If you are looking to balance out the heavy, carb-loaded comfort foods on your holiday table this year, you are in the right place. Thanksgiving is a notoriously heavy meal, and honestly, I love opting to make lighter, fresher sides packed with more nutrients the body can use. Everyone needs a little fruit for a side—it just brightens everything up and cuts through the richness of the main course.
This naturally sweet fruit salad speaks for itself, tossed with a hint of warm ground spices to bring cozy autumn notes to the table and fun poppy seeds. This was a recipe I wanted to create to encourage you to eat more fruit this Thanksgiving and embrace natural sweetness instead of refined sugars or artificial flavors. Let’s be thankful for our bodies this year and feast on whole foods—smart, right?
Ingredients
Fruit Salad -
Red grapes
Mandarin oranges (canned -100% juice - no added sugar)
Fuji apple
Golden kiwis
Blueberries
Mandarin Orange Dressing -
Mandarin orange juice
Honey (or maple syrup)
Poppy Seeds, optional
Ground cinnamon
Ground cardamom
How to Make this Fruit Salad
Step #1 - Make the dressing: In a medium bowl, combine the reserved mandarin orange juice, honey, poppy seeds, ground cinnamon, and ground cardamom. Whisk until smooth and well combined.
Step #2 - Prep the fruit: Rinse, dry, and cut all your fruit according to the ingredient list.
Step #3 - Assemble and toss: In a large bowl, add all the prepped fruit. Pour over your dressing (add as much or as little as you prefer). Using a large spoon, gently toss to coat and distribute everything evenly—be soft so you don’t bruise or mush your beautiful fruit!
Nutrition & Recipe Health Notes
At Flour and Pots, I love focusing on how whole foods nourish our bodies from the inside out. Here is why this vibrant Thanksgiving fruit salad is a powerhouse addition to your holiday spread:
Whole Foods & Real Fruit: Free from processed additives and artificial flavors, delivering pure nourishment and real food that benefits your body and overall health.
Naturally Sweetened: Sweetened strictly with fruit sugars, honey, or maple syrup—meaning zero refined white sugars or heavy syrups that you really don’t need.
Antioxidant-Rich Spices: Cinnamon and cardamom aren't just for autumn flavor; they are packed with potent antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties to support digestion and immune health.
Vitamin & Mineral Boost:
Vitamin C: Abundant in the mandarin oranges, kiwis, and apples, supporting immune defense during the chilly holiday season to keep you feeling great and healthy.
Fiber: The apples, berries, and kiwi provide dietary fiber to support healthy digestion and keep you feeling comfortably balanced and filled with the right foods.
Hydration & Electrolytes: Grapes and oranges have high water content and natural micronutrients that help keep your energy up and hydrate you in each bite.
Helpful Notes & Recipe Customization
Portioning the Dressing: You don’t have to use all of the dressing! Start by pouring in a little bit, taste, and add more if desired. Some like it more saucy and wet well others want the fruit to just shine.
Endless Customizations: This recipe is completely flexible to what you have on hand:
Berries: Swap blueberries for raspberries or blackberries.
Apples & Pears: Use any apple variety you love, or substitute with fresh, ripe pears.
Kiwis: Swap golden kiwis for standard green kiwis or fresh sliced bananas.
Grapes: Red grapes can easily be swapped for green or black grapes.
Serving Tip: Make this right before you're ready to eat for the absolute freshest salad, featuring firm, deliciously crisp fruit! The longer it sits in the dressing, the more the fruit will naturally soften.
What is your absolute favorite fruit to include in a holiday spread? Let me know in the comments below!
Thanksgiving Fruit Salad
This naturally sweet fruit salad speaks for itself, tossed with a hint of warm ground spices to bring cozy autumn notes to the table and fun poppy seeds. This was a recipe I wanted to create to encourage you to eat more fruit this Thanksgiving and embrace natural sweetness instead of refined sugars or artificial flavors.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Make the dressing: In a medium bowl, combine the reserved mandarin orange juice, honey, poppy seeds, ground cinnamon, and ground cardamom. Whisk until smooth and well combined.
- Prep the fruit: Rinse, dry, and cut all your fruit according to the ingredient list.
- Assemble and toss: In a large bowl, add all the prepped fruit. Pour over your dressing (add as much or as little as you prefer). Using a large spoon, gently toss to coat and distribute everything evenly—be soft so you don’t bruise or mush your beautiful fruit!
Notes
- Portioning the Dressing: You don’t have to use all of the dressing! Start by pouring in a little bit, taste, and add more if desired.
- Endless Customizations: This recipe is completely flexible to what you have on hand:
- Berries: Swap blueberries for raspberries or blackberries.
- Apples & Pears: Use any apple variety you love, or substitute with fresh, ripe pears.
- Kiwis: Swap golden kiwis for standard green kiwis or fresh sliced bananas.
- Grapes: Red grapes can easily be swapped for green or black grapes.
- Serving Tip: Make this right before you're ready to eat for the absolute freshest salad, featuring firm, deliciously crisp fruit! The longer it sits in the dressing, the more the fruit will naturally soften.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
118Fat
0 gSat. Fat
0 gCarbs
30 gFiber
3 gNet carbs
27 gSugar
25 gProtein
1 gSodium
6 mgCholesterol
0 mg*Nutritional values and percentages are estimates based on a standard 2,000-calorie daily diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your individual calorie needs and activity levels.
