Dried Fruit Snacks- Easy, Healthy & Yummy!

Easy & fun to make dried fruit snacks. No prep required! Saves money, food waste, and tastes delicious! Save $100’s by avoiding food waste each year – Put more money back into your pocket by dehydrating fruits, veggies & more!

Today I am going to share with you how easy it is to make delicious dried cinnamon apple slices & dried fruit snacks. I had apples, berries, and bananas that needed to be eaten that day or be dehydrated.

Dehydrating is a great way to preserve foods by drying them out and extending their shelf life. We purchased our dehydrator less than a year ago, it has more than paid for itself!

Apples make the easiest dried fruit snacks

We try to always have organic apples on hand for a healthy snack. Sometimes they tend to go soft before we use them up. Dehydrating them not only helps avoid food waste but makes an easy-to-grab, healthy snack.

Perfect snack for traveling just grab a handful, throw them in a reusable bento box & go!

Benefits of using a dehydrator

I don’t know what it is about dehydrating foods but it is addicting. There are many other benefits to using a dehydrator.

Saves money
It’s fun
Avoiding food waste
Can be long term storage
Glass jars full of your work look beautiful on display
Having foods on hand
Compact snacks for travel
Stronger flavor
Healthy – (Check out this article on Web MD)
Cheaper than buying dried in store
Grind into your own spices & seasonings
Make your own teas
Dry flowers
Filling your kitchen with incredible aromas
Promotes creativity in the kitchen
Easier meal prep

It could not be easier to use a dehydrator. Just slice, place on trays & set the time and temp on your dehydrated. Come back every few hours to check on your dried fruit & flip your tray if needed.

Tips & Tricks for dried fruit snacks

It’s best to thinly slice or half fruits to ensure even drying.
Each brand of the dehydrator is different so both the temperature & length of time may need to be adjusted.
Be patient with drying times & temperatures. Drying at too high of a temp can not only burn your fruit but also cause it to be hard-cased and not edible.
Humidity can also play a role in drying times making it longer for fruits to fully dehydrate.
Fruits with higher sugar content or thicker cut take much longer to dehydrate.
Store in airtight jar or container with lid
If wanting to store your dried fruit snacks for the long term make sure to “condition” your dehydrated treats. For more AMAZING information on how to condition and properly store dehydrated foods for the long term just head over to see Darcy @ ThePurposefulPantry.com.

Materials & tools for making dried fruit snacks

Dehydrator ( I 100% love this dehydrator & have zero complaints)
Parchment paper for small berries
Washed fruit that has been sliced thin (peeled or not)
Knife or mandoline slicer
Cutting board
Plate or platter to place your dried fruit snacks on
Tongs to pick up your dried fruit snacks with
Large pastry tip works for cutting the core piece from apple slices

How to make dried fruit snacks

Wash & dry your fruit (We used apples, blueberries & bananas) Thinly sliced apples dry
Preheat your dehydrator at 140* – 7 hours (this is an approximate temp & time as humidity, the brand of dehydrator plays a factor)
Peel your apple or leave it on (leaving on the peel helps to retain its shape & adds nutrients.
Lay your slices on your tray & sprinkle cinnamon on now if you choose.
Place your trays into your dehydrator.
Some dehydrators need you to flip the fruit +/or your trays in a few hours or your trays. If drying something with high sugar content (like bananas, grapes, or berries). Be sure to flip them after a few hours.
Make sure once they have cooled that they are completely dry before you store them.

Not one part goes to waste!

Save your apple seeds to sprout & plant. If you do cut the skins off be sure to save them. I share an article on how to make an all-natural “simmer pot” for the cooler months.
Leftover pieces of apple that you didn’t use can be fed to squirrels or farm animals.

Pin now for later!

A few of My FAVORITE Homemaking Products

STEAM CLEANER 3 in 1- saves time, cleans almost every surface, sanitizes, (which removes odors) & removes wrinkles!
My 6 tray stainless steel DEHYDRATOR by Ivation (just like a Cosori)
Marble MORTAR & PESTLE – hand grinds everything from herbs to candy
Battery operated VOTIVE CANDLES & TEA LIGHTS – creates a peaceful or festive ambiance
OIL DIFFUSERS– (one in almost every room!)

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Please comment below & let me know if you have ever tried dehydrating foods?
Let me know what your FAVORITE thing is to dehydrate!

Blessings,
Kim