How to Decorate a Turkey Platter: 17 Easy and Stunning Ideas

Thanksgiving: Turkey in Disguise School Project. Today I’m sharing some fun turkey disguise ideas to do with your little ones. These are perfect for Thanksgiving school projects or just hanging out at home crafting with your kiddos. In addition to our pumpkin desserts, tiny turkey party ideas, and Thanksgiving crafts, we also have some ideas for fall party themes!

So fall at school is apparently the time of the crazy, crafty projects. My little first grader has been a whirlwind of detailed, creative projects. The crafty, party-loving side of me was yelling, “Wahoo…let’s get crafting!” over the turkey disguise projects, while the busy, working mom side of me was sobbing on the bathroom floor. Okay, so maybe I’m exaggerating a little bit—a lot—but trying to think of an amazing Turkey in disguise made me go to my favorite spot—the couch with my iPad and the Pinterest app—to get ideas.

I found a few awesome ideas, my favorites I’m sharing below. My daughter, however, had her little heart set on DARTH VADER. That moment when your six-year-old daughter selects Darth Vader—yes, that one—makes you realize you are a great mom and you are doing things correctly. Just saying….

A beautifully decorated turkey platter is the centerpiece of any Thanksgiving table. It’s the first thing your guests will see, and it sets the tone for the entire meal. But with so many options available it can be hard to know where to start.

Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! We’ve compiled 17 easy and stunning ideas for decorating your turkey platter, inspired by the experts at Design Mom and B. Lovely Events.

9 Secrets to Garnishing a Turkey Platter from Design Mom

Design Mom offers nine “secrets” to creating a beautiful turkey platter:

Think about your personal style. Choose a platter that matches your existing serving pieces and dishes.
Consider the size and weight of the turkey. Make sure the platter is large enough to support the weight of the turkey without being too heavy for someone to carry.
Start planning a few days in advance. This will give you time to gather all the necessary ingredients and decorations.
Think about the color scheme and mood you want to create. Consider the time of day, the occasion, and your personal preferences.
Use greenery as a base. Lettuces, kale, leafy herbs, and other salad greens are particularly lovely.
Add nuts for texture and color. Almonds, pecans, hazelnuts, walnuts, and chestnuts are all great options.
Incorporate pops of color with fruits and vegetables. Pomegranates, cranberries, quince, pears, persimmons, grapes, berries, citrus, figs, and whole unshelled nuts are all beautiful choices.
Use seasonal ingredients. Take advantage of what’s available at your local farmers market or grocery store.
Layer the ingredients. Start with the turkey, then add the greens, followed by the other elements, starting with larger items and ending with smaller ones.

Turkey Platter Garnish Ideas from B. Lovely Events

B Lovely Events offers a variety of beautiful turkey platter garnish ideas, including:

Sage, rosemary, cranberries, oranges, pomegranates, and grapes: These natural elements create a stunning and festive display.
Tangelos, citrus, and acorns with wild leaves: This combination is both elegant and rustic.
Cranberries, grapes, pears, sage, and lemons: This classic combination is always a crowd-pleaser.
Sugar-frosted fruit: This adds a touch of whimsy and sweetness to the platter.
Kumquats and persimmons: These unique fruits add a touch of sophistication.
Apples, sage, and rosemary: This simple combination is both beautiful and aromatic.

Additional Tips for Decorating a Turkey Platter

Here are a few additional tips for decorating your turkey platter:

Use edible garnishes. This way, your guests can enjoy them as part of the meal.
Get creative! There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to decorating a turkey platter. Use your imagination and have fun with it.
Don’t be afraid to experiment. Try different combinations of ingredients and colors to see what you like best.
Most importantly, have fun! Decorating your turkey platter should be a enjoyable experience.

With a little planning and creativity, you can easily create a stunning turkey platter that will impress your guests and make your Thanksgiving dinner even more special.

Turkey in Disguise: Mermaid Turkey

Come on, who doesn’t love Ariel? I’m pretty sure they cut off the feet to do this as well….sorry turkey:( You could easily make mermaid tail scales with painted paper plates and glitter!

Turkey in Disguise: Princess Leia and Wonder Woman

A turkey Princess Leia…also made by cutting out construction paper along with a turkey Wonder Woman! My girls love their sci-fi and comics!!! These were both done with the smae process of cutting a template and tracing onto card stock.

If you are a teacher or momma looking for a turkey template…this one is free and adorable!

Here are a few other ideas…

How to decorate turkey for Thanksgiving dinner!! | Just 10 minutes step – by -step | super EASY!

FAQ

What can I decorate my turkey with?

The pop of color from reds and oranges against the dark brown turkey and the leafy greens is so great. Pomegranates and cranberries are favorite holiday garnishes, but you could also include roasted beets or clusters of grapes. The grapes give the feeling of a bounteous feast when mixed with other gorgeous fruits.

How do you garnish a Thanksgiving turkey?

We chose roasted garlic, sliced persimmons, dried apricots, sage leaves, and dried oranges. Other options are roasted mini potatoes, cranberries, sliced apples, and pears. There is really no secret! All you have to do is roast the heads of garlic and the oranges.

What’s the best way to disguise a turkey?

Some kids choose to disguise a turkey as their favorite superhero, while others hide them under a Santa suit. One child might decide to use leaves to turn a turkey into a peacock instead, while another uses pom-poms to hide their turkey behind a gumball machine.

How to decorate a turkey platter?

If you want to minimally decorate the platter, opt for a sturdy platter that has a festive inlet or color design on it. This will add to your overall presentation without you having to pile on extra edibles to dress up the turkey. Leave the turkey whole and make it the centerpiece of a large platter display.

What can you put on a turkey platter?

Turkey platter garnish is such a added loveliness to your turkey. There are so many all natural choices you can do to decorate your platter. Sage, rosemary. cranberries, oranges, pomegranates and grapes just to name a few! When you combined them, the look gets even better.

How do you make a Turkey taste good?

Create a leafy base underneath the turkey using fresh herbs. Leaves and sprigs of herbs can add color and flavor to your platter, and will also keep your turkey from slipping off the platter. Opt for herb flavors that will complement the turkey meat and not take away from it.

How do you make a Turkey Pretty on a platter?

Now it’s time to talk about making that turkey pretty on the platter! You put in a lot of effort when preparing a Thanksgiving turkey — roasting it for hours and hours, lifting the heavy pan to rotate the turkey, making sure it doesn’t burn, checking the temperature, etc, etc.