• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
The Good Hearted Woman logo
  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Beverages
    • Bread
    • Comfort Food
    • Cooking Basics
    • Condiments
    • German Recipes
    • Main Dishes
    • Salads
    • Seafood
    • Side Dishes
    • Soups
    • Sourdough
    • Snacks
    • Sweets
    • 30-Minute Meals
  • Cozy Living
    • Arts & Crafts
    • For Music Lovers
    • Food Holidays
  • US Travel
    • One Day in...
    • Pacific
    • Rocky Mountains
    • Southwest
    • The South
    • Hikes Near & Far
  • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Cozy Living
  • Road Trips
  • About Us
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Cozy Living
    • Road Trips
    • About Us
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Salads

    Pineapple Wheat Berry Salad

    January 28, 2020 • Updated: March 28, 2022 • by Renée B. • This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe   Print Recipe
    small bowls of fluffy salad, the one topped with a maraschino cherry. Pin text overlay reads: Pineapple Wheat Berry Salad, with optional toppings.

    Chewy, nutty wheat berries mix with creamy pineapple fluff to make a this delicious Pineapple Wheat Berry Salad. Keep it simple, or add one (or more) of the optional mix-ins. Easy to make and freezer-friendly, it's perfect for potlucks too! 

    small bowls of fluffy salad, the center one topped with a maraschino cherry.
    Jump to:
    • What's the Story Behind this Recipe?
    • What Goes into this Recipe 
    • How to Make "Apocalypse Salad"
    • FAQs & Expert Tips
    • Potluck Favorites
    • Pineapple Wheat Berry Salad (With Optional Mix-ins)

    What's the Story Behind this Recipe?

    A couple of decades ago, everyone's cousin was losing their mind over an impeding world-wide "Y2K" tech meltdown. As far as I'm concerned, this wheat berry salad recipe is the only good thing to come out of the whole brouhaha. 

    During this insanity, all sorts of emergency preparedness events and products popped up around the country. In the fall of 1999, I attended a preparedness conference - mostly on a lark, but I have to admit; it was an interesting experience. We were avid campers, and it was fun to see the staggering number of solar ovens and other next-level camping gadgets and gizmos.

    Over the course of a few hours, we must have sampled at least a hundred different "food storage-friendly" products. Just when I thought I couldn't look at even one more dehydrated chili sample, we were greeted by a Montana hard red wheat vendor who offered us each a little paper cup full of a creamy, sweet wheat berry salad. Not a freeze-dried lentil in sight! It was heaven! 

    We walked out of the conference with two things: a fancy new grain mill and a recipe for wheat berry salad (which I immediately dubbed "Apocalypse Salad") printed on a small slip of paper. 

    What Goes into this Recipe 

    Admittedly, this tasty little concoction has more processed foods on its Ingredient List than I usually like to use, but the end of the millennium only comes around once in a lifetime, so there you are. 

    No real ingredient prep is needed for this recipe outside of cooking the wheat berries. 

    Ingredient Notes

    • Whole wheat berries: Wheat berries are the edible part of the wheat kernel; including the bran, the germ, and the endosperm. This chewy, nutty, whole grain can be used like any other whole grain.

    The cooking times for wheat berries in this recipe are based on cooking hard red winter wheat berries. The specific kind of wheat berry you buy, as well as product age, will influence the cooking time.
    • Cream cheese: This recipe has been tested using both full fat and neufchâtel cheese with good results. 
    • Crushed pineapple: Use canned pineapple for this recipe. Do not use fresh. 

    How to Make "Apocalypse Salad"

    Prepare the Wheat Berries

    Toast the wheat berries. (Optional) Toasting enhances the nutty flavor of the wheat berries, and takes just a few minutes. 

    Preheat the oven to 375°F | 190°C. Spread the wheat berries evenly on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for about 10 minutes, or until lightly browned and aromatic.

    Soak wheat berries overnight. (Also optional) Soaking shortens the cooking time, but is not critical to cooking.

    Place 1 ½ cups of wheat berries in a medium bowl. Cover with enough boiling water so that there is about an inch of water above the wheat berries. Soak overnight.

    Cooked wheat berry kernels with a wooden spoon on a cutting board.

    Three Ways to Cook Wheat Berries

    Wheat berries are done when they are tender and chewy. Test for doneness as you cook them.

