Name: Old Fashioned Friendship Fruit Salad Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 1 cup blue berries; 2 cups sliced grapes; 2 cups sliced strawberries (tops cut off); 2 cups orange sections (or canned mandarine oranges); 1 cup raspberries; Juice from one lemon; 3 tbsp sugar; Fresh mint (optional)

This Old Fashioned Friendship Fruit Salad Recipe is made with a mix of fruit and is a healthy dessert for any gathering.

Simple Old Fashioned Friendship Fruit Salad Recipe

This Old Fashioned Friendship Fruit Salad Recipe is a healthy dessert for any gathering. Have guests bring their favorite fruit or mix and match fruit according to guests’ likes.

Old Fashioned Friendship Fruit Salad-1-Wisconsin Homemaker

This salad has long roots, especially with my family and goes by many different names. Call it classic, old fashioned, friendship or just plain fruit salad, you can’t go wrong when making it for and with family and friends.

You’ve probably seen a variety of combinations of fruit salads on the Internet, but I’m partial to this recipe. I think the main reason is because this recipe uses easy to find ingredients and has stood the test of time with countless appearances at my family’s table.

Besides, it’s beautiful for celebrations with it’s colorful presentation.

You’ll love it because it’s one of those recipes that you don’t have to sweat over but within a few minutes, you have the perfect dessert to pass at a potluck or picnic.

And, this salad takes the best that nature has to offer with simple ingredients, along with a lemon juice-sugar dressing.

Simple Old Fashioned Fruit Salad - 2 - Wisconsin Homemaker

Now, before you throw up your hands because I’ve added sugar to an already sugar laden salad thanks to all the fruit, keep in mind that a dusting of sweetness actually brings out even more of the natural juices and flavor from each fruit.

This Old Fashioned Friendship Fruit Salad can be served as a dessert salad, although you can certainly begin a meal with it or eat it as a snack.

It’s made with seasonal fruit that you can mix and match at a whim. Which is nice, since not all folks can eat certain kinds of fruit. That’s why I consider my guests’ needs whenever possible and adjust the recipe accordingly.

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Fruit Salad Friends Recipe Idea

What you might not know is that this recipe can be translated into a fun activity for family and friends: A Friendship Fruit Salad. This concept may not be entirely familiar with most folks, but it has its roots in sharing the abundance of all the good things we experience with one another.

Elementary classrooms, as well as, scouts, church groups, and local communities use this salad as a talking point for how to become the best people we can be. Who knew food could bring us all closer together?

The Fruit Salad Friend – A Children’s Story

There’s even a story based off this idea: The Fruit Salad Friend. It’s about a young girl who is trying to find someone she can call a friend. With the help of her father she learns the true meaning of friendship and how to be an even better friend to those kids at school.

The Fruit Salad Friend Read Aloud (Video)

DID YOU KNOW? This kid-friendly fruit salad activity isn’t just for kids. Adults also love coming together with ingredients in hand and making a healthy snack too. Give it a try!

Ingredients for Fruit Salad

My choices for fruit usually includes the old standbys: strawberries, grapes, blueberries and mandarine oranges. All are easily accessible and can be found at your local grocer, perhaps yearlong, so there’s no reason why you cannot enjoy this recipe on a regular basis.

But, you can use other seasonal fruit too if you are so inclined. There’s always room for more!

Here are the ingredients for this fruit salad:

Raspberries
Strawberries
Lemons
Grapes
Raspberries
Mandarine Oranges
Blue Berries

But you don’t have to limit yourself with just these. In fact, how about trying some “other” fun fruit variations:

Tropical Dream Salad

Bananas
Coconut
Pineapple
Kiwi
Mango
Papaya

Tropical Fruit Salad - 2 - Wisconsin Homemaker

Midwest Melange Fruit Salad

Apples
Pears
Cherries
Strawberries
Grapes
Blue Berries
Raspberries
Watermelon
Honey Dew
Cantaloupe

Also, don’t leave your salad unadorned. Try garnishing your fruit salad with colorful marshmallows, whipped cream, fresh mint or basil, or even pieces of chopped dried fruit, if you’d like.

Luigi Bormioli Michelangelo Footed Serving Bowl holding layered fruit salad.

Ways to Serve Your Fruit Salad

In the first picture above, you’ll see that my Old Fashioned Fruit Salad is in one of my huge Thatsa Tupperware bowls. I was getting ready to serve it at a party, thus the large amount of fruit.

You don’t have to limit yourself to this type or size serving dish, however.

Here are some fun serving bowl ideas for holding your fruit salad:

Watermelon. How about a watermelon in place of your traditional man-made bowl? Not only does this make for a great display, you can also use some of the scooped out fruit for your fruit salad. All you have to do is hollow out a halved watermelon and fill it with your favorite fruit salad mix.

Pineapple. Again, fruit can be served right in the “bowl” if you halve a pineapple lengthwise.

Punch Bowl. An under used punch bowl offers delectable side views of your salad through faceted glass.

Trifle Bowl. I love using a trifle bowl to showcase my fruit salad. It is a standout, literally, and can be used as a table’s centerpiece, it’s that beautiful.

Large Lidded Jars. Lidded jars are great for serving up salads like this one.

Apothecary Jars. Apothecary jars work well, too. Either way, it keeps the fruit protected, especially if you are serving it outdoors.

Mason Jars. Mason jars or Bell Jars, as they are also known, come in a variety of sizes and shapes. These are easily transportable and perfect for picnics, too!

But no matter how you dice or slice the fruit, it’s so deliciously healthy and pretty to look at too.

To Make:

Depending upon how many people you are planning on serving, start out with a cup or so of each fruit variety. Place everything in a large bowl.

Then, squeeze one lemon and sprinkle on 1/2 to 1 cup of sugar (use sparingly) as needed.

Finally, toss well. Keep the fruit salad chilled until you are ready to eat. Enjoy!

For more delicious fruit desserts and snacks, be sure to check out Wisconsin Homemaker’s Recipe Section.

Old Fashioned Friendship Fruit Salad found on Wisconsin Homemaker

Old Fashioned Friendship Fruit Salad featured on Wisconsin Homemaker

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