Quick Answer: Plan 3 meats, 3–4 cheeses, crackers and a few fillers. Buy 2 oz each of meat and cheese per guest before a meal, 3 oz if the tray is the party food, 4 oz for sandwiches. Order it sliced at the deli, fold the meat, cut the cheese into triangles, and arrange it in rows. About 20 minutes.
What goes on the tray
Meat
3 kindsOne mild (turkey), one salty (ham), one bold (salami or roast beef).
Cheese
3 or 4 kindsCheddar, Swiss, pepper jack, provolone. Different colors.
Carrier
Crackers or small rollsCrackers for snacking, slider rolls if it's dinner.
Fillers
Grapes, olives, pickles, mustardThey fill the gaps and make it look catered.
A meat and cheese tray is the workhorse of party food: graduations, office lunches, game day, funerals, showers, holidays. Done right, it looks catered and costs a fraction of the price.
What to put on a meat and cheese tray
A classic American deli tray uses sliced sandwich meats and cheeses. A charcuterie board uses cured meats like salami and prosciutto. The best party trays mix both: familiar deli slices for everyone, plus one cured meat to make it interesting.
| Category | Crowd-pleasers | One step up |
|---|---|---|
| Meat | Honey ham, oven-roasted turkey, roast beef, Genoa salami, pepperoni | Soppressata, capicola, prosciutto, smoked turkey |
| Cheese | Sharp cheddar, Swiss, pepper jack, provolone, Colby jack | Smoked gouda, Havarti, Manchego, a wedge of brie |
| Carriers | Butter crackers, wheat crackers, slider rolls | Water crackers, mini croissants, pretzel crisps |
| Fillers | Grapes, olives, pickles, cherry tomatoes | Pepperoncini, marinated artichokes, candied pecans, dried apricots |
| Spreads | Yellow and Dijon mustard, mayo | Honey mustard, pepper jelly, fig jam |
Picking the cheeses: choose different colors and textures so the tray looks full. Orange cheddar, white Swiss, flecked pepper jack and pale provolone already look like four different things. More on cheese counts: how many cheeses for a board.
How much meat and cheese to buy
We use one standard across the whole site: 2 oz each of meat and cheese per guest when a meal follows, 3 oz when the tray is the party food, and 4 oz when it's dinner (guests making sandwiches). From 20 guests, add 10%.
| Guests | Before a meal | Tray is the party food | Sandwich dinner |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 1¼ lb meat · 1½ lb cheese | 2 lb meat · 2 lb cheese | 2½ lb meat · 2½ lb cheese |
| 15 | 2 lb meat · 2 lb cheese | 3 lb meat · 3 lb cheese | 3¾ lb meat · 4 lb cheese |
| 20 | 2¾ lb meat · 3 lb cheese | 4¼ lb meat · 4½ lb cheese | 5½ lb meat · 5½ lb cheese |
| 25 | 3½ lb meat · 3½ lb cheese | 5¼ lb meat · 5½ lb cheese | 7 lb meat · 7 lb cheese |
| 30 | 4¼ lb meat · 4½ lb cheese | 6¼ lb meat · 6½ lb cheese | 8¼ lb meat · 8½ lb cheese |
| 50 | 7 lb meat · 7 lb cheese | 10½ lb meat · 10½ lb cheese | 14 lb meat · 14 lb cheese |
Cheese is rounded up to the nearest half pound, the way it's sold. Amounts from 20 guests include the 10% buffer.
- Crackers: 6–8 per guest before a meal, 10–12 as the party food. For 20 guests as the party food, that's 200 to 240 crackers, or about five or six boxes, depending on the brand.
- Slider rolls for a sandwich tray: plan 2 to 3 rolls per adult.
- How many trays: one 16–18 inch tray serves about 10. From 20 guests, make two trays (or two stations), and from 50, a third. Two smaller trays are easier to reach and easier to refill than one giant one.
Need a different number? The Party Planner works out meat, cheese, crackers and cost for 4 to 200 guests. Ready-made plans: for 10, for 20, for 30, for 50.
How to order at the deli counter
- Order by weight, not by slices. Use the table above. "Two pounds of honey ham" is quicker for them and more accurate for you.
