My mom made a broccoli salad like this when I was growing up. I still have her hand-written recipe card and used that as inspiration for this version. For some reason, despite broccoli having a reputation of not being the most kid-friendly food, I LOVED her salad. The combination of crunch and creamy, savory bacon and a bit of sweet…it was so good! 

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I didn’t realize, though, that probably one of the reasons I loved it so much had to do with the crazy amount of sugar added to it. And it wasn’t just my mom’s recipes. I’ve looked up similar versions online, many of them loaded with granulated sugar. 

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This recipe cuts down on the sweetness and uses honey. The mayo-based dressing gets tossed together with crunchy broccoli, crisp bacon, red onion, raisins, and pine nuts for the perfect combo of flavors. To be honest, I think I love this healthier version even more than the one I grew up eating!