Keeping Apple Slices Fresh

I love sending fruit in my husband, Joshua's, lunchbox, and especially fresh fruit! However, since his lunch break is only 15 minutes, I need to pack things that are quick and easy to eat.

Bananas are a good choice, and Joshua eats two of those every day. I also get grapes whenever the price is reasonable. I wash them and take them off the stem before putting them in his lunch.

Joshua likes apples, but apples that have been sliced for a period of time get dark and less appealing. We tried a variety of solutions, including lemon juice, citric acid, or just plain water in the container with the apple slices. They still turned somewhat dark and/or tasted very sour.

My solution? Open a can of pineapple. Drain the juice into a tightly-sealing container. Put freshly sliced apples in the container, replace the lid, and shake for a couple seconds. The apples stay bright and taste delicious!

Next, put the pineapple in a container or two, and add that to the lunchbox, too! :) Or, use the pineapple for banana pineapple bread! Yummy! :) That works for me! :)

Banana pineapple bread recipe


Submitted by Anonymous on Tue, 2007-04-24 23:37.

thanks for this one - my DH prefers his apples cut up because they're easier to eat, but they do get so gross by lunchtime. this is a great idea.

another use for canned pineapple? toss some into your pancake batter with a little sweetened coconut, and you have fabulous pina colada pancakes!

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 2007-04-25 05:54.

I've also used sprite or 7-up for this... it works like lemon juice, just not as tart... you just need to coat the apples in it.

Love your site BTW! Am cooking your fried chicken as I type! :-)

http://blog.humblehousewife.com

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 2007-04-25 06:27.

Wow, that's a great idea! I always wonder what to do with the pineapple juice, since I usually don't have enough for all the kids (and therefore no one gets it) and I'm allergic to lemons, which is what every cookbook says to use.
I bet it would work with avocados, too, chopped for salad!

Mama Says

Dana's picture
Submitted by Dana on Wed, 2007-04-25 07:29.

Thanks for the tip Tammy! I've been soaking them in apple or orange juice for my son's lunch, but he LOVES pineapple so we'll try that instead!


Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 2007-04-25 07:58.

I will try this for my daughter's lunch.

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 2007-04-25 08:06.

I will definately try this! My daughter always wants apples in her lunch but they are so yucky after such a short time. Thanks Tammy!

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 2007-04-25 08:51.

I just recently discovered your blog and I have enjoyed it so much. I took a fruit tray to a party on Saturday and did the same thing with my apple slices. It really works great. When you are having a party it is nice to not have to cut them up at the last minute. If my memory serves me correctly I think that one time I had leftovers from a fruit tray and the apples still looked good the next day.

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 2007-04-25 09:01.

I just love WFMW...I walk away with so many great ideas. This one is definitely one of them this week!

Girl Gone Wild
http://biblestyle.wordpress.com

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 2007-04-25 09:30.

Thanks for the tip! The recipe looks yummy, I will have to try it.

Cammie http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/jumping/

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 2007-04-25 10:04.

Very interesting tip! I'm allergic to pineapple, so I can't use it, but if I weren't allergic, I'd definitely try it!

My method is to slice up the apples, put them in a small ziplock, pour in a very little amount of lemon juice (not enough to make the apples tart), then suck the air out of the ziplock with a straw. I suspect the removal of air is what works more than the little bit of lemon juice I use.

Just a recommendation to those of you who use the pineapple tip: If you're sharing your fruit with someone, please let them know about the pineapple juice on it! Those of us with food allergies would probably never suspect that a safe food like an apple would be coated with an allergen!

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 2007-04-25 10:44.

A timely post indeed! My preschooler loves sliced apples for his packed lunches & snacks, but I could never figure how to keep them "fresh" without altering the taste too much. And he loves pineapple too!

And I was just thinking I needed to do something with my very ripe bananas. . . Thanks for this post!

Emily

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 2007-04-25 10:47.

I had never heard of that -- great idea!

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 2007-04-25 22:18.

I definitely need to remember this tip. I would love to pack apples in my son's lunch, but I know he wouldn't like the lemon taste or sprite. I think the pineapple would be a nice complimentary taste. Thanks for sharing!!

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 2007-04-25 22:19.

I definitely need to remember this for my son's lunch. He loves apples, but would dislike the lemon or sprite taste. This may just work for us. Thanks for sharing!

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