- Ask for the right thickness. "Thin" (about the thickness for a sandwich) folds and rolls best. "Shaved" falls apart on a tray. Salami and pepperoni should be thin.
- Ask them to lay paper between the slices. Most delis will. The slices peel apart without tearing, and you save 10 minutes.
- Buy cheese in blocks, not slices, if you'll cut cubes or sticks. Blocks are often cheaper per pound, and cubes stay fresher than pre-sliced cheese. Our guide to cutting cheese for a board shows each shape.
- Buy 1 or 2 days ahead, not a week. Sliced deli meat is best eaten within 3 to 5 days of opening (FoodSafety.gov).
- December or graduation season? Deli counters get very busy. Call ahead with a big order, or shop on a weekday morning.
Where to shop: our store guides rank the best meat and cheese at Costco, Sam's Club, Walmart, Kroger, Publix and Aldi.
How to make a meat and cheese tray (step by step)
- Pick a big tray. A 16–18 inch round platter, a large cutting board or a disposable catering tray for 10 guests. Bigger than you think: a crowded tray looks messy.
- Place the anchors first. Set a small bowl of mustard and a bowl of olives or pickles on the tray. Everything else gets built around them.
- Lay out the cheese. Arrange each cheese in its own row or wedge-shaped section, so guests can find "the Swiss" at a glance.
- Add the meat between the cheeses. Fold it (see below) and lay it in rows, alternating colors: pink ham next to white turkey next to red salami.
- Fill every gap. Grapes, cherry tomatoes, pickles and nuts go in the holes. No wood showing is what makes a tray look generous.
- Garnish. A few sprigs of rosemary or parsley along the rows.
- Crackers on the side, in a separate basket or on a second plate, so they stay crisp and you can refill them.
Three layouts that always look good:
| Layout | How | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Rows | Straight or curved stripes, alternating meat and cheese | Rectangular trays, big parties, sandwiches |
| Rings | Circles from the outside in, with a dip bowl in the middle | Round platters, holidays (it looks like a wreath) |
| Quadrants | Four sections, each meat paired with a cheese | Office lunches, where people want to grab and go |
Four ways to fold the meat:
- Roll: roll each slice of ham or turkey into a tube. Quick, neat and easy for guests to pick up.
- Fold in quarters: fold the slice in half, then in half again into a triangle, and fan the triangles in a row. The deli-counter classic.
- Ruffle: loosely gather a slice into a wavy pile. Good for prosciutto and very thin turkey.
- Fan: overlap salami or pepperoni slices in a long line, like fallen dominoes. For more, see our salami river and salami rose.
The easiest cheese trick: stack 4 slices of cheese and cut the stack corner to corner twice to make 16 triangles. Fan them out in a row. It instantly looks more polished than plain squares.
6 meat and cheese tray ideas
1. The Classic Deli Tray
Ham, turkey and roast beef, plus cheddar, Swiss and provolone, with rolls, mustard, mayo, lettuce, tomato and pickles. Guests build their own sandwiches. Plan 4 oz each of meat and cheese per guest because it's dinner.
2. The Italian Sub Tray
Genoa salami, capicola, pepperoni and mortadella, with provolone and mozzarella. Add pepperoncini, roasted red peppers, olives and Italian dressing on the side, plus sub rolls. Love Italian? See the Italian antipasto board.
3. The Office Lunch Tray
The quadrant layout: turkey and Swiss, ham and cheddar, roast beef and pepper jack, salami and provolone. Add a bowl of pickles in the center and crackers and slider rolls on the side. Label each quadrant with a card. Feeding the whole office? Office party board.
4. The Game Day Tray
Pepperoni, summer sausage and smoked turkey with pepper jack, sharp cheddar and Colby jack cubes on toothpicks. Add pretzels, beer mustard and pickle spears. The full plan: game day board.
5. The Holiday Tray
Honey ham, smoked turkey and salami with white cheddar, Swiss and a wedge of brie. Add red grapes, rosemary sprigs, cranberries and pepper jelly. Lay it out in rings like a wreath. More ideas: Christmas appetizers and the Christmas charcuterie board.
6. The Budget Tray
Store-brand ham and turkey from the pre-packaged case, a block of cheddar and a block of Colby jack cut into cubes, a box of saltines, a bunch of grapes and a jar of pickles. It still looks full if you fill every gap. More savings: budget charcuterie board.
