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Are you looking for a tasty and easy-to-make salad recipe that can feed a crowd without breaking the bank? Then you’ve come to the right place. Learn how to create a refreshing and flavorful fruit salad that’s perfect for any occasion. Whether you’re hosting a family reunion, block party, or tailgating event, this budget-friendly fruit salad recipe is sure to be a hit.
Recently, I hosted my son’s drum line for dinner. Feeding 28 kids and their director can be daunting, but with great recipes for a crowd, it was a breeze, especially with this fruit salad recipe.
My fruit salad is fresh and flavorful, with juicy honeydew melon and a tangy citrus dressing sweetened with honey. It’s a cheap fruit salad for a crowd that’s both delicious and affordable, since I choose the fruit based on what’s on sale.
The drum line loved this best fruit salad recipe, and only two grapes were left in the pan. Give this easy fruit salad recipe a try if you’re looking for a tasty dish that’s perfect for feeding a crowd!
Easy Fruit Salad Tips
- Choose a variety of fresh fruit that’s in season for the best flavor and texture. Don’t be afraid to mix and match different types of fruit to create a unique and tasty fruit salad for a crowd.
- Consider using honey dew melon as a base for your fruit salad. This sweet and juicy melon pairs well with many different types of fruit and makes a great foundation for your salad.
- If you’re looking to make a cheap fruit salad for a crowd, choose fruit that’s in season and on sale at your local grocery store. You can also use frozen fruit for an easy fruit salad that’s budget-friendly.
- Cut your fruit into bite-sized pieces for easy eating and mixing. No one wants to struggle with a huge piece of fruit in their salad!
- Make a simple dressing for your fruit salad using ingredients like honey, lime juice, or even a bit of brown sugar. A little bit of dressing goes a long way, so don’t overdo it.
- Chill your fruit salad before serving to keep it fresh and refreshing. A cold fruit salad is the perfect addition to any summer gathering or potluck.
Commonly Asked Fruit Salad Questions
Look for fruit that’s firm but not too hard, with a pleasant aroma and bright color. If you’re unsure, give the fruit a gentle squeeze – it should give slightly but not be too soft.
Yes! Frozen fruit can be a great addition to fruit salad, especially in the off-season. Just make sure to thaw the fruit first and drain off any excess liquid.
A good dressing is one that’s tangy and slightly sweet, such as a citrus dressing with honey.
Yes, you can make fruit salad ahead of time, but it’s best to dress the salad just before serving to keep it fresh.
Make sure to drain any excess liquid from the fruit and keep the salad chilled until serving time.
Aim to make about ½ to ¾ cup of fruit salad per person.
Cold Potluck Made Easy
- If you’re bringing a pasta salad or chicken salad, make sure to keep them chilled and covered until serving time.
- Add a pop of flavor to your summer salads by using Greek Dressing or Creamy Vinaigrette.
- For a sweet twist, add frozen fruit to your salad recipe or top it with whipped cream and fresh berries.
- If you’re bringing a green salad, toss in some honeydew melon or red grapes for a sweet and refreshing touch.
- To avoid a soggy salad, pack your salad dressing separately and dress the salad just before serving.
- Get creative with your salad toppings by adding in some candied nuts, feta, or Parmesan cheese.
- Keep your salad fresh and crisp by packing it in a chilled container or cooler.
More Great Salad Recipes You’ll Love!
- Caprese Pasta Salad – Fresh and Easy
- Tomato Cucumber Salad
- Macaroni Salad For A Crowd
- Green Bean Salad
Ingredients
- 3 cups red seedless grapes
- 3 cups green seedless grapes
- 2 cups cubed pineapple
- 2 cups cubed cantaloupe
- 3 cups quartered strawberries – washed with caps removed
- 2 pints blueberries
- 1 and ½ cups orange juice
- ½ cup honey
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
Instructions
- Wash grapes and blueberries. Set aside to drain.
- Place all fruit in a large tin foil baking pan and set aside.
