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-free Jello to make it a Weight Watchers friendly salad. Believe it or not, this sunshine salad has just 2 WW Points Plus per one serving.
When I am trying to watch what I eat, I find I struggle when it comes to wanting to snack. I could be working one the 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.
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.
More Crave Worthy Potluck Salads
Tips for Making Sunshine Salad
Mandarin Oranges | 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.
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.
Try my Pineapple Cake.
Sunshine Salad
The brightest fruit salad filled with pineapple, bananas and mandarin oranges! This low-calorie option is perfect for summer with only 4 ingredients.
Ingredients
- 1 fresh pineapple, cored and cut into chunks
- 1 (15 oz can) of Mandarin oranges in light syrup
- 2 bananas, peeled and sliced
- 1 box of Jell-O sugar free vanilla instant pudding
Instructions
- Do not drain the oranges. Cut the pineapple 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.
Notes
You can also use vanilla instant pudding (not the sugar free option).
Original recipe from Confessions of an Overworked Mom.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1 cupAmount Per Serving: Calories: 89Total Fat: 0.4gSaturated Fat: 0.1gUnsaturated Fat: 0.2gSodium: 34.3mgCarbohydrates: 22.1gFiber: 2.3gSugar: 15gProtein: 1.4g
Beth says
I use cheesecake flavored sugar free pudding. Soooo good
Robin Reynolds says
Can i add apples, grapes and melons to this and still make it the same way?
Char says
Why not.?
Mariah says
If I use fresh mandarins and canned pineapple, would I leave the pineapple undrained?
Mindy says
Did you ever try this with canned pineapple? I just ran across this recipe and have the exact same question 🙂
Laura says
I name it with pineapple tidbits
Deborah says
Good Recipe
Geny says
What flavor of jello do you use?
Stacie says
Hi Geny,
I like the vanilla flavored!
Karen says
It says sugar free PUDDING, not jello, but the jello brand name was mentionred.
Mandi says
Would a lemon flavored pudding be good?
Stacie Vaughan says
Yes, I think that would be yummy!
Beth says
I just made this but instead of fresh pineapple I used canned pineapple chunks. I drained the juice off of the pineapple. You have the juice from the oranges so I wasn’t sure if it would turn out the same having all that juice. Next time I want to try adding a second box of puding mix and leave the pineapple juice. I think that would be good as well.
Terri says
My family has made this with jarred cherries and a scoop of Tang. Yummy
Ashley says
If I make this in the morning for a BBQ in the evening, do I need to worry about the bananas turning brown?
Stacie Vaughan says
You could toss the bananas in some lemon juice or just brush lemon juice on before putting it in the salad. That will slow the browning process.
Debra Baird says
What size pudding box?
Stacie Vaughan says
I use the 4-serving size package.