By a Pro: Fillable Letter Boxes | Dessert Table Displays

the idea

Turn smaller treats into a larger display by spelling out names, ages, words, or phrases with these fillable letter and number boxes / trays

fillable letter boxes filled with charcuterie on a party buffet table

letter shaped treat boxes spelling M&D filled with fruit on a party dessert table

the how

Choose from cardboard or plastic
Cardboard versions are approx 11″ x 7.5″ x 2″
Plastic versions are approx 9.5″ x 1.5″
Use to spell out names, ages, words, or phrases
Fill with candy, fruit, cheese & crackers, charcuterie, or other treats
Alternatively, use to create a ‘long & low’ centerpiece and fill with flowers or other decorative items

letter shaped treat boxes spelling Sam filled with charcuterie party food

number 90 shaped treat boxes filled with charcuterie

the why

This Idea

Centerpiece; doubles as a decorative dessert table centerpiece
Maximize budget; allows you to serve smaller quantities of more expensive treats and pad out with less expensive ones
Stand alone; can be set up in a different location to offer guests interim snacks to tide them over until the dessert table opens
Decor; turn the treats themselves into part of the theming and decor
Elevates; makes simple, everyday, store-bought, or filler treats more attractive
Customized; adds a personalized element to your dessert table display
Wow-factor; unusual presentation reinforces the idea that this is a special occasion
Dramatic; makes a big and bold impression to wow guests
Photo-worthy; a great photo-op for guests to share and tag on social media
Memorable; guests remember creative, unusual, or unexpected elements
Unusual; a less common dessert table display stand to impress guests
Re-usable; can be kept and reused for future events
Bestseller; an idea that’s proved popular with many of my site’s visitors

letter shaped treat boxes spelling Baby filled with charcuterie on a party food table

number 50 shaped treat boxes filled with cupcakes for a 50th birthday party

letter shaped treat boxes spelling SAM filled with candy

number 4 shaped treat boxes filled with charcuterie

the why

dessert table display stands

Height; prevents your dessert table looking flat, lifeless, and underwhelming
Groups; displaying one type of treat per container gives your dessert table a stylish, defined, and well-ordered look
Rows; arranging treats in rows lends a slick, modern, and professional appearance
Levels; different levels make the eye work harder to take everything in, resulting in exploration, discovery, and surprise
Visual Spectacle; a variety of different display stands, risers, serving trays, and containers prevents your dessert table looking dull and monotonous

letters A and B shaped treat boxes filled with charcuterie party food

number 25 shaped treat boxes filled with charcuterie for a 25th birthday party

ADVICE FROM A PRO

Matt’s tip

“These fillable letter boxes / trays are so versatile, you can fill them with all manner of sweet or savory treats, and they double really well as a ‘long & low’ centerpiece for you to build your display around.

In addition to spelling out names and ages, it can be quite fun to spell out short phrases and sayings too, e.g OMG 40, Let’s Party, 50 AF, Dance Till Dawn, Oh What Fun, Not Dead Yet, Please Leave By 9, Still Got It, Treat Yourself, etc.

Alternatively, spell out words relevant to the dessert / buffet table, such as Snacks, Nibbles, Eat, Yum etc.

I think these look best when you fill each letter / number with a mix of different treats, but you still want to arrange them in distinct groups by color or type of treat, rather than just mix them randomly. For example, in the letter A, you might have a cluster of grapes, followed by a cluster of strawberries, followed by a cluster of melon etc. This will create a color block effect and make for a more elegant and photo-worthy display.

You also want to make sure you pack all the treats in tightly, with minimal gaps between each group of treats or the sides of the letters, and ensure they come up to—or just above—the height of the letter.

Arranging treats into groups within each letter can also help maximize your budget because you can serve smaller quantities of more expensive treats and pad them out with less expensive ones.

Check out some of my other posts for treat ideas to fill these boxes / trays, such as personalized M&M’s, retro candy, cake truffles, chocolate truffles, freeze-dried candy, freeze-dried ice cream, gourmet marshmallows, custom photo marshmallows, boozy marshmallows, brownies, gourmet fudge, boozy fudge, chocolate covered strawberries, or savory and/or ‘filler’ items, such as boozy popcorn, gourmet savory popcorn, gourmet sweet popcorn, nuts / trail mix, pretzels, wasabi peas, and cheese & crackers.

Or just fill them with decorative items, such as artificial flowers (see links below), petals, leaves, or any small objects that might re-enforce your party theme.”