- In a medium size bowl, whisk together orange juice, honey and cinnamon until thoroughly combined. Pour dressing over fruit and gently toss with large spoon. Cover fruit with plastic wrap and place in fridge or cooler until ready to serve.
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fresh o.j. or from a bottle?
Either works!
~Donya
I am making this today for my family gathering, I read through the comments to see if anyone has used raspberries in this recipe, I did not see that anyone used them. Would there be any reason to not use raspberries as one of the fruits?
Thank you!
I plan on making this dish but I have a question. With the 1 1/2 cups of orange juice, will it be runny or have a lot of juice? Would I need to serve it with a slotted spoon? Thank you.
I’ve not made it yet but I plan to for a picnic next month & probably the month after. This is JUST the idea I was looking for! I’m trying to watch what I eat, this is perfect for anyone with the same idea I think.. can nibble on it.. I’m also an x smoker so it helps to have something light that I can pick at for that reason alone. Thanks! If I remember I will come back and let you know.
thanks a lot of information goodjobs
I hate to ask a stupid question but want to make your fruit salad for a group of 30. What does 1.5 ad 1/2 cups orange juice mean and what is .75 cup honey? Thank you somuch
1 and ½ cups orange juice, ½ cup honey, 2 teaspoons cinnamon – those are the measurements in the recipe card and what you should use.
This is a fabulous fruit salad for a crowd. We have a church brunch between services. This is just perfect. Thank you.
Thank you, Sue! I am so glad everyone liked the recipe and I appreciate the outstanding rating.
~Donya
Made it for my Church Thanksgiving Gathering. It was gone in a flash. Everyone loved it.
Hey there Donna!
Wow! I am so happy to hear that everyone enjoyed this recipe, I bet this made a wonderful addition to a Thanksgiving Celebration! Thank you so much for your kind words of support and your phenomenal rating, I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving and Happy Holidays!
~Donya
Delicious! Fed 32 people as a side dish, got many wonderful comments.
Hey there Heather!
Wow! I am thrilled to hear that everyone enjoyed this recipe, I can’t believe it ended up feeding 32 people, that’s amazing! Thank you so much for your kind, thoughtful words and your phenomenal rating, I really appreciate your support!
~Donya
Can you use maple syrup instead of honey ? Will it taste the same ?
Hey there Sharon!
Thank you so much for your interest in this recipe, that’s a great question! You can absolutely substitute maple syrup for honey in this fruit salad, I would just use the same measurements. The flavor will be slightly different, it’ll have more of a mapley after taste but it’s still totally delicious, I use maple syrup any time I don’t have honey and it always turns out well! I hope this is helpful, let me know how the recipe turns out, I’d love to hear your thoughts!
~Donya
I was wondering what would be the best fruit to substitute for the Melon. They aren’t in season right now and can’t find frozen. Wanting to make for Easter breakfast for a crowd.
Hey there Lisa!
Thank you so much for your interest in this recipe, it’ll be perfect for Easter Brunch! One of my favorite things about this recipe is that it’s super flexible, if one of the fruits isn’t in season you can really just leave it out of the recipe since there’s a variety already. If you wanted to add another fruit in, I would recommend bananas, or you could just double the portion of pineapple, grapes, or strawberries, it’s completely up to you. I hope this helps, let me know how the recipe turns out! Enjoy!
~Donya
On the orange juice is it frozen concentrated?
Any OJ will work.
Wow! Looks so delicious, I and my daughters loved fruit salad, I will definitely try it your way, looks seem easy to make :D. Thanks so much for this guide. Looking forward to seeing more.
Hey there Monica!
Thank you so much for your interest in this recipe and for your phenomenal rating, this fruit salad is a perfect dish to make for kids. It’s a super easy to make dish that’s full of fresh flavors. Thank you so much for your support, if you have any other questions about a recipe please don’t hesitate to ask! I hope you have a great Labor Day!
