While double dipping is a party felony, guests love dips so much they may forget their manners. Instead of giving them a shameful stare, give them an option.

Invest in mini cracker varieties such as Huntley & Palmers Sesameal Minis. This sends two messages to your guests: 1. I understand your dip-to-cracker-ratio needs, and 2. I’ve made an effort for you, please make the same effort for me.

The pairing of cheese with crackers is a delicate dance between flavours both rich and varied.

Strong cheeses are meant to be savoured, so pair them with a lighter cracker like Huntley & Palmers Wafer Thins or Water Crackers. Alternately, calmer cheeses such as Camembert and havarti allow more flavourful crackers to shine. Experiment and find your perfect balance.

When arranging crackers on a tray, take care to keep like crackers together instead of mixing them all together willy-nilly. The crackers will appreciate being with their peers, and your guests will appreciate knowing exactly where to find their favourite variety without the unsightly need to dig around.

Flavoured crackers are meant to compliment your toppings, not compete with them. Using an ingredient as a topping that’s already baked into the cracker confuses the palette and can put your tastebuds into a tailspin.

Avoid flavour infighting by keeping like ingredients apart. Distance the cheese tray from cheese flavoured crackers and keep the veggie crackers clear of the veggie platter.