Why I’ll Be Eating Fruit Salads More All Summer

Full transparency, I’m one of the most creative cooks in the family. That’s what I get from a childhood that encouraged us to be open to new foods and cultures. However, I am the best person in the family when it comes to presentation as a whole, especially with plating food. I wear that crown with pride. As with most people, I love fruits and I thought it was time to put these two skills together. Let’s talk about why fruit salads are so important and great – they’re delicious.

I’m a texture eater and love combining ingredients that give me that experience with a variety of textures. Fruit salads are one of the best options to experiment with different textures. If you want something crisp and crunchy, you’ve got apples. Something sweet and juicy, you’ve got peaches. A bit of softness, add some berries. Something fleshy and slippery, grab a mango. Then, a-melt-in-your-mouth crunchy wonder – watermelon. Lastly, something smooth like honey. When all these textures and flavours come together, I love it. It’s a very simple way and one of the fastest option to create a side dish without having to commit to cooking.

For all my 9-5 working women and fitness lovers that want to continue eating well and not spend more time cooking, it is one less meal to think about. In addition, with the right ingredients, you can make a fruit bowl look so aesthetically pleasing because of all the colours. No one wants to eat something bland and colourless. If you have never thought of eating fruits salads, now is the perfect time to experiment with them before summer begins.

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Health Benefits of Eating Fruit Salads Daily

Usually, I eat fruit as a side or an addition with something else. For example, I would pair a banana with my post workout shake or add mixed berries to my oatmeal. That was it. I’m a creature of habit. To my surprise, I decided to switch things up by increasing the number of fruits that I had a day into a fruit salad.

Eat the colours of the rainbow is a saying that I heard several times growing up. I embody that when it comes to eating vegetables as I’ve always preferred them to fruit. When I decided to increase my fruit intake in the form of fruit salads, I used the colours of the rainbow analogy to play around with the crafting of my salad.

In addition to the multiple colours, the variety of fruits and textures help with increasing my nutrition profile such as eating more fibre to break down all the protein that I’m consuming and adding more water (which is perfect when summer comes around). Lastly, improving my gut health.

How A Fruit Bowl Can Help You Eat Better

As I work from home, I unfortunately don’t have space for a fruit bowl on my table. Eating fresh fruit is a must for me. I know from experience that having a fruit bowl on the table or the kitchen counter is one of the best ways to encourage you to eat more fruits. It sounds too simple to be true, doesn’t it? Growing up, we always had a fresh fruit bowl on the dining table so whenever we felt peckish, we could grab a fruit. Even though, I keep all my fruits in the fridge due to lack of space, the same concept works.

Having an easy-to-reach bowl or location to grab fruits encourages healthy choices. I don’t have unhealthy snacks in my flat because I know myself well. When a healthier option is readily available, I’m less inclined to grab something sugary or processed as a snack. I’m a firm believer of the out of sight, out of mind approach. However, I do believe in eating things in moderation.

As I mentioned earlier, I’m a texture eater. Having a variety of fruits at home in the fridge or in a bowl allows me to be more adventurous with the types of fruits that I’m eating. In addition, I feel that it allows you to engage in a multi-sensory experience due to the taste, the smell, the touch, the sight and the sounds.

How To Make Healthy Fruit Salads

I figured having banana and grapes as my base was worth a try for the first couple of fruit salads. With me working from home more (as I work 100% remote), I pretty much eat around the clock. Instead of grazing for food, which I dislike doing, I can easily whip up fruit salads with already prepped fruits in the fridge. Creating and combining a variation of fruits has been my saving grace because it has pushed me to be more adventurous with the fruits that I buy from the store.

If I’m eating the fruits in a bowl, I try to choose fruits that do not overpower the taste of milder fruits like blueberries. If I choose to add watermelon, I cut them into slices/wedges and place them on top to eat first. Cutting watermelon into chunks can make the fruit salads very watery which I don’t find pleasant at times. With an oversize wooden board, you can easily arrange the fruits in an aesthetically pleasing way to avoid them overpowering each other, especially if you like to host events.

Here is what you need:

• Fruit bowl
• Oversized wooden board (for hosting)
• Grapes (any colour)
• Strawberries
• Blueberries
• Bananas (just ripe)
• Chunks of mango
• Watermelon
• Apples (any colour)
• Pomegranates
• Cantaloupe
• Honey/topping of choice
• Orange/lemon juice to prevent browning

Some of My Favourite Fruit Salads

For my summer fruit salads, I choose 4-6 fruits for myself and either cut them into slices or chunks. I like to layer them into a small bowl so that there is variety of colours and textures from top to bottom. I try not to have the same colour of fruit in the bowl to make it more interesting and fun to eat. Pomegranates are added last with honey as the topping of choice. If you aren’t lactose intolerant, you can add yoghurt as your topping of choice. It’s an alternative refresher for summertime.

Fruit salads are so quick and simple to make as a side dish or a to-go snack. Presenting them on a wooden board gives everyone options. Want to some cantaloupe? Here you go. Some blueberries? Throw them into the bowl.

Shop Summer Fruit Bowls

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What are your go-to fruits to eat? Let me know in the comments. I hope that this post has given you the confidence to switch things up and try something new this summer. Make sure to hit that subscribe button to join the community and never miss out on a post. Find me on Instagram, Pinterest and TikTok for more powerlifting and wellness content.

Until next time,