Healthier Fruit Snacks
Have you ever noticed that fruit usually tastes the best when it's the cheapest? That's because when a fruit is in season, it is both at its peak and most plentiful... in turn driving down the cost.
When a fruit is in season, I love to stock up on my favorites and preserve them in different ways to enjoy for months to come. One great way to savor the sweet flavors of in-season fruit is to use one of our Turbo Dehydrators to make healthy fruit snacks like these dried apples. And because they're made at home, you'll know exactly what's in these fruit snacks!
It is so easy to dehydrate any kind of fruit using the Ronco Turbo Dehydrator.
Follow these 5 simple steps to dehydrate your own apples at home.
- Start with a nice firm variety of apple- not all apples are good for dehydrating. Skip the Red Delicious and Macintosh apples. Instead, go for Honey Crisp, Gala, Fuji or Granny Smith. We do recommend organic fruits and produce for dehydrating.
- Wash, peel (optional) core and slice apples into 1/4 inch slices or wedges.
- Dip or spray apples in a lemon water solution of 1:4. (This step is optional but prevents your apples from overly browning... which there is nothing wrong with and the apples will brown a little either way.)
- Place onto Ronco Turbo Dehydrator trays and set heat to 135°F and dehydrate for 6-8 hours.* You may want to rotate your dehydrator trays 1/2 way through the dehydrating process to promote even drying. To know if your apples are done, go ahead and break one in half to make sure all the moisture is gone.
- Allow apples to completely cool and store in a dark, dry place.
Now, pack them in your lunch box and take them for a work snack or out for a hike!
*Dehydrating time will vary according to thickness of apple and variety. If you plan on storing your apples for a while, go for over dry rather than under dry to prevent mold or bacteria growth
Enjoy!