Fruit Salad!

I'll telll you what I love with fruit(got the recipe from a friend's mom that was a caterer). Assorted fruit, with a half cream cheese, half marshmallow cream dip (more or less of either to taste). It's terrific, if you can keep the kids from getting themselves into a sticky mess with the Jet-puff!

I usually use canned fruit cocktail drained then I add fuji apple. If you want you can add raisins and cheese cut into cubes and even corn kernel drained..Then mix with cream or cool whip and sweetened condense milk. My kids and I loved this...

We do a selection of 3-5 fruits... whatever's in season... and add a little bit of orange juice to help bring out the juices. Simple and natural.

Ha, too bad you have to share it with the kids. My favorite is cut up fresh fruit with some rum poured on it. I think your best bet is not to mess with any ingredients other than fruit, because someone will be allergic to it. Maybe some rum on the side? Might make the party easier to deal with. I made it once for a dinner party, before kids, and maybe a quarter cup of rum for a big bowl was enough, so you don't need to go crazy with the liquor, but it's yummy.

Canned fruit cocktail,drained
Mixed with cool whip.
Add mini marshmallows and walnuts.

We just cut up fresh fruit. We are not big on gelatin or creamy fruit salads.

Strawberries, grapes, oranges, apples, pineapple, bananas, Kiwi.
I love Mangos so I will add them when I find good ones..

As the melons get better, I will just cut up watermelon, cantaloupe and Honeydew.

To keep the bananas from turning brown, place the slices in pineapple juice or apple juice. The stir the bananas in with the rest of the fruit.

I like to cut up bananas, apples, strawberries, throw in some blueberries... Then I add a container of strawberry (or whatever flavor) yogurt, and a big scoop of cool whip. For an added treat - throw some miniature marshmallows in! Everyone LOVES it - and the kids will always eat it, since it has marshmallows in it. :D

Here is a really simple one that is really delicious!

Cut up equal parts strawberries and fresh pineapple and mix together. Let them sit for a while in the fridge to get nice and cold (an hour or two) and so that they both juice up nicely. Then right before you go to the party add a third part bananas and stir it all up. The juice from the strawberries and pineapple will help keep the bananas from turning brown. You do not need to add any sugar or anything else. The taste is sweet and very refreshing and the kids love it!

I use one from julia child-equal parts fresh lemon and lime juice mixed with sugar. Toss with your fruit selection.

I dont know anyone that doesnt love fruit in it's natural state, it's an easy finger food and much easier to handle if you dont add all the creamy, sweet, messy stuff to it. Take a huge bowl of chunked canteloupe and berries.
If you want to go the messy, fattening route Waldorf salad was always my favorite when at picnics or other family events. http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Waldorf-Salad-I/Detail.aspx

This is my kids' all time favorite:

Mango
Blueberries
Pomegranate
Kiwi
Banana
Mandarin Oranges (drained, from a can-optional)
Sometimes Fresh Raspberries

No dressing, just cut/dice/whack it all in a bowl and give it a good stir...the longer it sits, the better it is...I mean that as in hours, not days tho.

*Where I live, it is sometimes hard to find the Kiwi at the same time as the pomegranate?

I always use whatever is in season and make sure it's a pretty balance of color. I've never added any dressing or sugar as fresh, in season fruit is sweet and delicious as is!

I cut up whatever is in season. Make sure to include a little citrus or pineapple so it doesn't turn brown. I usually leave out bananas - if you want them cut and add at the last minute - they will turn brown. I will toss with a little chopped fresh minute and a Tbs or so of Kirschwasser or other fruit brandy (and yes, kids can still eat it). If you want fancy - throw in a lot of berries and use a melon baller for melon.

I like watermelon with blueberries and maybe some strawberries too. To help keep it nice and cold you can freeze the blueberries then toss then in!

I wonder if you add chopped fresh mint how that would taste?

Oh, I'm so hungry just reading all of this.

= )