    Slow Cooker Method (Recommended)
    Put presoaked wheat berries in slow cooker and add enough water so that it comes to at least one inch above the wheat berries. Cook on LOW for 4-5 hours, or until chewy and tender.
    When done, drain excess liquid. Set aside.

    Instant Pot Method
    Combine 1 ½ cups wheat berries, 4½ cups water, and a pinch of salt in the Instant Pot. Secure the lid and seal the valve. Set the manual timer for 35 minutes.

    When done, do quick release by moving the valve to vent the steam. Let all the steam release. Drain excess liquid. Set aside.

    Stovetop Method
    In a medium saucepan, combine presoaked wheat berries, a pinch of salt, and enough water so that there is at least 1 inch of water on top of the wheat berries.
    Bring to a boil.

    Cover and reduce heat to medium; cook until tender, 35 to 45 minutes. Remove pan from heat; let steam, covered, 15 minutes. Test for doneness. Wheat berries should be tender yet chewy. (If they aren't done, just return them to the heat for a little while.) When done, drain excess liquid.

    Mix the Salad

    In a large bowl, use a hand mixer to thoroughly combine pineapple and cream cheese. It does not need to be perfectly creamy; however, any remaining chunks of cream cheese in the mixture should be about the consistency of cottage cheese.

    Sprinkle dry vanilla pudding mix over pineapple-cream cheese mixture and stir until smooth. (It will be the consistency of thick school paste.) 

    Thick yellow mixture in a glass mixing bowl.

    Fold in whipped topping.

    fluffy salad being mixed with a wooden spoon in a large glass mixing bowl.

    Stir in cooked wheat berries, mixing until until evenly coated. Fold in any mix-ins.

    wheat berries and white fluffy salad in a large yellow mixing bowl.

    Salad Mix-ins (Optional)

    As if it weren't already delicious enough, if you want to add some additional texture and flavor to your wheat berry salad, you can stir in a cup or so of any one (or more) of these tasty mix-ins.

    Use any one or a combination of the following mix-ins, or come up with your own idea! 

    large serving bowl filled with fluffy salad, surrounded on one side by small bowls full of various toppings.

    Use 1 cup TOTAL per batch of Wheat Berry Salad*

    • maraschino cherries (drained and sliced) 
    • grated coconut
    • chocolate chips
    • toasted walnuts, pecans, or almonds
    • pepitos
    • mini marshmallows

    *Obviously, you can add as much of any mix-in as you want. This amount is offered only as a guideline, based on personal preferences. 

    Serve this salad cold.

    FAQs & Expert Tips

    Pineapple Wheat Berry Salad makes an excellent potluck dish! The recipe makes a large amount and can be made well ahead of time. It lasts for over a week in the fridge, and you can even freeze it! 

    How long will wheat berry salad last?

    Pineapple Wheat Berry Salad will stay good in the refrigerator for about a week. It can also be frozen.

    small bowls of fluffy salad, the center one topped with a maraschino cherry.

    Potluck Favorites

    • Layered Taco Salad (Vintage Recipe)
    • Honey Citrus Pasta Salad with Turkey
    • Caribbean Mango Avocado Salad
    • Potluck-Worthy Big Cuban Salad

    For more recipes and cozy living tips, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook for all of the latest updates.

    small bowls of fluffy salad, the center one topped with a maraschino cherry.
    5 from 4 votes

    Pineapple Wheat Berry Salad (With Optional Mix-ins)

    Chewy, nutty wheat berries mix with creamy pineapple fluff to make a this delicious Pineapple Wheat Berry Salad. Keep it simple, or add one (or more) of the optional mix-ins. Easy to make and freezer-friendly, it's perfect for potlucks, too! 
    Print Pin Add to Shopping List Go to Shopping List
    Course: Dessert, Salad, Side Dish
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Vegetarian
    Prep Time:15 minutes
    Cook Time:1 hour
    Servings: 24 servings
    Calories: 115kcal
    Author: Renee
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • 1 Slow Cooker or instant pot
    • 1 Electric Mixer handheld or stand
    • 1 large mixing bowl
    • 1 mixing spoon

