School is almost out. I can hardly believe it. Seems like I was just buying school supplies and signing all the ‘back to school’ forms. The boys are excited, to be honest, I think they’ve been checked out since last week. Their poor (wonderful!) teachers.
This time of year I start making lists and brainstorming. Trying to think of all the things I can do with them to keep them busy and happy…trying my best to avoid those little words that make me cringe…”Mommm, I’m bored.”
Not only am I making lists of what we’ll do, but what we’ll eat. Like the garden, grass and everything else, my boys grow in the summertime and growing boys mean HUNGRY boys. It seems every time I walk into the kitchen our pantry door is open and someone is rummaging around for something to eat. To manage this I try to keep plenty of healthy, filling snacks on hand, but sometimes they get tired of the old standbys and I have to shake things up a bit.
About a month ago I came across a few blog posts about making your own fruit rollups. My kids aren’t huge fans of the box variety, complaining they taste too sweet (weird, I know). I decided to give the homemade version a try. It takes some planning ahead as the baking/dehydrating takes a few hours. I started mine after supper one evening when the kitchen was “closed” and I knew I’d be around. I used strawberries, but any fruit would work. I even had someone tell me they used applesauce. I haven’t tried it yet, but with a little cinnamon mixed in I can imagine it would be pretty good.
Homemade Fruit Leather
various web sources, mostly ‘the little red house’
*makes about a pan and a half of fruit leather
5 cups strawberries, hulled and halved
2 tablespoons honey
Preheat oven to 150 degrees. In a medium saucepan, on low heat, cook the strawberries until they are soft and juices are released. Add honey and stir until combined. Pour berries into food processor and puree. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Pour berry mixture onto parchment lined pan.
Put in oven and bake for 4-6 hours, until leather peels away easily from the parchment. Using scissors cut into rectangles and roll them up, parchment and all.
A few things I’ve learned making these…
Don’t pour too thin of a layer or you’ll have fruit crisps instead of fruit leather.
Start checking it after 4 hours. If you leave it in too long again…fruit crisps.
Today, Henry and I are spending a little time with our favorite four year old. Our plans include sidewalk chalk, a walk or two and popsicles.
Hope you have a great Tuesday!
Alison
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14 comments
Alison, I l.o.v.e. this idea. I like that it’s made of all-natural ingredients, you know what’s in it, and there aren’t any of those chemical-preservatives in it. Great idea, Great post! Thanks for sharing!
I love the fruit leather. Can you believe school is almost over? I was just making plans with a friend for a day at the zoo with our kids. Summer is here!
Oh i can’t WAIT to make this — and the kids will love helping me!
Thanks Amy! I always feel so much better feeding the kids things with a short ingredient list, things I know are all natural.
Tomorrow is the boys last day. I’m always a little nervous about keeping them busy enough, but it always works out. I just have to gear myself up for it.
The boys really liked helping make this. It’s easy enough and quick, so it keeps their attention. Let me know if you come up with any new flavor combinations. I think we will be trying apple next.
what other healthy filling snacks do you feed your boys? My 3yr old is constantly hungry and alnd has always been big for his age. I don’t want to feed him alot of unhealthy snacks in fear of him becoming obese later in life. I am always looking for new snack ideas. Thanks
Mallorie,
I feed my boys all kinds of snacks. We do home popped popcorn, pretzels (I found a brand without HFCS), fruit, veggies with dip, frozen grapes, homemade popsicles, peanut butter on apples or celery, cheese and crackers, brown rice krispies. The recipes for ladybugs (peanut butter apples), brown rice krispies, veggies with dip and home popped popcorn are in my archives.
What a cool idea! Also another way to preserve all the fresh fruit shortly coming our way–how long do you think they’ll keep?
Nancy,
Ours was good for about a week, although we have had some longer. It just gets a bit more leathery.
Thanks for the tips!! We have been doing a few of those for snacks already so now I feel like I AM feeding him the right way!! Thanks for all the delicious recipes!My strawberry/blueberry/raspberry blend is in the oven now!!
Yum! I bet those will be delicious!
This looks amazing! I have to try it. Love that it’s not full of sugar, too.
Hi ! My friend makes these in all kinds of fruit but here is a tastier variation, she does not cook the fruit, she purees them directly and pours a thin layer onto plates and puts it out in the sun and it dries in 3 days !!!!!
She makes some with roma tomatoes without any sugar but little salt and kids are crazy about it !!!