Fruit salad can be a very versatile dish. It can serve as an appetizer, a dessert, a side dish or even a snack. When prepared without a heavy dressing, fruit salad is considered a healthy food, high in fiber and antioxidants.Weight Loss Resources: Healthy Eating Meditteranean Heart's Weblog: Mediterranean Diet: A Fruit Salad for All Seasons (June 26, 2008)

If you have any fruit salad left over, fruit salad can be stored in the refrigerator. You can also layer it with cake and cream to make a trifle.Fruittart: Trifling With Leftovers (March 26, 2007) Read on to learn how to make fruit salad, and enjoy the "fruits" of your labors!

• 1/2-3/4 cup of sliced fruit per personEllen's Kitchen: Fruit Platters, Fruit Salads and Watermelon Boats

• • The type of fruit you use depends entirely on your personal taste. Fruit salads traditionally contain a combination of melons, citrus fruits and berries. See Step 1 for some additional tips on selecting fruit for your salad.

• Sharp knife
• Cutting board
• Mixing bowl
• Mixing spoon

• Your personal taste, with a touch of creative whimsy, is the guiding principle here. Select whatever fruits are in season, what you like or what you have on hand.

1. Choose fruit that is ripe and flavorful, but not overripe.eHow:How to Make a Summer Fruit Salad Overripe fruit won't hold up well when mixed.
2. Very fragile fruits, such as raspberries, can be used to garnish the salad.
3. Aim for a balance of different fruits. Don't let one fruit overwhelm the mix.

• Compared to other dishes, fruit salad is relatively simple to prepare. For many fruits, all you need to do is wash and cut them into bite-sized pieces.eHow:How to Make a Summer Fruit Salad A few fruits do require a bit of extra care, however:

1. Apples should be soaked in lemon juice or citric acid to prevent the discoloration caused by oxidation.eHow:How to Make a Summer Fruit Salad
2. Peel fruits with a tough skin, such as kiwi or mango.
3. Remove seeds from fruit such as watermelon, oranges, grapefruit and the like.

Fruit salad doesn't really require a dressing. The juices of the fruits themselves will blend when you mix them, nicely flavoring the fruit. You can add a mix of lemon or lime juice and sugar to the fruit to perk up the natural flavors, if desired. You can also achieve a more sophisticated taste by macerating the fruit in a few tablespoons of a fruity liqueur, such as Cherry Heering, Cassis, Cointreau or Grand Marnier. If you would like an actual dressing for your salad however, here are two traditional choices that work well:

Poppy Seed Dressing

• ■ 1/3-3/4 cup sugar
• ■ 1/3 cup vinegar or lemon juice
• ■ 1 cup olive oil
• ■ 1-1 1/2 tablespoons poppy seeds

Yogurt-Honey Dressing

• ■ 1 cup plain yogurt
• ■ 2-3 teaspoons of honey, to taste
• ■ Flavorings such as cinnamon, ginger, vanilla or lemon zest can be added.

1. Combine the fruits you prepared in Step 2.
2. If you're adding juice and sugar, or a liqueur, add it now.
3. Refrigerate if you're not serving the salad immediately.
4. When ready to serve, toss the fruit with a dressing if desired.
5. Add bananas, if using, at the last minute, as they discolor quickly.
6. Garnish with tender berries, coconut or chopped nuts, as a final touch.
7. Serve and enjoy!