Sunshine Salad Recipe (Perfect for Potlucks) - Simply Stacie (2024)

This Sunshine Salad is the best salad to serve up for a picnic in the park, potluck dish, or a treat for a hard day’s work. Fresh fruit paired with a sugar-freeJello to make it a Weight Watchers friendly salad. Believe it or not, this sunshine salad has just 2 WW Points Plus per one serving.

Sunshine Salad Recipe (Perfect for Potlucks) - Simply Stacie (1)

When I am trying to watch what I eat, I find I struggle when it comes to wanting to snack. I could be workingonethe computer and devour a whole bowl of chips before I realized I even ate them. If I am not careful I know, I can consume a lot of calories with the snacking I do.

I generally crave sweet when I want a snack. I wanted to create a fruit salad that I could just grab when I felt that sweet craving starting to rise within me. Let me tell you, this fresh fruit sunshine salad has been such a delicious snack but also help me choose smarter when it comes to my snacking.

Weight Watchers Sunshine Salad

I have lost 40 pounds on my Weight Watchers Plan, which is amazing. When I take the time to make dinners at home, prep snacks so I can grab and go, it saves me from making bad choices when I am out running errands. I no longer have the urge to run through a drive through, I can just grab a pre-made snack out of my purse.

This recipe here uses sugar-free vanilla pudding; it helps make it Weight Watcher friendly. Pairing the vanilla JELLO mix next to the mandarin oranges syrup gives it a sweet and creamy consistency that just hits the spot. Then add in your fresh pineapple and banana, and this tropical salad is fit for a crowd.

Sunshine Salad Recipe (Perfect for Potlucks) - Simply Stacie (2)

Potluck Sunshine Salad

So if you have plans for a picnic or heading to a potluck soon, this sunshine salad is going to be a perfect fit. If you are on the Weight Watchers, plan you have a tasty dessert that you know you can enjoy, and it is so quick to make. With minimal prep, you can have it ready to go in a hurry.

I have taken this to potlucks before, and if I know we are going to be outdoors, I just make an extra bowl with ice. I find a larger bowl and will the bottom with some ice. Then I sit the other bowl that has the fruit salad in it, on top, so the bowl is sitting on the ice. It will help keep it chilled as you are waiting to be served.

Sunshine Salad Recipe (Perfect for Potlucks) - Simply Stacie (3)

More Crave Worthy PotluckSalads

  • Rainbow Fruit Salad
  • Watermelon and Feta Salad
  • Creamy Fruit Salad

Tips for Making Sunshine Salad

MandarinOranges| Do not drain the juice from our oranges. This is what the Jello mix will work with to create a creamy syrup for the salad.

Pineapple| One tool I use is a pineapple corer. It takes just minutes to get the core out of the pineapple and makes cutting up fresh pineapple so much easier. They are pretty affordable, and most mass retailers have them, or you can buy one online if need be.

Bananas| I reach for a less ripe banana when I make this salad. I want it to still be mostly yellow with little to no brown spots. You will have a slightly firmer texture, and it will hold up nicely in the salad. When you use a browner (ripe) banana, they can break down a lot faster in the salad, giving you a more mushy texture.

Sunshine Salad Recipe (Perfect for Potlucks) - Simply Stacie (4)

Perfect Summer Salad

This indeed is an ideal summer salad. If you are not on the Weight Watchers, plan this is still an outstanding fruit salad recipe that I highly recommend serving up. My whole family loves this, and when I bring it to parties or a family gathering, it is always one of the first things that get cleaned up the fastest.

Give it a try the next time you are craving a fruit salad and see how you like it. If you are not a fan of sugar-free, you can always replace with regular vanilla pudding as well. It will taste just as good.

Sunshine Salad Recipe (Perfect for Potlucks) - Simply Stacie (5)

Try my Pineapple Cake.

Sunshine Salad Recipe (Perfect for Potlucks) - Simply Stacie (6)

Rate this Recipe

4.48 from 134 votes

Sunshine Salad

Created by Stacie Vaughan

Servings 6

Prep Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour

The brightest fruit salad filled with pineapple, bananas and mandarin oranges! This low-calorie option is perfect for summer with only 4 ingredients.

