Sunny Yellow Citrus Burst (Printable Page)

Bright yellow fruits, cheeses, nuts on a colorful board with citrus centered for sunny freshness.

# What You Need:

→ Fresh Fruit

01 - 1 large pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into bite-sized wedges
02 - 2 ripe mangoes, peeled and sliced
03 - 2 golden kiwis, peeled and sliced
04 - 1–2 bananas, sliced (optional; add just before serving to avoid browning)
05 - 1 lemon, sliced into thin rounds (reserve one slice for the center)
06 - 1 orange, sliced into rounds (optional; can be used as the centerpiece)

→ Vegetables

07 - 2 yellow bell peppers, seeded and sliced into strips
08 - 1 cup yellow cherry tomatoes, halved
09 - 1 cup baby yellow carrots, peeled and trimmed

→ Cheese & Dairy

10 - 5 oz aged Gouda cheese, cubed
11 - 5 oz yellow cheddar, cubed
12 - 1 cup lemon curd, served in a small bowl for dipping

→ Crackers & Extras

13 - 1 cup yellow corn tortilla chips or gluten-free crackers
14 - ½ cup roasted salted cashews or macadamia nuts
15 - ½ cup dried apricots
16 - Honeycomb or a small jar of honey (optional, for drizzling)

# Steps:

01 - Place a large round slice of lemon or orange in the center of a large serving board or platter as the sun.
02 - Arrange pineapple, mango, golden kiwis, and other fruits in radiating lines outward from the central citrus slice, alternating colors for visual contrast.
03 - Fan out yellow bell pepper strips, cherry tomatoes, and baby carrots in sunburst patterns around the fruits.
04 - Nestle cubes of Gouda and cheddar cheese around the arranged fruits and vegetables.
05 - Place a small bowl of lemon curd near the edge of the board with a spoon for dipping.
06 - Fill remaining gaps with corn tortilla chips, roasted nuts, dried apricots, and optionally honeycomb or honey for drizzling.
07 - Serve immediately, ensuring perishable items remain chilled until ready to eat.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Zero cooking required, which means you can spend time with your guests instead of being stuck in the kitchen
  • The bright yellow arrangement is so beautiful it becomes the centerpiece of any gathering, and people photograph it before they even taste it
  • Every bite feels like a small adventure—sweet mangoes, tangy citrus, creamy cheese, and that unexpected crunch of nuts all work together
  • It's naturally flexible, so you can swap ingredients based on what looks good at the market without changing the spirit of the board
02 -
  • Wet ingredients release moisture that will soften your crackers and make cheese slide around. Do your final board assembly no more than 30 minutes before serving, and keep everything chilled until the last possible moment.
  • The size and shape of your platter matters more than you'd think. A round board creates the most beautiful sunburst effect, but a long rectangular platter works too—just think of it as rays stretching in two directions instead of all around.
  • Yellow has a surprisingly short visual window on a grazing board. Fruits oxidize, bananas brown, cheese can look tired. This is why timing matters. Make it, serve it, enjoy it while it's at its most beautiful.
03 -
  • Buy your citrus fruit a day ahead and keep it at room temperature. Cold lemons and oranges don't have as much flavor—they need warmth to express their brightness.
  • If you're making this for a hot day, freeze small food-safe ice packs and tuck them underneath your board on the platter. It keeps everything cool without getting things wet.
  • The moment someone reaches for the first piece is the moment the board stops being decoration and becomes experience. That's exactly what it's meant for.
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