Homemade fruit snacks are a healthy and nutritious option to have between meals. They are not just great for kids, but also for adults. These delicious bites are made with real vegetables and fruits that are packed with nutrients and are naturally sweetened.
Making your own fruit snacks is a great way to avoid artificial colors and corn syrup, along with hidden health problems. Learn about how to go about making your fruit snacks, from the best fruits you can use to make these treats to how you can properly store them.
Homemade Fruit Snacks: Ingredients and Substitutions
The ingredients that you can use to make nutritious snacks are fairly versatile. Here are some options to include in your natural snack recipes:
Fruit
Fruits come in different flavours, textures, and colors. You can choose according to your preference. Some options include:
- black seedless grapes
- watermelon
- apples
- blueberries
- strawberries
- peaches
- mango
- oranges
However, note that two fruits – kiwi and pineapple – are not ideal for making fruit snacks because they won’t set and hold their shape without special care in preparing them. This is because they contain bromelain; this enzyme breaks down the proteins in the gelatin. As such, to set, these fruits need to be heated to a higher temperature before adding the gelatin.
Vegetables
When using vegetables, it’s a good idea to mix them with fruits rather than to use them as a lone ingredient. However, you can try vegetables that you love. A good mixture is ¼ cup of vegetables to 1 cup of fruit.
Juice
Opt for an organic, unsweetened juice of your choice.
If you don’t have a particular preference, apple is a good choice of ingredients for homemade fruit snacks since it has a neutral color and flavor.
A bit of freshly squeezed lemon juice can give a kick to your homemade fruit snacks by helping to bring out the fruit’s flavor. You can opt to bloom your gelatin in lemon juice rather than water so that you do not dilute the fruit’s flavor or the color of the fruit snacks. Additionally, it’s beneficial in helping to prevent discoloration and oxidation.
Sweetner
Honey or agave are two natural sweeteners that you can opt to use in your homemade fruit snack recipe rather than artificial sweeteners. Honey can add a layer of flavor to your fruit snack, but it may be more challenging to work with. Agave is from the agave plant sap and is a vegan sweetener [1].
Agave may boost flavor, but it may be a bit more expensive than honey.
Gelatin
When choosing gelatin for your natural snack recipes, find a good quality gelatin to work with that will help to bring out the flavor of your snacks. Beef gelatin is one of the best-tasting ones we’ve found so far on the market.
If you are a vegan or vegetarian, a great substitute for gelatin is agar-agar. This is a plant-based gelatin from seaweed; it’s white and semitranslucent, and sold in flake, powder, bar, and strand form. It is widely used as a food and gelling agent[2].
However, note that agar-agar requires a different process from gelatin. Before agar-agar can be added to your recipe, you have to dissolve it in water, bring it to a boil, then let it simmer until slightly thickened.
Make Your Homemade Fruit Snacks: The Process
Here’s a quick guide to making tasty homemade fruit snacks.
1. Get The Supplies and Materials You Need
Start by placing the silicone molds on a large baking sheet or line an 8×8 square dish with wax paper or a silicone mat and lightly grease. Set them aside.
2. Prepare the Homemade Fruit Snacks Mixture
You can choose to use only fruits in your recipe or any combination of fruits and vegetables. For your combination recipe, prepare a balanced mixture with more fruits (1 cup of fruit and ¼ cup of vegetables). This will help to keep the flavor rich and tasty.
Begin by rinsing and peeling your fruit. Then, chop into small pieces.
3. Use a Good Blender or Food Processor
You want your fruit snacks to have a smooth, consistent texture. As such, use a high-powered blender or food processor that can thoroughly blend your ingredients.
Start by adding your choice of fruit, vegetables, and ¼ cup of apple juice to your blender. Blend until you have a smooth texture. Add 1 tablespoon of juice at a time if necessary, until the mixture gets to a smooth consistency.
Choose fruits and vegetables that have the desired color that you want for your homemade fruit snacks. For example, for green use green grapes and zucchini, or beets and strawberries for red.
4. Add Sweetener
Then, add your sweetener (honey or agave) and any other flavoring, like vanilla, that you want to boost the flavor of your homemade fruit snacks. Blend until the mixture is smooth. Taste your mixture, and if desired, add more sweetener.
