Nothing tastes better than a fresh fruit salad with sweet berries, crunchy grapes and just-ripe pieces of melon. But nothing is as yucky as a mixture of brown apple chunks, mushy pears and soft bananas. Here's how to keep a fruit salad fresh and appealing.

Only use fruits that maintain their texture and color well, such as cantaloupes, grapes and berries. This is especially important if you're making the salad ahead of time.

Put the fruit salad in an airtight container and refrigerate. It's best to eat it within a few hours, but it usually can keep fresh until the next day.

If you want to use bananas, apples or other fruits that turn brown or soft, add them just before you serve the salad. To preserve their appearance, include something acidic such as lemon or lime juice, orange slices or pineapple chunks.