This is the first post in my new Make It Healthier series. I plan to share some of my own healthier experiments and encourage you to try a few of your own. If you’re interested in making more everyday foods from scratch, be sure to check out my friend Mandi’s ebook Easy Homemade. She shares 60+ recipes for pantry staples that you can easily make for just $3.99. Click here for more information about Easy Homemade.
One of our goals lately has been to eat less processed food and avoid refined sugars. One of the ways we’re doing that is by making more snacks ourselves. This week I tried my hand at homemade fruit rollups.
Why It’s Healthier:
These fruit rollups have only 3 ingredients… fruit, water, and lemon juice. (The honey is optional, and I didn’t think they needed it.) The ones in the store? They contain corn syrup, dried corn syrup, sugar, partially hydrogenated cottonseed oil, and artificial colors. All that adds up to empty calories.
My Experience:
I figured if I was going to run the oven for 10 hours, I may as well make a couple of different flavors. I chose nectarine (with 1 pear thrown in) and strawberry-blueberry. The prep time took a little longer than I thought, but that was because I chose a fruit that was hard to peel (nectarines). The prep time for the strawberry-blueberry was much quicker. I’m glad I made both kinds so I could compare.
I think that next time I’ll try using a cake pan. My rollups dried out a bit around the edges, and I think that was from the layer being a bit too thin on the pan. A cake pan should do the trick.
My Family’s Reaction:
Thumbs up all around. Emma thought it was fun watch them go from fruit to rollups. The grown-ups liked them too. We even shared some with my parents, and they also gave thumbs up. We all seemed to like the strawberry-blueberry best.
The How-To:
If you want to try your hand at homemade fruit rollups you can find the recipe here.
