Thanksgiving doesn’t have to be a marathon of cooking, setting the table, and panicking about serving everything at the right time. This year, shake things up. We opt for a casual and creative approach, but we also stay festive. Enter: the Thanksgiving grazing table. It’s a big, beautiful spread where your guests can help themselves, taste everything and just vibe. The best part? With some easy recipes using Ocean Spray®you get all those classic Thanksgiving flavors, but with a fresh, modern twist.

A grazing table is the ultimate solution, easy to live with, but very aesthetic. Picture this: a rustic (or modern, or maximalist – whatever your style is, it’s suitable) deli-style spread that keeps the food flowing all day long. Start with the appetizers, add the sides, and make room for the main event on a photo-worthy table. Guests can snack, sip and socialize at their own pace.

How to Set Up the Perfect Grazing Table

The secret to a killer grazing board is balance. You want a little bit of everything – textures, flavors, colors – and you want it all to be easy to grasp. First of all, you want to think big. Grab some large wooden or ceramic boards (or a few smaller ones) to serve as the base of your grazing table. Rustic or elegant, it’s up to you, but make sure there’s room for all your holiday bites.

Then add the classics (cranberry flavors are a no-brainer). It’s Thanksgiving, so we’re not skipping the essentials: we’re just making them easier to graze. Cut your turkey into slices, add spoonfuls of cranberry and cream cheese dip directly on the boards, cook the stuffing in muffin tins and pour the mashed potatoes into small ramekins. It’s all about making things easy to eat while still being totally indulgent.

Key recipes from the grazing table

Cranberry Trail Mix: Start things off with a trail mix featuring Ocean Spray® Craisins® Dried Cranberries. Mix them with toasted nuts, pumpkin seeds and a pinch of cinnamon. It’s the perfect sweet and savory combo that guests will snack on all day long.

Cranberry Spread and Dip: Take Ocean Spray® Cranberry Sauce and turn it into a spread that begs to be paired with turkey or roasted vegetables. Stick to the classics by leaving your sauce as is, straight from the can: The Whole Fruit Cranberry Sauce is ideal for dipping or spreading, while the Jellied cranberry sauce This is best when you want something thinly sliced. Or you can switch it up by whisking either sauce into a tangy aioli, or mixing it with cream cheese for something mild and flavorful.

Small sparkling sips: Keep it festive with Ocean Spray® Cranberry Juice Cocktailcocktail mixers and bubbles. Set up a drinks stand with glasses, ice, garnishes, your NA liquors or spirits of choice, and a variety of sparkling flavors. Guests can have a drink whenever they want and you don’t have to worry about playing bartender.

Don’t forget the finishing touches

Last but not least: don’t forget to decorate. You can go as simple or extravagant as you want. Add some mini pumpkins, fresh herbs like rosemary, touches of red with Ocean Spray® Fresh Cranberriesor colorful fall leaves to make your board sing – there’s really no wrong way to do it. Don’t be afraid to play with height, either: stack treats on cake stands or bowls on top of each other to keep things interesting and, let’s be real, more photogenic.

A grazing board or table turns Thanksgiving into something even more relaxed. You always offer your guests all the best flavors. But you can actually enjoy the day with them. With this setup, your Thanksgiving will be one for the books (and your Instagram feed).