I just really cannot stand aisle FOUR. My normal routine at the grocery store is to get that limousine cart for the kids. Yes, I really do get the two-seater. You know that one where you pretty much corner into every stand as you turn. That one.
The kids love it though and it’s just as much a tradition to us as Thanksgiving turkey. So as hit everything in sight wheel around the veggies and fruits and follow that nice little lady with the clearance “gun”, I read ingredients, break-up fights between siblings and open boxes hoping no one will see us as we eat and shop. I am one of those mom’s. You know, the ones who bribe and plead that their children will not create complete havoc in public. Am I ashamed? Naaaah. You do what you have to do with two kids, a cart the size of a bus and a huge shopping list.
Now it usually goes pretty smoothly once they have a little appetizer from a cereal box, until we reach my arch-nemesis aisle 4. The dreaded, feared, avoid-like-the-plague, aisle 4. This aisle, among most of the inner aisles scream out to our kids “buy me…I have a FREE toy inside!” And they scream to me “Buy Me…I promise not to give your kids too many cavities. Buy Me …I will only make them hyper-spastic for three hours…” Oh, that aisle. Incase you have trouble finding it in your store – it’s probably the one where mom is frantically begging her kids to stop whining and the kids are crying and sobbing about how badly they NEEEED to have that free car in the box.
So now that we are clear on which aisle it is exactly, I must tell you that this is where those Fruit By The Foot and Fruit Rollup thingies are located. I have to admit, they do look super fun and “colorful” even though I’m not sure how many food dyes it took to get them into swirls, but I guess we shouldn’t question those brilliant mad scientists who carefully figured out which chemicals could really blend so precisely. It’s a science….it is! *#sarcasm
Let me just first say I REFUSE. I really do not buy them and cannot STAND them. So with my big bus-cart, I promise the kids that they too can have “fruit rollups” and hurriedly get the heck out of dodge to the organic aisle where I head straight for the “smooshed fruit” that are so much healthier! Unfortunately, I just cannot usually purchase them due to lack of funds…but it does happen. Sometimes.
So today I am CRAZY BONKERS EXCITED to share with you my newest most awesomest recipe! Yep – fresh from the kitchen Fruit Rollups! Best part? They are healthy and only require 3 ingredients! Though I used 4 because I had to use up some fresh pears that were turning a leeetle beeet brownish, or “disgusting colored” according to the smiling green kids. So they were used right up!
Ingredients:
4 apples and 4 pears- peeled, sliced and cored (or any other fruit you want to use to equal a total of 2 Cups of fruit puree)
1 TBSP lemon Juice
2 TBSP Pure Raw Honey
Preparation:
-Once your fruit is sliced, boil them in water for aprox three to five minutes or until slightly softened.
-Drain water, add honey and lemon juice and place fruit in a blender. Chop and then puree until fruit is a runny liquid
(This is where I strayed off course from the actual instructions which you can find here and here). But there is another mom blog that I found who made them pretty much the same as we made ours! Check out her strawberry rollups here!
-Pour fruit puree onto baking sheet that is lined with parchment paper and bake on the lowest temp for several hours (3-4 hours) WITH THE OVEN DOOR CRACKED OPEN, until firm all the way through and no longer sticky.
-Once cooled, you can slice them up into strips!
These turned out so wonderful and perfect and our daughter even shared them with her friends at the lunch table! So they are Kid approved friends and I am one very happy mama. I can’t wait to make them using strawberry puree so they are a pretty and natural red color!
I hope you enjoy and please feel free to ask me any questions or keep me posted on how your turn out! I had some issues with the center of mine not being totally done while the edges were plenty done. I am going to try this again while making sure that it’s spread more evenly and I really think they would turn out better drying outside without the oven heat. So let’s keep each other posted!
Image Credit: http://www.americansweets.co.uk/ekmps/shops/statesidecandy/images/betty-crocker-fruit-roll-ups-variety-pack-241-p.jpg
First, you are such a big dork trying to “hide” behind the fruit strip thingy. But, these sound yummy and super easy! Gotta get my 11 year old in the kitchen t make these with me!
P.S. Love the haircut! It is shorter, right?
HAHAHA! Hey – go easy on me! I didn’t have any makeup on so had to hide and made sure it was in black and white LOL! Yes – I am a big dork
Oh, and make sure you tell me how yours turn out!! Thanks for the hair compliment – yep much shorter!
what an awesome easy recipe! cant wait to make these!
I am so happy you came by and thanks for commenting! It really was easy
Keep me posted if you make them okay! I will love hearing about all the kids who now have healthy fruit rollups!
You did a fab job it looks like! I may have to try out your technique, my kiddos love this stuff and it’s so much more fun to make while they watch then just buying it at the store. Especially if you can pick up the produce at your local farmer’s market! Great post!
Oooo, maybe I’ll make this for all the kids that are in my life. I’ll be the coolest auntie and step-grandma around! Oh, and I for one, have no problem peeking around something in photos. I think I was inspired by Wilson. Remember him?
Hey I knew I could count on my TLQ! Oh yes, your “kids” will LOVE these! I do too bc they are guilt free – and so healthy for them (and for us)!
Love this post. I bet they taste really good. I hope I can find the time to try this out!
This is SUCH a good idea. I can’t wait to make and try them. I wonder what other flavors would be good.
What a great idea! I think I’m going to have to give this a try!
Thanks for your comment on my blog. And what a beautiful website you have: WOW, I’m impressed!
x Julia (Taste of Living)
Hi Julia! Thanks so much for stopping by
Thanks also for your compliment – you are so sweet. I hope you will come back again soon!!
Thanks for stopping by and commenting!! I am definitely going to try these! My kids do love fruit roll ups, and honestly I’m OK with it in moderation. But, I’d love to see what they thought of these. I’m trying to change their palettes as we switch to more natural stuff and they are happy to share with me their thoughts on things tasting different!!
That is so great! I hope your kiddos do love them…natural goodies are awesome. Sometimes it can take some time for kiddos who are used to the sugary stuff to make the switch though – so don’t give up if they resist at first lol! I can’t wait to hear the results
Hi Lynn, Thanks for stopping off at my blog. I am happy to find your site! I can’t stand buying fruit snacks and I think my kids would be thrilled to have these roll ups! Thanks so much for the recipe, I will certainly be trying them!
Oh good! I am so glad you came by to say hello and I hope your little one’s love these! Our kids really do and it is awesome to know they are healthier and so much cheaper than the boxed processed ones.
Come back soon and often 
Just an idea for the adventurous – You could try “swirls” by alternating apple and strawberry and mango/peach.
Oooh, I really love your sense of adventure!! Swirls would be sooo yummy and pretty and fun
Thanks so much for the brilliant idea friend!
Thank you for sharing! Fantastic! I will pass this along to my friends with kids
L
Thanks so much! Our kids love these and they are so so healthy
I had to read your post twice to get the full impact of it. I enjoy reading what you have to say. It’s too bad that more people do not comprehend the benefits of coaching. Keep up the good work.