Start with the star of the platter: Cheese! When brainstorming cracker and cheese tray ideas, remember that it's best to provide a few different varieties of cheese since your guests' tastes can vary.

Cheese and crackers can be anything from a stack of thin wafers and shavings from the family block of Edam, to a carefully curated array of hard, soft, sharp and mild cheeses with gourmet crackers ...