A Jell-O salad definitely does not come any easier than this one. Fizzy club soda adds interest and the berries add an antioxidant punch.
The Holidays bring so much to us – joy; happiness; cheer; thankfulness; time with family and friends; parties; gift-giving and gift-getting; beautiful decorations; appreciation for earth’s bounties; the first snowfall; skiing and ice-skating; Christmas carols; meaningful Church worship services; bounteous meals; candy and cookies; decadent desserts; candlelight and firelight; winning football teams; and the fulfillment of hopes and dreams.
Did I miss anything? Oh wait, I did miss a few things – grouchy shoppers; financial stress; finding the perfect gift for that person; too many parties; decorating; making huge meals that take days to prepare and minutes to eat; ungrateful people; world hunger; snow messes of all kinds; clothes that fit before Thanksgiving , are snug the day after Thanksgiving and no longer fit by mid-December; losing football teams; and hoped-for things didn’t happen.
All of the above are “the Holidays”, sometimes in equal measure. This year, no matter what, let your focus be on the good. By doing so, you will have the greatest power of all to guide you through with a happy heart.
No matter what your Holiday season adventures might be, I’ve got your back with something simple. Here is the perfect salad to soothe your weary too-much-to-cook/party/shop-worrying self, or to simply add an exclamation point to your Thanksgiving and Christmas events.
Very Berry Fizzy Jell-O Salad is outrageously easy to make. I got the recipe at a Weight Watchers meeting, back when I was looking to lose a little weight…like 50 pounds worth of weight (yes, I achieved my goal weight and have maintained it for 11 years). I used to make this salad a lot because it was easy, refreshing and I could eat a ton of it. Plus, the berries are full of antioxidants!
Oh, and there’s fizz because part of the liquid is club soda. See it? It’s suspended in the Jell-O. Now, that’s fun!
Tips and Tricks
Jell-O. Choose raspberry, strawberry, or strawberry-banana for the best taste with the berries. The recipe works just fine with regular or sugar-free Jell-O. I generally use sugar-free, namely because there is a diabetic in my household. Plus sugar-free helps counter some of those pesky Thanksgiving/Christmas/New Year’s calories.
Frozen Berries. Because this salad uses fresh-frozen, unsweetened berries, the jelling process is super fast. I usually use a berry mix, my favorite being one that includes blueberries, blackberries and raspberries. Be sure to get unsweetened frozen berries. You will add them to the gelatin frozen and they will thaw naturally in the salad.
Club Soda. I recommend using club soda that comes in cans. It seems to have more fizz. Make sure that it is ice cold when it is added to the gelatin. Pour slowly. As for brand, use whatever brand you prefer.
Serving. This salad can be served family-style, with everyone taking out the amount they want. If you’d like more control over portions, plan on cutting the salad into squares. A 9- x 13-inch pan will yield approximately 12 3- x 3-inch squares. A dollop of whipped cream (or even sour cream) is optional, but fun for appearance and an extra flavor boost.
Very Berry Fizzy Jell-O Salad
Ingredients
- 2 (6 ounce) boxes regular OR 2 (0.3 ounce) sugar-free Jell-O® recommended flavors: raspberry, strawberry, or strawberry/banana
- 2 cups boiling water
- 2 (12 ounce) cans club soda, well chilled
- 1 (1 pound) bag frozen mixed berries – do NOT thaw
Instructions
- Dissolve the Jell-O® in the boiling water. Pour into a 9” x 13” glass dish.
- Pour the cold club soda slowly over the Jell-O® mixture.
- Sprinkle the frozen berries evenly over the Jell-O®. Very gently stir the ingredients around a little bit.
- Put in refrigerator to set. Note: This sets very quickly because of the cold club soda and the frozen berries. Usually it only takes about 30 minutes, often less, for the gelatin to set up. Serve as desired.
Nutrition
Hello my cyber friend!
A belated Merry Christmas and Happy, Healthy New Year to you and your family!
If I han entertained this holiday season I would have included this dessert. Maybe at New Year’s as it has a fizzy/festive look/feel.
Hope you are well and looking forward to more recipes
I have been lurking – and not commenting. Went back to school for my BSN….. Holy Moly, not easy at this age and working full-time!
Hope you see/hear from you soon. Reach out if you would like to!
xoxo
Rie
My boxes of Jell-O show net wt 0.3 oz, but call for 1 cup boiling and 1 cup cold. Your recipe calls for equivalent amounts but for .6 oz sizes of the sugar free. Is this correct?
Oy vey! I am so sorry. The recipe ought to have read 1 (0.6 ounce) box of Jell-O or 2 (0.3 ounce boxes) Jell-O. The liquid measures are correct for a total of 0.6 ounces of Jell-O. Again, I am so sorry that I wrote the incorrect amounts.
Is it 2 cans of club soda each 12 ounces?
Yes, 2 cans of club soda, each 12 ounces. This will provide a total of 24 ounces or 3 cups.
Can I use water instead of club soda
Yes, but the Jell-O will not be fizzy.
Have you ever tried a half volume recipe? One box of jello one cup of water one can of club soda?
No, but it should work just fine. Reduce the fruit, too, though.