5. Add Gelatin
Once you have achieved a smooth mixture, transfer it to a small saucepan and whisk in the gelatin. Heat the mixture on medium heat for about 3 minutes until the gelatin is fully dissolved and no longer grainy when touched. Ensure that your mixture is not cloudy but does not come to a boil.
6. Check for Doneness
To check if the mixture is done right, put a small amount of the mixture between your pointer finger and thumb and then rub them together. If you’ve achieved a smooth texture, it is ready to be put in the molds. However, if it’s grainy, continue cooking.
7. Fill Molds
With the use of a dropper, fill your silicone molds, or pour your mixture into the baking pan you prepared earlier. It’s a good idea to keep the saucepan on the warm burner as you fill the molds, but the heat source should be turned off. This will keep the mixture slightly warm and allow it to cool at a slower rate.
It’s important to work quickly before the natural fruit snack mixture thickens.
8. Put in the Fridge
Transfer the molds to the refrigerator and let them set for at least 2 hours. Then, once properly set, remove from molds and enjoy your tasty snacks.
Quick Homemade Fruit Snack Recipes
There are several great recipes you can use to make these at home.
Berry Homemade Fruit Snacks
Makes roughly 2 1/2 cups of homemade fruit snacks.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups of fresh or frozen berries
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup raw honey or other sweetener of choice
- 3 tablespoons beef gelatin
- 1/2 cup hot water
Directions
- Use a blender or food processor to blend the berries, honey, and 1/2 cup water.
- Blend berries until they are completely mushy.
- On low heat, add the remaining 1/2 cup of water to a saucepan without boiling.
- Whisk in gelatin and stir.
- Pour the fruit into the gelatin mixture.
- Blend the mixture until smooth.
- Pour the mixture into molds or a 5×7-inch Pyrex pan.
- Refrigerate for 1-2 hours or until set.
- Store fruit snacks in a closed container in your refrigerator.
Watermelon Homemade Fruit Snacks
Makes roughly 2 cups of homemade fruit snacks.
Ingredients
- 4-5 cups of fresh watermelon, sliced
- 2-4 tablespoons of raw honey
- 6 tablespoons of beef gelatin
Directions
- Blend the fresh watermelon in a blender or food processor.
- Strain to separate the juice and seeds. You should have 2 – 2 1/2 cups of watermelon juice.
- Mix 1 cup of watermelon juice with gelatin in a saucepan over low heat, mixing constantly.
- Add the remaining 1 cup of watermelon juice and honey.
- Whisking constantly, mix until thoroughly combined.
- Pour into molds or a 5×7-inch Pyrex pan.
- Refrigerate molds for 1-2 hours or until set.
- Store fruit snacks in a closed container in your refrigerator.
AFS and Healthy Snacks
In adrenal recovery, diet is a vital part of the process. Adrenal Fatigue is a condition where the body is unable to keep up with long-term stress, leading to a range of nonspecific symptoms, including tiredness, inability to handle stress, brain fog, and weight gain. Blood sugar levels may fluctuate, and having a healthy fruit snack to grab can help keep things balanced.
Also, homemade fruit snacks can help support gentle detox when your Detoxification circuit is out of balance. Natural and nutritious, these snacks can help support your adrenal fatigue recovery.
Storing Your Homemade Fruit Snacks
To properly preserve your homemade fruit snacks to extend their freshness, here are a few useful tips:
- Ensure that your fruit snacks cool completely before storing to prevent moisture accumulation.
- To preserve freshness, store fruit snacks in airtight containers or zip-top bags to avoid air exposure.
- Track freshness by labelling your containers with the date of preparation for your batch of fruit snacks.
- For maximum shelf life, refrigerate.
The Takeaway
Homemade fruit snacks are a healthier option than store-bought versions for you and your family. They can be both nutritious and delicious. They are easy to make, and you can choose your preference in ingredients. You can use fresh, natural ingredients, and you can cater to your dietary needs as well. Best of all, you can snack guilt-free.
If you have questions about how these foods can be part of a diet for your unique health needs, call Lam Clinic at +1 (714) 709-8000.
