How To Make Dried Fruit

We try to save money on our grocery bill. But it seems that fresh fruits and veggies, the very things we should eating more of, seem to cost more and spoil sooner. If you and your family love to eat fresh fruits, one way to be sure they won’t spoil is to dry them.

Dried fruits can serve as a healthy alternative to sweets. Instead of reaching for chocolate or a piece of hard candy, the kids will reach for a dried pineapple or apple slices. The sweetness of the fruit is concentrated when it is dried and bursts forth with every bite. You can also add your dried fruits to homemade granola, cookies and other dessert recipes for extra sweetness without refined sugar.

How Do You Make Dried Fruit?

Learning to dry fruit is a fairly easy process. You don’t need to buy any fancy equipment. Investing in a few sealing jars would be nice so that storing the fruit will be easier, but it isn’t a necessity. Sealing jars can be found fairly inexpensive at many grocery stores.

To start, gather all of the fruits you want to dry. Most fruits make good choices. Some of the more common ones are: pineapples, apples, plums, grapes, apricots, and tomatoes (yes they are a fruit!). If you favor lemons, limes, or other citrus fruits, you will be drying the peels and not the fruit itself.

All fruit and equipment need to be clean and thoroughly dried before beginning. Drying racks are needed if you plan on air drying outside or using an oven. Some pieces may be done before others so rotating the trays in the oven gives you a chance to remove any fruit that is already dried and replace with another.

Slice the fruit into small pieces. Apples need to be cored and peeled before slicing. Tomatoes can be cut into slices or quarters and salted before drying. Grapes and plums are okay as is because the skin doesn’t affect their taste. You can then dry the fruit in your oven by putting it on its lowest setting - typically 150 - 200 degrees. Place the fruit in single layers on cookie sheets. It's a good idea to grease the sheets lightly. Keep the oven door open slightly to allow moisture to escape. It may take anywhere from 8 to 24 hours for the fruit to be completely dry.

You can eat some of these tasty treats as soon as they are dried or you can save some for later. If storing for later, let the fruit cool before placing in sealing jars or plastic bags. Dried fruits will keep for up to two weeks in a cool dark place. However, these fruit treats are so scrumptious they may not even last for that long.

Dried fruit has a multitude of uses. It can be eaten as is or as a flavorful addition to ice cream, salads, pizzas, and more. Drying your fruits will save you money because it makes the fruit last longer than normal, avoid spoilage and gives you a reason to eat more of it.