Looking for a refreshing and healthy way to cool off on a hot summer’s day? Try these quick and easy Healthy Summer Salads with Fruit - Perfect idea for a picnic, BBQ, brunch, or shower. Serve these fruity salads alongside our Green Chicken Kababs, Bacon Wrapped Sausage Stuffed Pork Tenderloin or our many other Summer Grilling and Chilling Recipes for a perfect summer dinner plan.
Not only are these fruity salads packed with nutrients, but they are refined sugar free - delicious clean eats. We’ve included helpful hacks on how to keep fruit fresher longer, a "Fruit Flavor Pairing Chart" and numerous fresh fruit salads recipes for all your summer gatherings.
Jump to:
- What’s to Love
- Grow Together – Stay Together
- The Basics!
- How to make a Fruit Salad Taste Better?
- Why does Fruit Turn Brown?
- How do you keep fruit from browning in a salad?
- What to Serve With?
- Try these Recipes
- Tomato = Vegetable or Fruit?
- Dressings and Vinaigrettes
- Frequent Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
- More Delicious Salads
What’s to Love
If you’ve been craving a bright and colorful fruit salad with a homemade zippy dressing, we have just what you’ve been looking for. Don’t worry! Theses healthy salads do NOT contain mayonnaise, ambrosia marshmallows, or whipped topping, (or any of those weird creamy questionable things) so they are less likely to spoil at a picnic.
Many of these salads can be made in advance allowing you extra time to fire up the grill and entertain your guests. Elegant fruit cocktails are always a crowd pleaser at a potluck and add a splash of color to your dining table. Let’s explore what fruit salad options might be best for your menu plan.
Grow Together – Stay Together
Did you know that things that grow together are delicious in a recipe together? It’s nature’s delicious and easy way of helping us with menu planning. That’s convenient, right?
If you walked through a farmer’s market right now, you’d find items that have been grown locally. These items may differ from state to state or country to country, but the concept remains the same.
What grows together – stays together!
Here is a very simple example… In mid-August, you might be able to find freshest tomatoes and basil in the Midwest. Caprese Salad on a Stick is extra delicious because the ingredients are in peak season and pair wonderfully together.
The Basics!
- There are no set rules for what can or can’t go in a fruit salad. However, paying attention to what grows together – stays together is an easy way to decide what to include.
- Choose the base for your healthy summer salad (leafy greens, grains, main fruits, or other vegetables).
- Add in your favorite seasonal fruits
- Select fresh herbs and spices
- Drizzle with your favorite light and bright sweet fruit salad dressing
- Try adding in fun textures like nuts, seeds, crispy tortillas, etc.
- Add in grilled protein of choice like grilled chicken, Marinated Grilled Flank Steaks, Grilled Halloumi Cheese, etc.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve.
How to make a Fruit Salad Taste Better?
- For a healthy fruit salad recipe, try these seasonal fruit, vegetable, spice, and herb combinations for a pop of flavor.
If you wish to use this handy Fruit Salad Pairing Chart on your website, just copy and paste the HTML code below. Please give credit to Healthy World Cuisine and link to our website. Thanks!
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- Drizzle on a zippy dressing or vinaigrette with orange, lemon, or other citrus fruits. The sweet and sour balance is key.
- Add some texture like toasted nuts, seeds, crunch tortilla strips and crispy lettuces.
Why does Fruit Turn Brown?
Excuse us while we get a little food science nerdy for a moment…
Do you remember this from science class? All fruits have enzymes that are release when they are cut and exposed to air. These enzymes start to break down the fruit. This process is known as oxidation or enzymatic browning.
Polyphenol Oxidase (enzyme) +O2 (oxygen) = Melanin (brown color /pigment)
I bet you wondering if it is safe to eat that apple you just cut up because it is starting to brown? Right? Of course, you can but it is not very aesthetically pleasing. Is it?
How do you keep fruit from browning in a salad?
Try these easy hacks!
- Chopped apples and pears will last longer if you place them in “salted water” overnight. This is a cheap method we learned whilst living in Japan making bento boxes. Just drain and rinse the apples or pears before putting them in a salad or a packed lunch box.
- Toss your fruit in a citrus juice like lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit, or pomelo. The acid in citrus juice inactivates the enzyme, polyphenol oxidase, when it is exposed to air.
- Along those same lines, tossing cut fruit with acidic fruits like oranges, grapefruits or pineapples can also help prevent browning.
- Soak your fruit like apples and pear in a bath of 2 tablespoons of honey and 1 cup of water for just a minute or two before adding it to your summer salads.
What to Serve With?
Are you looking for some healthy dinner meal plan ideas? These healthy summer salads with fruits can be served as a main or as a side dish. Try these ideas!
Pork is always more delicious with something a little sweet on the side. Don’t you think? Thai Pork Basil Skewers are delicious with our zesty Prik Nam Pla Dipping sauce and a side of our Thai Shrimp Mango Salad.
Chicken gets a whole new flavorful profile with our Peking Style Beer Butt Chicken and Layered high Sesame Asian Salad.
Fish that tastes like steak always gets a thumbs up with our family. Grilled Swordfish with Crab Salsa is delicious with a fresh garden salad with a Lemon White Balsamic Vinaigrette.
Beef - Grilled Flank Steak with Thai Style Chimichurri complements the naturally sweet, tangy, sour and spicy Grilled Watermelon Salad.
Vegan options include a Super Easy Grilled Asian Eggplant with a hearty Easy Summer Millet Salad because tomatoes are a fruit too.
