Drain the cherry pie filling and crushed pineapple in a fine-mesh strainer for 5-10 minutes before folding in to prevent excess liquid from making your salad watery and losing its fluffy texture.

Refrigerate the completed salad for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld and the marshmallows to firm up slightly for better texture contrast with the creamy filling.

Lightly toast walnuts or pecans in a dry skillet for 2-3 minutes before chopping and adding to enhance their natural oils and provide a rich, nutty complexity that elevates the entire dish.

Use a rubber spatula and fold ingredients gently using an over-and-under motion rather than stirring to maintain the airy texture of the whipped topping and keep marshmallows intact.

Keep your whipped topping in the coldest part of your refrigerator until the last moment, then fold it in quickly to maintain maximum volume and prevent the mixture from becoming dense or deflating.