~Donya
I made this for a HOT South Florida picnic (the recipe for 20). Everything was organic, down to the OJ and honey. Although it wasn’t much of a hit, I brought a substantial amount home. I’ve tweaked the recipe somewhat and will DEFINITELY make this again, even if it’s just for my personal use. (I LOOOOVE IT!!). Marinate the fruit for 11-12 hours (four just didn’t do it for me). THEN, freeze everything (including the juice) in individual portions. This is a very refreshing (and healthy!) treat once everything is frozen. (It sure goes a long way when you’re living in 90 degree South Florida summers). Highly recommended!
Hey there Melanie!
Thank you so much for this sweet comment, and your fantastic rating! I am thrilled you enjoyed this recipe. I completely agree with you, it’s a very refreshing treat, which sounds just about perfect for this hot summer that’s starting. Thank you so much for your kind words of support!
~Donya
Can I add whip cream?
Hey there Crystal!
Yeah absolutely! If you like whipped cream with your fruit salad, I think that would be a delicious addition, I hope you enjoy!
~Donya
can this be mad in a big bowl or does it have to be an aluminin pan?
Hey Janice.
You can use a glass, plastic or whatever kind of bowl you have. I used the metal pan for easy transport and clean up.
Enjoy!
I am going to try this recipe for a baby shower the end of the month. I need to make it the night before. I will put all the fruit in their own containers. I am thinking I will add some apples the morning of if I think I need a bigger salad. This recipe looks much easier than some other fruit salad recipes I have found. Looking forward to trying it out. It gets a new name.. The Hungry, hungry Caterpillar Fruit Salad. The shower is a children’s book theme. My daughter is the one expecting and she and I love books! We need to start the Wee One out with a book themed shower! Never to early to foster reading! Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Does the cinnamon give it more a sweet, dessert-like taste? I’m doubling this and making this for a bridal shower tomorrow… was thinking about doing it as listed, but leaving the cinnamon out.
Hey Lindsey!
The cinnamon adds a warm, lovely flavor. It does NOT make it dessert-like. You can leave it out but I think the cinnamon is what makes this fruit salad special. Hope you enjoy the recipe!
~Donya
Hi! I’ll be making this fruit salad for my son’s wedding reception in a few weeks. What size is the pan you used for this quantity as stated in the recipe? Is it a 9×13 (cake pan) sized pan? Or a half-steamer table size? or full steamer table size? I’m just trying to figure out how many of what size pans I’ll need to make this five times over! Thanks 🙂
Wow, Jenny! I’m honored you’ll be using one of my recipes. I use the half-steamer table size. I get mine at Costco. I hope this helps. I’d love for you to send me pictures if you have time. Best wishes and congratulations to the bride and groom!
XO,
~Donya
Thanks, Donya, for your quick reply! I will try to get a photo to share. I made a small sample of the dressing last night, and loved it. Looking forward to sharing this with our crowd ?
I would like to make the fruit salad for a crowd but don’t want to use cinnamon. Can I just use the orange juice and honey alone for the dressing or maybe add a bit of chopped fresh mint?
Sure, you can leave the cinnamon out. Adding mint is a great idea!
XO,
~Donya
Hi! I am making this for Staff Appreciation luncheon on Tuesday (today is Saturday) for 100 staff members. Is it too early to put it together you think if I did it today and stored in the fridge? Should I buy all the stuff today and then put it together on Sunday night? It would be served on Tuesday at lunch. Let me know what you think! I’m shopping today! Thank you!
Angel in Northern CA
Hey, Angel. Ok, here’s what I would do – cut up all the fruit and keep it in their own containers or zip top bags. Make the dressing and keep it in a mason jar or sealed container. Keep all in the fridge. On Monday night, put the fruit in your large metal (or whatever container) and store in fridge. Tuesday morning, pour the dressing over the salad and gently toss with fruit. Right before serving, toss again.
Angel, I am honored that you are serving this recipe! Please tell the staff – congratulations, from A Southern Soul, on whatever you all are celebrating!
Let me know if you have other questions.
Have a wonderful party, Angel,
XO,
~Donya
If I make this fruit salad the day before I need it, should I put the dressing on also OR wait until right before serving?