Try these Recipes
Tomato = Vegetable or Fruit?
You are correct! Tomatoes are both a fruit and vegetable. I know, confusing, right?
From the botanical classification, tomatoes are fruits because it has seeds that grows from the ovary of a flowering plant.
On the other hand, from the culinary classification tomatoes are vegetables because of their flavor profile and the edible part of the plant is usually eaten as part of a meal.
Give these chopped fruit salads with tomatoes a try at your next barbeque.
Dressings and Vinaigrettes
What’s a salad without a fruity salad dressing? Right? It’s Just a boring fruit cocktail or cut up fruit. Make your summer salads with fruits come alive with these bright and zippy dressings.
Frequent Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
The best way to keep a fruit salad crisp is to keep it stored in the refrigerator in a sealed container with a lid. Choose whole fruits like blueberries and grapes. Pineapple also lasts a long time in the refrigerator without getting soggy. Melons, like watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew, tend to get soggy quicker than other fruits. Bananas should only be cut right before serving summer salads with fruit.
Fruit salads are best enjoyed in the first 24 hours prepared. However, if stored properly, they can last 3 to 5 days.
More Delicious Salads
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shenANNAgans says
I'll take a bowl of each salad please. 🙂 They look so yummy, especially the red potato one. Mmmm.
I just pulled my slow cooker out, its snapped cold here in Canberra. Sigh! Although, if I turn the heater up, reckon many of these would be delightful sides to accompany a hearty winter feed.
Hope you are well lovely one, and that you have a beautiful weekend. xx
Mary Frances says
What an incredible diverse and mouthwatering collection of salads! They all look delicious yet simple to prepare. If you're interested, check out the recipe for one of my favorite salads here: http://lovethesecretingredient.net/2015/03/15/blood-orange-avocado-and-baby-kale-salad/
Healthy World Cuisine says
Completely delicious Mary. I can't wait to give your recipe a try. Loads of all of my favourite things; avocado, oranges and baby kale. I am swooning over your recipe.
jothetartqueen says
Great selection of salads! love the list you put up! I've been craving a salad for a while now..
Healthy World Cuisine says
Thank Jo! It is skinny spring and I have been just craving salads and loads of veggies.
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef says
I've seen most of these and I fell in love with each one. Now that it's getting more wintery every day, I don't crave salads as much but this is a post to save, for sure.
bakeplaysmile says
Yum! These all look amazing (and just what I need after easter!!).
Lily Lau says
You were right, what awesome salads! I don't think I'll try meat again in quite a while... 😉
Christine | No Gojis No Glory says
Oh man...slimming down a few more pounds. psshh...piece of cake with all these delicious looking salads. Great round-up Bobbi, and thanks for including one of mine! 🙂
Healthy World Cuisine says
You are most welcome Christine! I love your salad and it is perfect for these upcoming events this spring...graduation parties, showers and fun gatherings.
Monica says
This is so timely, just as I'm thinking more about salads and all the seasonal produce we get to enjoy again. Great selection, thanks! : )
nancyc says
All of these salads look so good! Thanks for sharing this roundup and hope you had a wonderful Easter! 🙂
Healthy World Cuisine says
Thanks Nancy and a belated Happy Easter to you and yours!
Nami | Just One Cookbook says
Hi Bobbi! Thanks so much for including my Tsukemono recipe and your kind mention! As the weather is getting warmer, salad and vegetable dishes appear frequently on the table. Everyone's dishes are spectacular (good pick, Bobbi!). It'll be fun to try one at a time! Have a nice weekend!
Healthy World Cuisine says
You are most welcome Nami-san. Indeed it is time for a skinnier spring and looking at some lighter and healthier dishes.
Daniela says
It's salad season and just by looking at these beauties, I feel already hungry.
They all look amazing but I think my favorites is the Thai chicken salad in Wonton cups,
so yummy.
Healthy World Cuisine says
Hello Daniela, I have made Nagi's Thai chicken wonton cups and they are gorgeous, they are a must try!
hotlyspiced says
What a great post. Such variety in these salads. I think I'd like to try the crunchy cabbage salad and your stir-fried romaine salad side by side! xx
Healthy World Cuisine says
Hi there Charlie! Thanks so much it was really fun doing this round up. I just had a sneak peak of your menu for Easter Sunday and oh my goodness your kids must just adore you. They will never want to leave home if you keep feeding them like that... LOL
GiGi Eats Celebrities says
I LOVE SALADS!!!! All types of combos.. YUM 🙂 Tonight - Tuna, Egg, Sauteed Onions & Sauteed Acorn Squash! 🙂
Healthy World Cuisine says
I do too and now that spring is here I am excited to get back on the light and healthier eating track. Tuna, Egg, Sauteed Onions & Sauteed Acorn Squash sounds amazing. Is this recipe on your website? will have to check it out.
mjskit says
Well, you certainly names this post correctly. What a great collection of salads!!!!
Healthy World Cuisine says
They are just gorgeous! Don't you just love how bright and beautiful these photos are!!! Don't you worry, if I do a chili pepper round up you will be the first person called. Actually, I have been seriously thinking about doing this so let me know if your interested.
bentodays says
Wow these look amazing! Would love to try out some of the salads here. Thanks for sharing!
Healthy World Cuisine says
Thanks Jean! I hope you do stop off and visit these awesome bloggers and their salads are just one of the very many gorgeous recipes on their website.