One of my favorite ways to catch up with friends is over a healthy snack tray.

Here’s my simple formula for a healthy cheese tray: one hard cheese, one soft cheese, a thinly sliced apple, a couple of kinds of berries, olives, nuts, gluten-free crackers and a few squares of dark chocolate. Put the two cheeses on opposite sides of a flat platter, tuck the little things into small bowls, and fill in the gaps. It takes me about 10 minutes, and it’s just right for two to four people before dinner.

We make this almost every Friday night before dinner to relax and chat over a glass of wine or kombucha. This type of tray is great for two to four people before dinner, and it’s really easily scaled for bigger crowds.

You can make your snack tray gluten-free by using only gluten-free crackers and ingredients, or just leave off the crackers. We like Simple Mills almond flour crackers, homemade almond flour crackers, or Lesley Stowe oat crisps. You can make a totally dairy-free tray by using only nut cheeses. We eat mostly dairy-free but like to have goat cheese every once in a while. I listed all of the exact brands used in this photo below.

To build any snack tray, pick a theme and pair ingredients that go well together. Fruits, nuts and cheese are always a safe bet. I also love things like hummus and smoked salmon, but I save those for a more savory plate as they pair better with vegetables.

Healthy Snack Tray Essentials:

• 1 hard cheese, like goat milk gouda, sheep’s milk cheese, or nut milk cheese
• 1 soft cheese, like goat cheese or almond milk cream cheese
• 1 apple, thinly sliced
• 1-2 types of berries
• 1-2 types of olives
• 1-2 types of nuts
• 1-2 types of gluten-free crackers
• dark chocolate squares (1-2 per person)

How to Build It:

Step 1: Start with your platter or tray. I like to use something flat to prevent everything sliding to the middle. Place your two cheeses, the apple, and a few small dishes on the tray to see how much room you have. For an easy arrangement, place your two cheeses opposite each other.

Step 2: Prepare the cheeses. Here I put the almond milk cream cheese in a bowl and cut about half of the large block into pieces. I mix 1/2 cup of almond milk cream cheese with a few teaspoons of honey and a pinch of sea salt for a slightly sweet spread that’s good on both the crackers and fruit. Next, slice the apple into thin slices. I like to add a few leaves under the apple and cheese, almost opposite each other for an extra pretty look. The leaves in this photo were from some oranges at the grocery store and cost less than a dollar. Any leaves from a fruit tree work great.

Step 3: Use a few small bowls for some of the ingredients. Things that roll around like olives and blueberries are great for little bowls.

Step 4: Fill in the empty spaces with the rest of your ingredients and, voilà! You’ll have a beautiful snack tray everyone will love.

Healthy Cheese Tray FAQs

How much cheese do I need for a cheese tray?

For two to four people before dinner, one hard cheese and one soft cheese is plenty. For a bigger crowd, add another cheese or two and scale up the fruit, nuts and crackers to match. This tray is really easy to make bigger.

What goes on a healthy cheese board?

Fruit, nuts and cheese are always a safe bet. I add olives, gluten-free crackers and a little dark chocolate. I save things like hummus and smoked salmon for a more savory plate with vegetables, since that’s what they pair best with.

How do I make a cheese tray dairy-free or gluten-free?

Swap in gluten-free crackers (or skip the crackers altogether), and use nut cheeses like almond milk cream cheese in place of dairy. We eat mostly dairy-free, but I do love a little goat cheese every once in a while.

Can I make a cheese tray ahead of time?

Mostly! Arrange the cheeses, olives and nuts, cover the tray and keep it in the fridge. Slice the apple and add the crackers right before serving so the apple doesn’t brown and the crackers stay crisp.

Hosting this season? Find more ideas in my Easy & Healthy Holiday Appetizers, and don’t miss The BEST Goat Cheese Dip.

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How to Build a Healthy Cheese Snack Tray

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• Author: Elizabeth Rider
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 10 minutes
• Yield: 4

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Description

This snack tray is perfect for 2-4 people for a pre-dinner or happy hour snack. Use more or less of anything depending on your personal tastes.

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Ingredients

Units USM

• 1 hard cheese, we use Midnight Moon goat gouda
• 1 soft cheese, we use 1/2 cup Kite Hill almond milk cream cheese mixed with 2 teaspoons honey and a pinch of sea salt
• 1 red apple, sliced thin
• 1/4 cup blueberries
• 1/4 cup blackberries, or other berries
• 6-8 green olives
• 6-8 black olives
• 1/4 cup almonds
• 1/4 cup pecans
• Simple Mills gluten-free almond flour crackers
• Lesley Stowe gluten-free oat crisp crackers (not pictured here)
• dark chocolate squares (1-2 per person)

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Instructions

1. Arrange all ingredients on a large flat tray or plate. Use small bowls or dishes for a few of the ingredients to add depth and variation.

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Notes

Generic ingredients list to build your own:

1 hard cheese, like goat milk gouda, sheep’s milk cheese, or nut milk cheese
1 soft cheese, like goat cheese or almond milk cream cheese
1 apple, sliced thin
1-2 types of berries
1-2 types of olives
1-2 types of nuts
1-2 types of gluten-free crackers
dark chocolate squares (1-2 per person)

Enjoy!