Cool, Fruity, and Fun: Jello Salad Recipes
Let’s be real, Jello gets a bad rap thanks to those… questionable retro recipes (looking at you, tuna suspended in lime gelatin). But Jello can actually be a fun, fruity, and budget-friendly way to make a cool treat for summer!
In honor of Eat Your Jello Day (July 12), we’re skipping the meat molds and diving into the fun stuff: fluffy layers, colorful cubes, and salads so sweet they double as dessert. Whether you’re feeding picky kids, hosting a backyard cookout, or just need something cool that doesn’t require turning on the oven, these Jello salads are wiggly winners.
Grab a spoon, because it’s time to bring Jello back (the good kind).
Quick and Budget-Friendly Jello Recipes
There was a simple reason that Jello was so popular for so long! It’s fun, adaptable, and it’s cheap. That makes it the perfect low budget desserts!
Berry Blue Beach Salad
We did this one for a fun birthday party alternative to cake! You can even add some crushed graham crackers to be sand if you like!
Cherry Cola Jello Salad
This is one of my favorite Jello’s from when I was a kid. It totally gives retro vibes but still super yummy!
Cherry Pineapple Jello Fluff
I’m not sure why cherry and pineapple go so well together but they pack a nice punch. They can get a little tart so that is where the “fluff” comes in handy!
Lime * Pineapple Fluff
I’m torn on this one because I like it with both lime and lemon Jello. For aesthetic purposes I included Lime because it balances out the colors!
Orange Creamsicle Delight
My kids went nuts over this. They love the creamsicle popsicles so this just blew their mind. My son said it tasted like a melted popsicle!
Peaches & Cream Jello Salad
Years ago, when I had to stay at the Children’s Hospital for long stretches of time, I got a little adventurous in the cafeteria. This actually became one of my favorite breakfast treats with the Vanilla Yogurt!
Strawberry Banana Jello Salad
I feel like this is a classic Jello combination, but when you add yogurt, it really ups it another level!
Strawberry Dream Salad
I used to be a little scared of Jello as a kid. It was a little too wiggly for me. But the strawberry dream salad changed all that because the whipped topping and marshmallows gave it more texture.
Raspberry Pretzel Jello Salad
Not sure if this is a southern thing or a midwestern thing, but this Jello salad has been a potluck staple for decades so I had to include it!
Fun and Fruity Gelatin Salads That Kids and Adults Love
I know Jello sometimes gets overlooked but it is a super fun dessert for kids and adults. As a bonus most flavors of Jello are now available in sugar free!
My kids love to watch me make Jello because it kind of has a science experiment vibe as well as art project! We sometimes break the mixture up over different bowls so they can each build their own salad!
Now I don’t know why these are referred to as Jello Salads since they are very un-salad-y, but don’t knock em until you try em!