Hey Marsha, I would wait on the dressing. Some of the fruit can get a bit mushy.
Hope this helps! Thanks for stopping by.
~Donya
How about bananas?
Jane, you could use bananas but I would put them in the salad until the very end. Hope this helps!
~Donya
Is it ok to use frozen fruit?
Yes, Deneko. I would let the fruit thaw then maybe put it in a colander to drain for a bit. Use fruit that a little more firm like pineapple, mango and peaches. Probably not berries because they will get mushy. I hope this help!
XO,
~Donya
I don’t often cook for a crowd that big, so it is super helpful to have all the amounts worked out, like you did here. Thanks!
This will surey become a hit!
This is a perfect healthy party dish! I’d serve it for breakfast, lunch or dinner!
The addition of the cinnamon is a great touch. I imagine it’s great for autumn.
Orange juice or concentrate? TIA
Hey Angela, make it as written, with regular orange juice. Hope you like it!
XO,
~Donya
This is a great salad! I’m making for my son who is a tuba player in his marching band! They will love this! They always love when I bring fruit mix to their competitions and this is going to be the extra sweetness they will love! Thank you ma’am for posting ur fruit salad!
Hey Deana! This is the best comment EVER! I am so sorry it took me so long to get back to you. I’m trying to squeeze out every second of summer and band camp is already gearing up. Tell you son to go get ’em and march strong! I hope you’ll let me know how they like the recipe.
XO,
~Donya
Would watermelon work in this fruit salad recipe?
Hey Julie, great question. I think watermelon would work great. Maybe cut it into someone larger pieces so that it doesn’t get too mushy with the other fruit. Let me know how it turns out.
XO,
~Donya
Love it made for my welcome party of my baby girl we didn’t make it to babyshower but we did with welcome party delicious ???
Do you ever used canned pineapple?
To follow up… I did use canned pineapple chunks, and added apple slices, dipped in pineapple juice to the rest of the fruit. I made this for a teacher appreciation day lunch. Everybody was raving about the fruit with the cinnamony sauce. Thanks so much for the awesome recipe! I am definitely making again! P.S. I doubled this and easily fed 45 people plus had extra. The principal even had 5 servings!
I’ve never used canned pineapple but you could as long as you drained it. Maybe save the liquid and use it in your dressing!
XO,
~Donya
Is the dressing supposed to be dark?
I’m not really sure what you mean by dark. With the honey added, it has a beautiful yellow color but it’s not dark. If you have further questions, let me know.
XO,
~Donya
I made your salad for Easter Dinner. The only change that I made was, I poured the OJ, honey, Cinnamon over it and refrigerated it for about 30 minutes. Drained it (Saved it for smoothies) . Then took the salad to the family dinner. It was such a hit!!! Will make it many times. Thanks for sharing.
How many people will this feed. I have a party of 30.
Hey Lois! You should be able to feed about 30 with this recipe. You could increase it by maybe a cup, cup and a half just to make sure. Let me know how it goes!
XO,
~Donya
Can this be made the day ahead? Does it keep well?
Hey there! Yes, this salad sure can be made a day ahead. It keeps really well. Let me know how you like it!
XO,
~Donya
THIS salad is amazing! We made 4 batches for my son’s wedding reception. People could not stop eating this! Thank goodness we forgot about one container in the fridge, so we had some to take home! I’m actually making it again this weekend for Memorial Day picnic. (TWO weekends in a row! AND the honeymooners will have returned!) Thanks for this great recipe.
Oh my goodness! I am so honored that you used one of my recipes for such an important event. I am so glad that people liked it! Please share my best wishes for a long and happy marriage to your son.
XO,
~Donya
This looks and sounds fabulous . I’m sure all those kids gobbled it up! What perfect dressing for all that gorgeous fruit. Thanks for sharing with us at Weekend Potluck. Please come again soon.
Thank you so much! That drum line is really special and they loved the salad. So glad you stopped by.
XO,
~Donya