Summer is snack time — and these DIY paper snack trays are a simple, stylish way to upgrade your backyard BBQ, Father’s Day celebration, or Fourth of July gathering. I partnered with Cricut to create printable, easy-to-assemble trays that hold hot dogs, chips, and other picnic favorites. They’re lightweight, disposable, and can be cut with a Cricut machine or by hand if you don’t own one.
What you’ll need:
Cricut Explore or other cutting machine + cutting mat (optional)
White cardstock (heavyweight works best)
Printable snack tray design file
Bone folder and ruler for scoring
Glue stick for assembly
Step-by-step instructions:
- Open the snack tray project in Cricut Design Space and click “Make It Now.” If you use the Print Then Cut feature for the first time, follow the on-screen calibration instructions. Then print the tray designs onto your cardstock.
- Place the printed sheet on your Cricut cutting mat and follow the prompts to cut the pieces. If you do not have a cutting machine, skip this step and carefully cut the printed shapes by hand with scissors or a craft knife.
- Use a ruler and bone folder to score the fold lines as shown in the photos. Scoring makes crisp, clean folds and helps the tray hold its shape.
- Apply glue to the tabs, fold the sides up, and adhere the tabs to form the tray. Press firmly and let the glue set for a moment before filling the tray with snacks.
If you don’t own a Cricut: you can still make these trays. Print the design, then cut and score by hand before gluing. Hand-cutting takes more time but produces the same finished result.
Photos by Jeff Mindell
These snack trays are perfect for entertaining because they’re customizable, easy to store, and inexpensive to reproduce. Make a batch in advance for parties, or prepare a few on the spot to keep things tidy at your next cookout. They’re great for portioning food, reducing shared touch points, and adding a little handmade charm to your summer gatherings.
Happy BBQ, picnic, and party-making!
This post was created in partnership with Cricut. All content and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the sponsors that help keep Studio DIY going.