Super Simple Fruit Salad

No need to chop up fruit or make a special dressing for this simple fruit salad. This comes together in under 5 minutes, offering so much color and flexibility. Using a special combination of fruit, it’s perfect for serving a crowd or simply getting more mileage out of your fruit each week. Don’t forget the marshmallows!

Fruit salads typically aren’t too complicated, and you may be thinking “do I even need a recipe?”

Yes. You do.

If your house is anything like mine, the kids eat fruit so fast. One carton of berries can be gobbled in minutes!

I’m sharing this idea to help you:

• get more bang for your buck
• enjoy more variety
• keep things simple

This is my favorite way to fruit salad.

So easy, so satisfying, and so many have asked me about it because it’s so simple, yet a bit unexpected with the combination of fruit.

Quick and Simple Fruit Salad Recipe

This healthy fruit salad combines frozen fruit, canned fruit and fresh fruit to create a sunny bowl of color and fun. Be sure to top it with a few marshmallows for a little extra sweet.

Serve for breakfast, BBQ’s or even bless a new mom as part of a meal train. Tip: This is a great recipe to incorporate into your simple meal prep.

Ingredients

Just a few ingredients needed for this bowl of yum.

• Frozen Mixed Fruit, thawed— a blend of peaches, mango, pineapple and strawberries!
• Canned Mandarin Oranges
• Grapes
• Marshmallows, optional

How to Make Fruit Salad

Here’s how to make fruit salad step by step with pictures. You can’t go wrong. Just remember the concept– frozen, fresh, canned!

Prepare Fruit

1. Defrost frozen fruit. I do this by putting in dish on the countertop or putting in fridge.
2. Drain canned mandarin oranges, reserving about 1/4 cup of juice! Set aside.
3. Slice grapes into halves (or thirds if large).

Combine Fruit

1. Combine mixed fruit and grapes together. Fold in mandarin oranges.
2. Pour mandarin orange juice over the top and give a little stir.

Enjoy

1. Top with marshmallows (if desire)
2. Serve or store in fridge.

Tips/Tricks

• Slice those extra-large chunks of frozen fruit (like the pineapple, mango strawberries) into smaller pieces.
• Use whatever combination of fruits you have (or what’s on sale!)
• You can cut up and prepare the fruits the night before. However, I suggest mixing it all together right before serving.
• Place a silicone lid over your bowl and store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days
• You could also top with whipped cream for an extra sweet treat.

What are the best fruits to put in fruit bowl?

Grapes are typically my go-to when it comes to the fresh fruit. They are cheap and you get a lot. But here’s some other ideas to toss in. Have fun and add or subtract as needed!

Ingredient ideas for fresh fruit

• Watermelon
• Strawberries
• Blueberries
• Black berries
• Raspberries
• Grapes
• Oranges (and mandarin oranges)
• Cantaloupe
• Kiwi

What fruits should not be mixed in fruit salad?

There’s really no rules here. However, I would caution against fruits such as bananas or apples because they will brown and turn mushy. If you do include them, toss them on right before serving.

Also, dried fruit hardens when cold so be mindful if adding in a little bit for a topping (I’ve tossed some dried blueberries in before for extra color).

Stick with frozen mixed fruit or tropical fruit in this recipe to avoid leftover salad turning a messy, purple color. You can use that frozen berry blend for my 3 ingredient ice cream 😉

Benefits of this healthy fruit salad

This recipe is ideal because I still have fruit leftover after making this salad. For example, I buy 32 oz bag of frozen fruit (like this), so I’ll start out by just using half which leaves me with enough for smoothies or another fruit salad.

And with only using a handful of grapes, I still have a good portion of the bunch for other snacks/meals.

Here’s some other benefits:

• No added sugar. Many salads call for sugar. This one is sweetened by just a bit of the juice that you usually drain away. I always love being able to use that juice, it’s so yummy! Obviously skip the marshmallows if sugar is a concern.
• Flexible— with the combination of fresh, frozen and canned you can easily change up amounts or ingredients based on what you have or what’s on sale
• Quick— Only 3 ingredients! Save time on washing and slicing compared to salads that call for all fresh fruit.
• Save money— frozen fruit can be a great way to get more “exotic” fruits at a great price. Canned mandarin oranges are inexpensive. Grapes go a long way.
• Healthy Nutrition Profile— fiber, vitamins and antioxidants that work to improve digestion, help maintain healthy weight and repair/heal tissue (Vit C as example).

Overall, this dish is a great way to add color into your week. With the ease, taste and benefits, it’s bound to nourish your heart, mind, body and soul.

Take care!

Looking for something Similiar?

For more recipes that offer a lot of color, please check out:

• Mexican Tuna Salad
• One Dish Cheeseburger Skillet
• Canned Pineapple Salsa

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