Inside: Your children love apple slices, however not brown, mushy ones? Use these intelligent hacks to pack apples in lunch containers that received’t look brown by lunchtime.
Apples are a no brainer for teenagers’ lunch containers. They’re reasonably priced, obtainable in all places, and youngsters love em.
Bother is, some children don’t like biting into an entire apple of their lunch–particularly if they’ve new, delicate entrance enamel (or braces!).
However many children are turned off by sliced apples which have turned brown. And packaged, pre-sliced apples from the grocery retailer can style just a little humorous.
So listed below are 4 alternative ways to pack lower apples in your baby’s lunch field that don’t flip brown, in order that they’re fresh-looking and interesting at lunch time.
Why do lower apples flip brown?
Once you slice an apple, the flesh of the apple is uncovered to air. That oxygen publicity triggers a chemical response that causes browning.
Which apples don’t brown as shortly?
Some apple varieties don’t are likely to brown as shortly as others. They embody:
- Pink girl
- Granny smith
- Cosmic crisp
- Empire
- Cortland
- Honeycrisp
- Gala
Which apples brown the quickest?
These apples are likely to brown extra shortly than others:
- Pink Scrumptious
- McIntosh
- Fuji
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The Greatest Method to Pack Apples In Lunch Containers
Listed here are 4 handiest strategies for packing apples in lunch containers, in order that they don’t flip brown by lunchtime.
1. Soak apples slices in saltwater
This will likely sound unusual: salty apples?! However the apples don’t retain a salty taste, and this was the simplest, simplest way I attempted. The apples seemed and tasted contemporary 5 days later!
Why this works: The chloride in salt blocks the enzyme that causes browning.
The right way to do it:
- Slice contemporary apples into desired thickness
- Fill a bowl with 1 1/2 cups chilly water and dissolve 1/2 teaspoon of salt in it
- Soak cut-up apple within the salt water for five minutes
- Drain and rinse apples, then retailer in an hermetic container within the fridge. In case you’re packing them in a lunch field, pat them dry in order that they’re not drippy.
2. Toss sliced apples in citrus juice
As an alternative of sprinkling apple slices with lemon juice (which some children discover too bitter), toss them in a combo of lemon juice and orange juice. It provides a terrific tangy taste. This was my boys’ favourite option to have apples of their lunch containers. Actually, I even packed an additional container of them after my child advised me how a lot his buddy favored them!
Why this works: The vitamin C within the citrus inactivates the enzyme that causes browning (lime juice additionally works in case your children like that taste).
The right way to do it:
- Slice apples thinly and place in a leak-proof hermetic container
- Squeeze just a little little bit of lemon juice and orange juice over the apples (sufficient to coat all of the slices)
- Shake gently to coat the apples and pack in a lunchbox in an hermetic container (these will preserve for 1-2 days within the fridge however are finest eaten the identical day).
3. Combine sliced apples with pineapple juice
Pineapple juice is one other approach to assist stop browning on apples. In case your children just like the candy, tropical taste of pineapple juice, they might like this methodology finest.
Why this works: The vitamin C within the juice inactivates the browning enzyme.
The right way to do it:
- Slice apples and place in a leak-proof container.
- Pour just a little little bit of pineapple juice over the slices
- Shake gently to coat the apples and pack in a lunchbox in an hermetic container (these will preserve for 1-2 days within the fridge however are finest eaten the identical day).
4. Sprinkle lower apples with cinnamon and sugar
My children grew up consuming what we referred to as “apple pie apples”, that are simply apple slices sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar.
Why this works: It doesn’t stop browning–the cinnamon-sugar merely disguises it (and provides a yummy, fall taste). Select an apple that doesn’t brown as shortly, reminiscent of Honeycrisp, Pink Woman, Granny Smith, or Cosmic Crisp.
The right way to do it:
- Reduce apples into slices.
- Sprinkle lower sides with a mix of cinnamon and sugar (or calmly mud with plain cinnamon)
- Pack in a lunchbox. These are finest loved the identical day.
Different methods to pack apples in lunch containers
- Unfold apple slices with peanut butter: It’s a traditional combo! Slice apples and unfold one facet with peanut butter (leaving room finish to choose them up).
- Sprinkle with ascorbic acid powder: This will likely have a scary-sounding identify, but it surely’s truly simply vitamin C in pill kind, offered as manufacturers like Ball Fruit Contemporary. It really works the identical approach that citrus juice does to cease the oxidation course of. Learn extra about it right here.
- Dip in sugar water: This methodology includes soaking apples in sugar and honey dissolved in water. It’s extra expensive that utilizing salt water and never as efficient. Get the how-to right here.
FAQ About Packing Apples In Lunch Containers
What’s one of the best ways to chop apples?
Some individuals like utilizing an apple cutter, which divides apples into eight equal wedges. My children want extra thinly-sliced apples, so as an alternative of utilizing an apple slicer, that is how I do it: Slice on both facet of the apple core, then lower off the edges. Lay the flat facet of the apple sections on a reducing board and lower into skinny slices.
What concerning the rubber band trick?
I’ve seen this apple trick throughout in social media: slice an apple, put it again collectively jigsaw puzzle-style, then wrap a rubber-band round it. However in my checks, the apple nonetheless turned brown inside.
Are sliced apples protected for youthful youngsters?
Items of exhausting, uncooked fruit and veggies like apples are thought of a choking hazard for teenagers below 4. For infants, apples needs to be cooked delicate and mashed, and grated when infants are prepared for finger meals. Listed here are some baby-led weaning suggestions for serving apples. For toddlers, slice apples thinly. See a full checklist of choking hazard meals from the CDC.
Are apples wholesome for teenagers?
YES! Apples are a superb supply of fiber for teenagers, one thing most children want extra of. An apple’s pectin can enhance intestine well being as a result of it feeds the wholesome micro organism within the gut. Apples pack potassium and even a little bit of vitamin C. Apples are additionally filling, rating increased on the “Satiety Index” (a scale of how satisfying totally different meals are) even above bananas and yogurt.
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