Good Afternoon Fan Friends,

As the summer months approach nothing quite hits the spot on a hot, humid day like a fruit salad. Fruit Salad is one of my go-to dessert recipes whether I’m a guest at a BBQ or binge-watching Sex and the City re-runs on E! I love it because as a busy woman on the go, it’s quick and easy to throw together, and also a great way to get a serving of a variety of fresh fruit.

I made this salad with pineapple, grapes, and mango, but you can use any fruit that you’d prefer. Please bear in mind that I am not a dietitian or nutritionist so if you make this recipe you do so at your own risk. Always consult a doctor or medical professional about nutritional information. Never make any changes to your diet without first consulting a licensed professional. I am NOT to be held liable, please read the food and recipe DISCLAIMER thoroughly before proceeding.

Now that’s out of the way, back to the good stuff! What I love about this fruit salad is that it takes a total time of 10 minutes to throw together. I like to refrigerate it for at least two hours to let the flavors come together and get cold. The most time-consuming part of the prep is washing off and cutting up the different fruits.

I usually serve this fruit salad recipe plain for dessert or as a side dish but my Mother’s recipe for a fruit salad dressing is super light, decadent and I needed to include it. Fruit salad will last in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, when sealed tightly with plastic wrap.

I don’t recommend freezing fruit salad because the fruit will be soft when defrosted and the salad won’t seem as fresh. If you have leftover fruit salad and want to freeze it, you can store it in plastic bags and use it for other recipes like smoothies or fruit syrups later. This fruit salad recipe will stay fresh when covered and kept refrigerated, and typically won’t turn brown or oxidize.

Here’s what you need for the fruit salad:

• The fruit of your choice. (To save time I usually get the pre-cut fresh fruit & rinse off thoroughly.) I used pre-cut pineapples, mangoes and red grapes.
• A large bowl.
• Salad mixing tools or two large spoons.
• Plastic wrap

If you want to include the dressing as well you will need the following:

• One block cream cheese.
• One 14 oz (0.53 kg) can sweetened condensed milk.
• One teaspoon vanilla.
• Two tablespoons lemon juice.

Instructions:

• Carefully wash your fruit to ensure any access dirt or debris is cleansed.
• With a standard kitchen knife, carefully slice open and chop up your fruit into bite sized pieces.
• Combine fruit pieces into a large bowl big enough to accommodate your fruits of choice and mix!
• Cover fruit with plastic wrap and begin chilling it while working on your fruit dressing* (this is optional!)

• Soften the cream cheese and mix in the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, and lemon juice completely with a mixer.

• Allow dressing and fruit salad to chill 1-2 hours before enjoying!

For best results only use fresh fruit, not frozen in this fruit salad. Frozen fruit is mushy once thawed and watery so it won’t work the same here unfortunately. Keep in mind though that you can use other fruits that are in season, it’s not a ‘one size fits all’ recipe. If you’re like me, and feel super lazy on any given day you can always buy the fresh pre-cut fruit to cut down on even more time. Just make sure to give it a rinse before adding it in (better safe than sorry).

I recommend eating this salad within 3-4 days of making it. Granted, if I happen to have any left over on day 5 or 6 of course I still eat it but it’s not quite as good as it was within the first 3-4 days.

If you’ve bought the pre-cut fruit I recommend chopping the fruits up into almost baby bites and always up to 1 day in advance. I didn’t make the dressing this time around but when I do I also make the dressing a day in advance.

Allow it to refrigerate overnight before taking it out of your fridge the following day. You’ll need to let dressing rest at room temperature for at least 20 minutes too. I recommend tossing the fruit and dressing together when you’re ready to serve it.

Pro Tips for Perfect Fruit Salad:

• Use a variety of fruit. Just because I’m using pineapple, mango and grapes doesn’t mean you have to. You can literally use just about any fresh fruit will work here but if you’re going to a party and want the wow factor, I recommend using a blend to add a variety of flavor and eye-catching color.

• Use ripened fruit. As in, you may need to plan ahead and buy the pineapple and mango nearly a week in advance because they take time to ripen.

In an effort to keep you as informed as possible I’ve provided a nutritional cheat sheet courtesy of my friends over at HappyForks! Please note that these are only estimates. For more information in tracking what’s in your recipes you can visit them by clicking HERE!

As always, I’d like to thank each and every one of you for following along with me on this blogging journey. We’ve reached 55 follows and I am both incredibly humbled and exceedingly blessed. I’ve learned so much and I’m looking to creating more fantastic content for you to enjoy. If you have any topics you’d like me weigh in on, recipes and products you’d like me try, or plants you’d like me to try not to kill, please drop a comment below or e-mail me at: fridayswithbrittany@gmail.com ! I’d love to hear from you!