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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FAQs

What can I put in my salad to keep me full? ›

How to Make a Filling Salad: 10 tips
  1. Build a base with greens.
  2. Add other raw vegetables.
  3. Add roasted vegetables.
  4. Add pickled vegetables.
  5. Power up with protein.
  6. Go for grains.
  7. Flavor with fruits.
  8. Fill up with fats.
Mar 2, 2023

Why is it called a Jello salad? ›

The name 'jello salad' comes from the genericization of the brand name Jell-O, a common gelatin product in the United States. The origins of jello salad can be traced back to a dish called 'perfection salad' ( c. 1904) by Mrs. John E.

What is the meaning of candle salad? ›

Candle salad is a vintage fruit salad that was popular in America from the 1920s through to the 1960s. The salad is typically composed of lettuce, pineapple, banana, cherry, and either mayonnaise or, according to some recipes, cottage cheese.

What are the three keys to a quality salad? ›

The three keys to ensuring a quality salad are:
  • The freshness of ingredients.
  • Having all the ingredients blend together in harmony.
  • Making sure the salad is appealing to the eye.

Why is Jell-O no longer popular? ›

Jell-O shifted to single-serve cups and more convenient options as competition for snacks and desserts grew. Kraft in the early 2000's shifted the focus of Jell-O's advertising away from kids and toward adults. It pitched sugar-free Jell-O, for example, as a treat for Atkins dieters.

Why do hospitals always serve Jell-O? ›

There are a few reasons: Jell-O is easy to swallow and digest, making it suitable for patients who have difficulty eating solid foods or have digestive issues. It's smooth texture and mild flavor make it more tolerable for those with sensitive stomachs or who are recovering from surgery.

Why was jello salad discontinued? ›

Jell-O even introduced savory flavors, like celery, mixed vegetable, and "Italian salad," during the 1960s. By the mid-1970s, though, their popularity had declined so much that they were pulled from shelves.

Why does salad not fill me up? ›

Salads are naturally low in calories or kilojoules. This is because salads mostly contain vegetables, which have a high water content. This may mean you don't feel very satisfied after eating your salad – making it hard to stay full until your next meal.

What is the salad that stimulates appetite? ›

An appetizer salad should stimulate the appetite and have fresh, crisp ingredients such as cheese, ham, salami, shrimp, crabmeat, or vegetables lightly coated with a tangy, flavorful dressing (that will 'wake up the mouth').

How do you doctor up a salad? ›

Here are some ideas to super-boost your salad!
  1. Add texture with roasted seeds or nuts. Seeds and nuts are a great salad topper. ...
  2. Make it more filling with whole grains. ...
  3. Beans and other legumes add plant-based protein. ...
  4. Fresh herbs add lots of flavour. ...
  5. Sweeten your salad with fruit. ...
  6. Make sure your salad is properly seasoned.

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