Look for frozen fruits processed plain without added sugar. Choose commercial canned fruit processed in water or fruit juice. Avoid fruits canned in sugar-sweetened syrup, which is a source of calories without nutrients. Prepare fresh fruit close to serving time. To maximize flavor, texture and nutrients, prepare fruit within about 1 hour of serving.
Some salads benefit from a little chilling time for the various flavors to marry.
Before cutting or eating whole, wash all fruits thoroughly under cold running water, including those with hard shells or skins such as melons. Wash your hands before and after handling fresh fruits. Leave on edible peels. The peels of apples, pears and most stone fruits add interesting texture to recipes and contain extra nutrients and fiber. Before discarding citrus peels, remove their zest, the thin, brightly colored outermost layer.