Reserve the pineapple juice for mixing with pudding, but drain all other canned fruits completely to prevent excess liquid from making the salad watery and soggy.

Keep your Cool Whip, canned fruits, and mixing bowl refrigerated before combining to maintain the whipped topping's fluffy texture and ensure a creamier final result.

Fold in mini marshmallows just before serving to prevent them from dissolving into the pudding mixture and losing their signature light, spongy texture.

Mix the instant vanilla pudding powder directly with the reserved pineapple juice instead of water for richer flavor and perfect consistency without over-thinning the salad.

Prepare the fruit and pudding base up to 4 hours ahead, but fold in Cool Whip and marshmallows no more than 1 hour before serving to maintain optimal texture and prevent separation.