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Ingredients

  • 1 fresh pineapple cored and cut into chunks
  • 1 can Mandarin oranges in light syrup 15oz can
  • 2 bananas peeled and sliced
  • 1 box Jell-O sugar free vanilla instant pudding 4 serving size

Instructions

  • Do not drain the oranges. Cut thepineapple and banana into chunks. Combine the fruit in a large bowl.

  • Sprinkle the dry pudding mix (do NOT add milk) over the top of the fruit. Mix well.

  • Refrigerate, covered for at least one hour. Serving size is one cup.

Video

Notes

You can also use vanilla instant pudding (not the sugar free option).

Original recipe from Confessions of an Overworked Mom.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 89kcal | Carbohydrates: 22.1g | Protein: 1.4g | Fat: 0.4g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Sodium: 34.3mg | Fiber: 2.3g | Sugar: 15g

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Course Salads

Cuisine American

Keyword fruit salad, sunshine salad, weight watchers

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Sunshine Salad Recipe (Perfect for Potlucks) - Simply Stacie (2024)

FAQs

What is ambrosia salad made of? ›

Ambrosia Fruit Salad

The best Ambrosia Salad recipe is made with pineapple, mandarin oranges, yogurt, mini marshmallows, coconut and whipped cream. This easy side dish has a delicious tropical sweetness and is always a crowd favorite!

What is a creamy fruit salad made of? ›

Mix pineapple juice and dry instant vanilla pudding together and set in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Mix the pineapple, fruit co*cktail, mandarin oranges, bananas & marshmallows together. Gently fold in pudding mixture. Lastly, fold in cool whip.

Who invented candle salad? ›

The recipe for candle salad was published in the 1950 edition of A Child's First Cook Book by Alma S. Lach, one of the first cookbooks written for children. It is also in the 1957 edition of the Betty Crocker's Cook Book for Boys and Girls with the description, "It's better than a real candle because you can eat it."

What is Watergate salad made of? ›

Watergate salad is an American classic. This delightful side dish salad or dessert is made with pistachio-flavored instant pudding mix, canned pineapple, mini marshmallows, nuts, and whipped topping.

Why do people eat ambrosia salad? ›

The once hard-to-find ingredients were considered luxurious and exotic. The salad was a treat reserved for holidays and other special occasions, and named “ambrosia” after the food of the Greek and Roman gods.

Where did the Jennifer Aniston salad come from? ›

By now we all know the famous Jennifer Aniston Salad – the viral recipe from almost two years ago – was actually not the salad that the actress ate every single day on the set of Friends. Instead, it was something she once shared on Instagram – and listed the ingredients and called it her perfect salad.

Who invented eating salads? ›

Ancient Roots:

The ancient Babylonians, Egyptians, Greeks and Romans were known to consume mixed greens with a combination of salt, oil and vinegar. These early salads were often made with ingredients like lettuce, celery, radishes, and onions, which were considered beneficial for digestion and overall health.

Who invented the Maurice salad? ›

This salad, originally popularized by the now-closed J. L. Hudson's department store (or by P. A. Maurice, a chef at Netherland Plaza in New York City, depending on who you ask for the origins), has found a home in numerous local eateries, each adding its own twist while paying homage to the original.

What does ambrosia contain? ›

Most ambrosia recipes contain canned (often sweetened) or fresh pineapple, canned mandarin orange slices or fresh orange sections, miniature marshmallows, and coconut. Other ingredients might include various fruits and nuts: maraschino cherries, bananas, strawberries, peeled grapes, or crushed pecans.

What is the difference between ambrosia and watergate? ›

Watergate has a nutty, sweet flavor from the pistachio flavoring while ambrosia features a prominent coconut flavor. Another dead giveaway is the signature minty green color of a Watergate salad that comes courtesy of the pistachio pudding blend while ambrosia salad has a white color.

Is ambrosia good for you? ›

They're also brimming with vitamins, such as vitamin C, which bolsters the immune system and keeps skin healthy. Eating Ambrosia apples is not just a treat for the taste buds but a boon for well-being.

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