Rainbow Fruit Bowl with Honey-Lime Yogurt Dip

Method

1. Make the dip first so it can chill. In a small bowl, stir the yogurt with the honey, the lime zest and about 1 teaspoon of the lime juice. Taste, add a little more juice if you like it sharper, then cover and pop it in the fridge.

2. Put the strawberries and blueberries in a colander, rinse them under cool running water and spread them out on a clean tea towel to dry. Halve or quarter the strawberries.

3. Slice the ends off the kiwi, then slip a teaspoon between the skin and the flesh and turn it all the way round — the fruit slides out whole. This is much easier on the hands than peeling with a knife. Cut it into rounds.

4. Peel the clementines and separate them into segments. If you're using a larger orange, cut it into wedges or peel it and slice it into rounds.

5. Slice the banana last of all and toss it with the remaining lime juice to keep it from browning.

6. Arrange the fruit in a wide bowl or on a plate in colourful groups, set the dip alongside and serve with small forks or cocktail sticks.

Why it suits later years

Ripe banana, berries, kiwi and citrus are naturally soft and juicy, so they're comfortable to eat even if chewing has become harder. Together they bring fibre, vitamin C and potassium, and their high water content helps towards the day's fluids.

The yogurt dip turns a simple fruit plate into a more balanced snack, adding around 7 grams of protein per serving. A mid-afternoon bowl like this can be a helpful way to eat a little more if you've noticed your appetite getting smaller at mealtimes.

• Fibre-friendly: one serving provides roughly 6 grams of fibre, about a fifth of what most adults are advised to eat each day.
• Light on added sugar: 2 teaspoons of honey split between two people adds only a little sweetness. The fruit does the rest.
• Easier preparation: easy-peel clementines and the spoon trick for kiwi spare stiff fingers. Pre-washed berries and ready-cut melon are fine shortcuts too.
• Sociable: a shared bowl in the middle of the table makes a pleasant reason to sit down together with a cup of tea.

Swaps & variations

Use whatever is ripe, in season or already in your fruit bowl. Aim for a mix of colours.

• Other soft fruit: ripe mango, melon, peach, pear, papaya or seedless grapes (halved lengthways).
• Store-cupboard fruit: canned peaches, pears or mandarin segments in juice rather than syrup, well drained.
• Different dip: stir a spoonful of smooth peanut butter and a pinch of cinnamon into the yogurt instead of the lime.
• Dairy-free: use a thick unsweetened soy or oat yogurt and maple syrup in place of honey.
• Crunch, if you like it: sprinkle over a few chopped toasted almonds or a spoonful of granola just before serving.

Keeping & reheating

Cut fruit is at its best on the day it's prepared. Leftovers can be covered and kept in the fridge until the next day; berries, kiwi and citrus hold up well, but the banana will soften and darken, so slice it fresh if you can.

The yogurt dip keeps in a covered container in the fridge for up to three days and is lovely spooned over porridge or breakfast cereal. Wait to rinse berries until just before you eat them — washing them early makes them spoil sooner.