Thanksgiving Appetizers: Turkey Meat and Cheese Tray

Thanksgiving appetizers aren’t usually the talk of the table. Generally they’re just the same old meat and cheese trays and vegetable dips. Tasty, sure, but boring. If you’re looking for a dish that’s sure to impress, look no further than this turkey meat and cheese tray!

This meat and cheese turkey platter checks all of my boxes. For one, it’s pretty impressive. Bring this turkey shaped cheese and crackers tray to any Thanksgiving celebration, whether it’s your office potluck or the Thanksgiving dinner, and you’ll get positive feedback.

It’s also simple. This turkey meat and cheese tray comes together in about 30 minutes. Plus, it doesn’t require any cooking, which is a good thing since at my house there is never enough oven or stovetop space to go around on Thanksgiving.

I also love this meat and cheese turkey platter because I know it’ll get devoured. Honestly? It might disappear faster than the actual turkey! Having leftovers can be nice but I absolutely hate wasting food, so it’s really nice not to have to worry about that with this dish.

Lastly, this turkey cheese tray is flexible. You’ll already save money by avoiding one of those pre-made meat and cheese trays, but you can cut costs (and stress) further by using ingredients you already have on hand or ingredients that happen to be on sale. So, if your hubby forgot the pepperoni, no worries! Just use hard salami throughout.

See, there’s definitely a lot to like about this adorable turkey meat and cheese tray!

Turkey Meat and Cheese Tray Ingredients

Hard salami
Pepperoni
Club cracker snack sticks
Cheddar cheese
Mozzarella cheese
French bread loaf
Candy eyes

Turkey Meat and Cheese Tray Materials

Bone shaped cookie cutter
Snowman cookie cutter
Cutting board
Platter

Turkey Meat and Cheese Tray Directions

1. Slice off a 5″ piece of French bread.

2. Cut the piece of bread in half crosswise (see image below) and place it on the platter with the jagged (cut) side at the bottom of the platter.

3. Take a piece of cheddar cheese and cut out a small triangle; place it in the middle of the French bread (for the Turkey’s nose).

4. Take a piece of pepperoni, cut a small piece off, and place it so that it “pokes out” from under the piece of cheddar cheese.

5. Place 2 candy eyes above the triangle; now the piece of French bread should look like a turkey’s face.

6. Place a row of hard salami around the bread.

7. Use half of the bone shaped cookie cutter to cut the mozzarella cheese (see image below).

8. Use the round end of the snowman cookie cutter to cut the cheddar cheese (see image below).

9. At the top of the platter, begin fanning out your cut cheeses alternating between cheddar and mozzarella.

10. Place a row of club crackers so that they overlap the cheese; leaving spaces between your crackers (see image below)

11. Place a row of pepperoni below the club crackers (but overlapping slightly).

12. Keep rotating your different cheeses, club crackers, and meats around the French bread (turkey’s head) until your turkey shaped cheese and crackers tray is complete.

Enjoy your meat and cheese turkey platter appetizer!

Did you try out this turkey cheese tray? Did you make any changes? Share your feedback and experience in the comments!

Still hungry after this meat and cheese turkey platter? Get more Thanksgiving deliciousness here:

• Turkey cheeseball recipe
• Easy pumpkin cheesecake recipe

Oh, and keep those little hands entertained with these fun Thanksgiving activities for preschoolers.

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Turkey Meat and Cheese Tray

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Thanksgiving appetizers aren’t usually the talk of the table, but that’s about to change with this cute turkey meat and cheese tray. Trust me, this easy turkey shaped cheese and crackers tray will be gobbled up in no time.

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Ingredients

• Hard salami
• Pepperoni
• Club cracker snack sticks
• Cheddar cheese
• Mozzarella cheese
• French bread loaf
• Candy eyes
• Knife
• Bone Shaped Cookie Cutter
• Snowman Cookie Cutter

Instructions

1. Slice off a 5″ piece of French bread.
2. Cut the piece of bread in half crosswise and place it on the platter with the jagged (cut) side at the bottom of the platter.
3. Take a piece of cheddar cheese and cut out a small triangle; place it in the middle of the French bread (for the Turkey’s nose).
4. Take a piece of pepperoni, cut a small piece off, and place it so that it “pokes out” from under the piece of cheddar cheese.
5. Place 2 candy eyes above the triangle; now the piece of French bread should look like a turkey’s face.
6. Place a row of hard salami around the bread.
7. Use half of the bone shaped cookie cutter to cut the mozzarella cheese.
8. Use the round end of the snowman cookie cutter to cut the cheddar cheese.
9. At the top of the platter, begin fanning out your cut cheeses alternating between cheddar and mozzarella.
10. Place a row of club crackers so that they overlap the cheese; leaving spaces between your crackers.
11. Place a row of pepperoni below the club crackers (but overlapping slightly).
12. Keep rotating your different cheeses, club crackers, and meats around the French bread (turkey’s head).