This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #SnackBrighter #CollectiveBias

Last week I cut open my first watermelon of the year, and it totally served as my official summer kickoff. Now I’m filling up my Fourth of July Pinterest board and starting to get a game plan together for our family’s celebration this year. My personal style when it comes to holiday entertaining is to keep things simple and to emphasize fresh ingredients in my dishes that will be served.

One idea I had that would be a really fun combination of mouth-watering flavors and good-for-you ingredients was to make frozen fruit salad with a special guest star: Outshine Bars!

I’ve been purchasing Outshine Bars at my local Walmart for several months, now. The flavor that got me completely hooked is Creamy Coconut. Oh what a yummy taste these have!

They are simply divine, friends. Have you spotted Outshine Bars in your local Walmart, yet?

More recently, I noticed that Outshine also offers a Fruit & Veggie Variety Pack. Sneak in a little veggie lovin’ during special treat time? Yes, please! I love that this brand has a commitment to providing awesome ingredients, like real juice and real fruit and veggies, and that these ingredients get top billing in the Outshine product line (rather than being way down the list after lots of artificial ingredients, as you often find with other brands). Outshine is also GMO-free in nearly half of its offerings, and the percentage of their non-GMO products will increase significantly by the end of this year. Furthermore, you will find no artificial colors or flavors and no high fructose corn syrup. This is completely in line with what I want to purchase for my family, as well as what I DON’T want to purchase!

Ok, so let’s get down to business and make this yummy frozen fruit salad, shall we? Here’s what you will need for the recipe:

• Outshine Fruit & Veggie Bars Variety Pack
• Fresh fruit (preferably of the red and blue variety!)
  • blackberries
  • seedless watermelon
  • cherries, pitted
  • (other options include strawberries, blueberries and raspberries)

Salad Dressing Options

Option 1:

• 1/3 cup vanilla yogurt
• 1 Tbsp honey

Option 2:

Outshine Creamy Coconut Bars, melted

The first step is to rinse all of your fruit and to cut it into bite-sized pieces. Try not to eat it all before you make the salad!

Now it’s time to decide if you want to offer a “salad dressing” for this lovely salad. I used the yogurt and honey blend, simply because I want to keep those creamy coconut bars all to myself (#sorrynotsorry). But either option will be SO yum!

Now it’s time to cut up your Outshine Fruit & Veggie Bars! I used the Strawberry Rhubarb and the Blueberry Medley flavors since I want to stick with the red, white and blue theme, but obviously this recipe has endless possibilities for combinations of colors and flavors. Be sure to pop your bars and your fruit into the freezer as soon as you are done cutting everything so that you don’t get a melted mess on your hands!

When everything is frozen to your liking and you are ready to serve your yummy salad, remove it from the freezer and either offer the dressing on the side, or drizzle it over your salad for a nice burst of white in the midst of all that red and blue!

I love how quickly it all comes together, giving you more time to enjoy your day with family and friends. Also? It tastes fantastic!

Sweepstakes!

Need a backyard refresh this summer? You’ve got a chance to win $5,000 to help you makeover your space (plus hundreds of daily summertime prizes you could win instantly), all thanks to Outshine! Simply text “snack brighter” to 30364 or enter here.

Want to give Outshine bars a taste test before committing to a box? You can find sampling demos at Walmart locations on 7/14. Check out this link to see if your nearest Walmart will be hosting a demo.

I’d love to hear if you are also crazy about Outshine Bars, and if you like this idea for a creative Fourth of July recipe that kids and adults alike will enjoy! Leave a comment below with your thoughts!