweaty under plastic wrap in the fridge
  • The size of your platter matters more than the amount of food; a modest amount on a huge platter feels abundant, but the same amount on a small plate looks stingy
  • Cold food is better than room-temperature food on a platter; if your kitchen is warm, keep everything on a cold cutting board until the last moment before arranging
03 -
  • Chill your platter in the freezer for five minutes before arranging if your kitchen is warm; cold surfaces keep everything fresher longer
  • Save one beautiful corner of your platter for last and fill it with something vibrant—a handful of herbs, a fresh lemon wedge, or a small handful of pomegranate seeds if you find them on sale—to make the whole thing feel intentional and special
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