Store-bought platter vs making your own
| Make your own | Store deli platter | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Usually less for the same amount of food. A standard tray for 20 as the party food is about $150–$210 by our planner. | Usually more per pound, though prices vary widely by store. Some shoppers find warehouse platters overpriced next to buying the same items (The Daily Meal). |
| Choice | You pick every meat and cheese | Set menus |
| Time | 20 to 30 minutes per tray | Order ahead, then pick it up |
| Notice needed | None | Usually 24 hours or more, and longer in December |
| Looks | As nice as you make it | Plastic dome, flat rows |
Full cost breakdown by guest count: how much does a charcuterie board cost.
Our take: if you have 30 minutes, make it yourself. If you don't, buy the platter and spend 10 minutes upgrading it.
How to make a store-bought tray look homemade (10 minutes)
- Move it to a real platter or board. The plastic dome is what makes it look store-bought.
- Re-fold the meat. Roll the ham, fan the salami and fold the turkey into quarters.
- Cut the cheese into a new shape. Turn the squares into triangles.
- Add three things it doesn't have: a bowl of good mustard or pepper jelly, a pile of grapes, and a handful of olives or pickles.
- Fill the gaps and garnish with rosemary or parsley. Nobody will know.
Make ahead, transport and food safety
- Make ahead: build the meat and cheese up to 24 hours ahead. Press plastic wrap directly onto the food, then wrap the whole tray and refrigerate it. Add crackers, fruit and garnish just before serving. More: making a board the night before.
- Take it out early. Cold cheese has less flavor. Take the tray out 30 to 45 minutes before serving (up to an hour for aged cheddar). The meat needs only about 20 minutes, so you can add it then if you're building on the day.
- 2 hours, then swap. Perishable food shouldn't sit out more than 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F (USDA). For long parties, build two trays and keep the second one in the fridge.
- Taking it somewhere: carry it flat, wrapped and in a cooler, or pack the parts separately and build it when you arrive. See how to transport a charcuterie board.
- Leftovers: refrigerate within 2 hours and use within 3 to 5 days. Ideas: what to do with leftover charcuterie.
- Pregnant guests: the CDC advises heating deli meats until steaming before eating them (CDC). A warm slider tray is an easy fix. More: pregnancy-safe board.
Common mistakes
- Too small a tray. Everything piles up and slides. Size up, or use two.
- Shaved meat. It clumps and tears. Ask for thin.
- Crackers on the tray. They go soft against the meat. Serve them on the side.
- All-beige cheese. Mix colors: orange, white and flecked.
- Putting it all out at once for a long party. Refill from the fridge instead.
Sources
- USDA FSIS: What is the 2-hour rule for leaving food out?
- FoodSafety.gov: Cold Food Storage Chart
- CDC: Preventing Listeria Infection
- The Daily Meal: Every Costco Party Platter, Ranked
FAQ
How much meat and cheese do I need per person for a tray?
Plan 2 oz each of meat and cheese per guest when a meal follows, 3 oz each when the tray is the main party food, and 4 oz each when guests are making sandwiches for dinner. From 20 guests, add 10%. For 20 guests as the party food, that's about 4¼ lb of meat and 4½ lb of cheese.
What goes on a meat and cheese tray?
Three meats (usually ham, turkey and a salami or roast beef), three or four cheeses (such as cheddar, Swiss, pepper jack and provolone), crackers or small rolls, and a few fillers like grapes, olives, pickles and mustard.
How far ahead can I make a meat and cheese tray?
Up to 24 hours ahead. Fold the meat and cut the cheese, arrange them on the tray, press plastic wrap directly onto the food and refrigerate. Add crackers, fruit and garnishes just before serving.
Is it cheaper to make your own meat and cheese tray?
Usually, yes. Buying the meat and cheese by the pound and arranging it yourself typically gives you more food for the money than a ready-made deli platter, and you choose every meat and cheese. A store platter is worth it when you're short on time.
How long can a meat and cheese tray sit out?
No more than 2 hours at room temperature, or 1 hour above 90°F, according to the USDA. For long parties, put out half the tray and keep a second, fridge-cold tray ready to swap in.
