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Dried Fruit
Explore this page for tips on how to select, store and prepare dried fruit.
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Persimmons
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Grapes
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Peppers
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Tomatoes
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Root Vegetables
Select It
Look for unsweetened varieties of dried fruit. Avoid dried fruits that have sugar or other sweeteners added to them. Avoid purchasing packages that are torn or have expired use-by dates.
Store It
Store for up to 6 months in an airtight container in the pantry or refrigerator.
Prepare It
- Make your own trail mix. Combine your favorite dried fruit varieties with nuts, pretzels or granola.
- Add dried fruit onto cereal, oatmeal, yogurt or salads.
- Stuff dates with any nut butter for a sweet treat.
- Make your own dried fruit. Slice fruit of choice, place in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake at 140 degrees for 4-8 hours.
Did You Know?
The process of drying fruit removes most of the water but locks in the nutrients. As a result, dried fruits have many of the same nutrients as fresh ones.
A way to save money on dried fruit is to buy a bulk bag of dried fruit and put it in individual servings in small plastic containers or plastic zip bags! It’s a healthy snack for kids!
Click here for more information about dried fruit.
Click here for a printable page with lots of info about dried fruit.
Recipes
Tropical Fruit and Nut Mix
Ingredients
1 tablespoon butter
¼ cup honey*
1 teaspoon almond, coconut OR vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups rolled oats
Nonstick cooking spray or vegetable oil of choice
½ cup sliced almonds
¾ cup dried tropical fruit bits
½ cup banana chips
¼ cup raisins
*Children under one year old should not eat honey or foods with honey in them.
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Add honey, extract and cinnamon and mix well. Stir in oats.
- Transfer to a baking sheet coated with nonstick cooking spray. Spread mixture into a 1-inch thick layer.
- Bake for 10 minutes, stirring once. Stir in almonds and bake for 5 to 10 minutes more.
- Remove from the oven and add in dried fruit. Let cool completely and serve.
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Persimmons
-
Grapes
-
Peppers
-
Tomatoes
-
Root Vegetables
This website was developed by University of California, San Diego's Center for Community Health in partnership with the Nutrition Policy Institute at the University of California, Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
