The Most Adorable Way To Upgrade Your Fruit Salads This Summer

Fruit salads are the ideal way to wave goodbye to spring and say hello to summer. The refreshing taste of subtly sweet and citrusy fruits is a timeless treat that allows you to indulge without fear of unhealthy additives. And truthfully, it's one of the best sides to pair with any occasion. If you have poolside summer reading on your mind, slice up a bowl of apples and pears to go with it. Or, if you have a brunch to attend, chances are those berries, 'nanas, and melon balls will be the ultimate crowd-pleaser — especially if mimosas are involved. But if you want your fruit salad to stand out, you can transform it into something special. 

Strawberries are a central part of any fruit salad, but when delicately sliced into tiny hearts, they quickly become the main attraction. Simple strategy, effective outcome. First, it's essential to choose smaller rather than larger strawberries and try to avoid those with an odd shape. You'll want these vibrant berries to have a round top and pointed bottom. Once washed, carve out the stem of the strawberry with the tip of a knife. This will create a pit in the fruit, much like the center depression in a heart. Finally, slice thin and add to any fruit salad. Still, crafting your fruit into shapes doesn't have to begin and end with strawberries. If it has a stable yet malleable body, you can turn it into anything from flowers or rabbits. 

Aside from strawberries, pineapples are some of the best canvases to work with to create a fruit masterpiece. With its prickly outer skin and hardened rind, you'd think that this tender yellow fruit would be a pain to mold, but with the help of some large cookie cutters, it couldn't be easier. Cut the skin off your pineapple before carving it into sizable rings, the rind intact. Then, take your cookie cutter of choice (daisies or butterflies would work best), center it, and press down. If you use a flower, scoop out the center and replace it with a berry or melon ball.

Apples are another malleable fruit to effortlessly jazz up a fruit salad. Creating rabbits is a fun way to slice an ordinary red delicious or granny smith apple. These adorable bunnies can be made by cutting your apple into eight sections. Carve out the seeds in the middle (but ensure you don't discard them; they will be used in the end). Finally, make two diagonal cuts into the skin to form a tent shape. Remove the skin of the tent side, place a seed on either side of the slice, and enjoy your tasty rabbit.

Simple shapes don't stop there. Aside from hearts, strawberries can also easily be carved into flowers instead.

If you have a paring knife nearby, turning your strawberries into a bouquet of intricate roses is easy. This simple trick is the perfect way to take your professional fruit-cutting skills to the next level. Although some videos suggest trimming off the greenery at the top of the strawberry, these leaves will make your flower more authentic. After all, a rose wouldn't really be a rose without its classic jade foliage. Starting at the base of an inverted strawberry and working toward the top, cut a slit and curl them up, alternating between the gaps of the petals below. Ultimately, you'll be left with a bundle of sweet-smelling scarlet roses. Carefully place them into a bowl with dark-colored berries to make these roses pop in your fruit salad. 

We have a unique history with dark chocolate-covered strawberries. Unlike milk or white chocolate, dark chocolate is made almost entirely of cocoa. It has a bounty of antioxidants that keep your mind and heart healthy. Even better, it's one of the best chocolates to pair with a strawberry's pleasantly sweet and tart profile. Because of its lowered sugar and fat content, dark chocolate has a relatively bitter and more front-forward taste. But when coupled with a batch of freshly picked berries, the two are effortlessly delectable. Still, don't bite off more than you can chew. Chocolate-covered strawberries only last up to 48 hours in the fridge. Otherwise, you run the risk of mold.