Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Build the flag tray
- Place a large rectangular wooden board, sheet pan, or serving tray on a flat surface. Keep it ready for arranging dense rows so the colors stay crisp and aligned.
- In the upper left corner, fill a rectangle densely with fresh blueberries to form the canton. Press the berries close together so the blue section looks solid.
- Create the red stripes by arranging rows of halved fresh strawberries and folded pepperoni slices across the length of the board. Alternate strawberry halves with pepperoni folds so each red stripe reads clearly.
- Fill in the white stripes with rows of white cheddar cubes and crackers alternating between the red rows. Arrange evenly so the white bands are straight and visually balanced.
- Use pretzel sticks to define the stripe borders if needed for clean lines. Tuck them along the edges of the rows for a sharper separation between red and white.
Finish and serve
- Place a small bowl of cream cheese or ranch dip in one corner of the tray. Tuck the dip bowl near the blue section for easy grabbing.
- Tuck rosemary sprigs at the edges for garnish if using. Serve immediately so the fruit and crackers look fresh.
Notes
For the cleanest stripes, lay out a dry work zone and arrange in rows from one end of the tray to the other, stepping back to check alignment every 2–3 stripes. Store leftovers covered in the fridge up to 1 day; the tray looks best the same day. Freezing is not recommended because fruit and crackers won’t hold texture. For a lighter option, swap some pepperoni with deli turkey slices while keeping the same stripe layout.