    Ingredients

    • 1 ½ cups whole wheat berries uncooked
    • 8 ounces cream cheese softened
    • 1 - 20 oz can crushed pineapple undrained
    • 1 - 3.4 oz package instant vanilla pudding dry
    • 1 - 8 oz tub Frozen Whipped Topping defrosted
    Mix-in Ideas [TOTALLY OPTIONAL]
    • maraschino cherries drained and sliced
    • mini marshmallows
    • pepitos
    • chocolate chips
    • coconut
    • pineapple tidbits

    Instructions

    Prepare Wheat Berries

    • Toast the wheat berries. (optional)
      Toasting enhances the nutty flavor of the wheat berries.
      Preheat the oven to 375°F | 190°C.  Spread the wheat berries evenly on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for about 10 minutes, or until lightly browned and aromatic.
    • Soak wheat berries overnight. (optional)
      Soaking shortens the cooking time, but is not critical to cooking.
      Place 1 ½ cups of wheat berries in a medium bowl. Cover with enough boiling water so that there is about an inch of water above the wheat berries. Soak overnight.
    • Three Ways to Cook Wheat Berries
      Wheat berries are done when they are tender and chewy. Test for doneness as you cook them.
      NOTE: The cooking times for wheat berries in this recipe are based on cooking hard red winter wheat berries. The specific kind of wheat berry you buy, as well as product age, will influence the cooking time. 
      [1] Slow Cooker Method (Recommended)
      Put presoaked wheat berries in slow cooker and add enough water so that it comes to at least one inch above the wheat berries. Cook on LOW for 4-5 hours, or until chewy and tender.
      When done, drain excess liquid. Set aside.
      [2] Instant Pot Method:
      Combine 1 ½ cups wheat berries, 4½ cups water, and a pinch of salt in the Instant Pot.
      Secure the lid and seal the valve. Set the manual timer for 35 minutes.
      When done, do quick release by moving the valve to vent the steam. Let all the steam release.
      Drain excess liquid. Set aside.
      [3] Stovetop Method:
      In a medium saucepan, combine presoaked wheat berries, a pinch of salt, and enough water so that there is at least 1 inch of water on top of the wheat berries.
      Bring to a boil.
      Cover and reduce heat to medium; cook until tender, 35 to 45 minutes. Remove pan from heat; let steam, covered, 15 minutes.
      Test for doneness. Wheat berries should be tender yet chewy. (If they aren't done, just return them to the heat for a little while.)
      When done, drain excess liquid.

    Pineapple Wheat Berry Salad

    • In a large bowl, use a hand mixer to thoroughly combine pineapple and cream cheese.
      It does not need to be perfectly creamy; however, any remaining chunks of cream cheese in the mixture should be about the consistency of cottage cheese.
    • Sprinkle dry vanilla pudding mix over pineapple-cream cheese mixture and stir until smooth. (It will be the consistency of thick school paste.)
    • Fold in whipped topping. Stir in cooked wheat berries, mixing until until evenly coated. Fold in any optional mix-ins.
    • Serve cold.

    Notes

    Cooking Wheat Berries: The cooking time for wheat berries in this recipe is based on cooking hard red winter wheat berries. The specific kind of wheat berry you buy, as well as how old it is, will influence the cooking time. 
    Nutrition estimates do not include mix-ins. 
    Pineapple Wheat Berry Salad will stay good in the refrigerator for over a week. It can also be frozen. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 115kcal | Carbohydrates: 14.1g | Protein: 1.2g | Fat: 6.4g | Saturated Fat: 5.1g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 90mg | Potassium: 23mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 8.7g | Calcium: 10mg
    This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
    Have you tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

    Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details.

    More Salad Recipes

    • Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing
    • Grilled Eggplant & Tomato Stacks
    • Classic Bay Shrimp Louie
    • Vietnamese Chicken Salad (Goi Ga)
    449 shares
    • Share
    • Tweet
    • Yummly
    • Flipboard

    About Renée B.

    Renée is writer, music maker, artist, and storyteller. In her spare time, you can find her writing love songs about cowboys, exploring the moss-covered nooks and crannies of the Pacific Northwest, and making music with her talented singer-husband.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    1. Shayla says

      January 29, 2020 at 11:32 am

      I've never heard of an Apocalypse Salad but judging by the ingredients it sounds like something we would love!

