Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Build the flag tray
- Use a large rectangular wooden board, sheet pan, or serving tray so you have room to layer straight stripes. Keep everything at the ready for quick assembly so the fruit stays fresh.
- In the upper left corner, fill a rectangle densely with blueberries to form the canton. Press the berries together so the blue section stays clearly defined in the overhead flat lay.
- Create the red stripes by arranging rows of halved strawberries and folded pepperoni slices across the length of the board. Keep each row even to maintain crisp, flag-like spacing.
- Fill in the white stripes with rows of white cheddar cubes and crackers alternating between the red rows. Arrange them tightly so the stripes read as solid white bands.
- Use pretzel sticks to define the stripe borders if needed for clean lines. Place them lengthwise as separators for a sharper, more geometric look.
- Place a small bowl of cream cheese or ranch dip in one corner. Tuck rosemary sprigs at the edges, then serve immediately for best texture.
Notes
For the cleanest flag stripes, dry the strawberries well after halving so the rows don’t weep onto the crackers. Refrigerate assembled leftovers covered for up to 1 day; the fruit is the first to soften. Freezing is not recommended. If you want a dairy-light option, swap the cheddar cubes for a reduced-fat cheese or use a thicker hummus-style dip instead of cream cheese/ranch while keeping the same striped pattern.