      Reply
    2. Kileen says

      January 28, 2020 at 10:27 pm

      5 stars
      I don't think I've ever tried this salad! Sounds yummy, definitely need to make this and try it out!
      Sounds interesting!

      Kileen
      cute & little

      Reply
    3. Sara Welch says

      January 28, 2020 at 12:19 pm

      5 stars
      Love how light and fluffy this is! This will pair perfectly with my Super Bowl menu!

      Reply
    4. Beth says

      January 28, 2020 at 11:26 am

      Hahaha! The Y2K thing was so funny! I haven't had wheat berries, I'll have to see if I can find some! This looks yummy!

      Reply
      • Renée ♥ says

        January 28, 2020 at 11:45 am

        It's very tasty!

        Reply
    5. Amber says

      January 28, 2020 at 11:24 am

      5 stars
      I have never cooked with wheat berries before but yum, this is so delicious! Lovely recipe.

      Reply
    6. Mirlene says

      January 28, 2020 at 11:23 am

      5 stars
      Very interesting. Anything with coconuts is a must try for me.

      Reply
    7. estelle says

      January 28, 2020 at 11:15 am

      I've never tried wheat berries before! looks really yummy with the fluff..

      Reply
      • Renée ♥ says

        January 28, 2020 at 11:17 am

        Wheat berries are one of my favorite things. They have great chewy texture, and add a nuttiness to everything. We love them with Buddha Bowls, too.

        Reply
    8. Michelle says

      January 28, 2020 at 11:05 am

      What an interesting and unique salad. Great for potlucks!

      Reply
      • Renée ♥ says

        January 28, 2020 at 11:19 am

        It is always surprisingly popular whenever I take it to a gathering.

        Reply
    9. Stacey says

      January 28, 2020 at 10:40 am

      This looks yummy! My daughter loves pineapple. I'll have to try making it for her sometime.

      Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Adorable middle-aged couple in forest setting. (i.e., Me & Mr B)

    Join me & Mr B for the best in home cooking and cozy living - from the beautiful Pacific Northwest and beyond.

    More about us →

    Follow Us

    • Pinterest
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Twitter

    fresh recipes

    • Homemade Chocolate Covered Cherries
    • Classic Hot Buttered Rum
    • Cinnamon Roll Wreath (Danish Pastry Ring)
    • Orange Tea Ring (Danish Wreath)
    • Team Colors 7 Layer Dip
    • Orange Spiced Cranberry Sauce

    game day eats

    • Team Colors 7 Layer Dip
    • Crispy Sauerkraut Fritters (Easy Air Fryer Recipe)
    • 20 Best Game Day Food Ideas
    • Sweet & Spicy Grilled Buffalo Wings
    • Cool Buffalo Blue Cheese Dip
    • Roasted Garlic Spinach Artichoke Dip

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Disclaimer
    • Privacy Policy
    • Cookie Statement
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Accessibility Statement

    Follow

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • Instagram
    • Twitter

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Meet Me & Mr B

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2023 The Good Hearted Woman. All rights reserved.

    449 shares
    449 shares
    We Value Your Privacy
    To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
    Functional Always active
    The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
    Preferences
    The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
    Statistics
    The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
    Marketing
    The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
    Manage options Manage services Manage vendors Read more about these purposes
    View preferences
    {title} {title} {title}
    We Value Your Privacy
    We use cookies to make this website a better place. Cookies help to provide a more personalized experience and relevant advertising for you, and web analytics for us. To learn more about the different cookies we use, check out our Cookie Policy.
    Functional Always active
    The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
    Preferences
    The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
    Statistics
    The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
    Marketing
    The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
    Manage options Manage services Manage vendors Read more about these purposes
    View preferences
    {title} {title} {title}
    We Value Your Privacy
    To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
    Functional Always active
    The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
    Preferences
    The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
    Statistics
    The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
    Marketing
    The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
    Manage options Manage services Manage vendors Read more about these purposes
    View preferences
    {title} {title} {title}
    We Value Your Privacy
    We use cookies to make this website a better place. Cookies help to provide a more personalized experience and relevant advertising for you, and web analytics for us. To learn more about the different cookies we use, check out our Cookie Policy.
    Functional Always active
    The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
    Preferences
    The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
    Statistics
    The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
    Marketing
    The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
    Manage options Manage services Manage vendors Read more about these purposes
    View preferences
    {title} {title} {title}