I have always been a snacker and have come to accept I probably always will be. Whether I am bored, in the car, watching a movie, I love having a little something by my side to pick away at.
Instead of trying to combat this bad habit, I decided instead to be more careful about what snacks I have available in the house. If I don’t have sweet chocolate or salty chips available, then there’s no way I can eat them. It was my mom who suggested I tried dried or dehydrated fruit, and I became hooked immediately. Whenever I crave something sweet, I now reach for this healthy snack instead of candy.
I started out buying dried fruit from the store but then realized that I would make it pretty easily at home. That way I could dehydrate any fruit I want with no limits, and I wouldn’t have to leave the house to get it.
1. Dehydrated Strawberries
I first tried Dehydrated Strawberries on a family trip to Thailand. The woman selling them assured us that they tasted just like candy but had no added sugar. I was reluctant to believe her at first, but as soon as I popped the first one into my mouth, I realized how ignorant I had been. They are delicious.
They do taste exactly like candy, and I have recommended them to friends on multiple occasions. I prefer them to be slightly chewy so would dry the strawberries for around 10 hours, if you’d like them crunchy go for closer to 12 or 14.
2. Dehydrated Orange Slices
I have made Dehydrated Orange Slices during the festive season to use as decorations, although I have never thought to eat them. The smell they give off while cooking wafts all through the house and is divine.
This recipe provides you with multiple great ideas for how to use your orange slices. You could pop them into a cup of tea to give it a sweet citrus touch, or even nibble on them as they are. I love the idea of cutting them up and adding them to granola to sprinkle atop a big bowl of vanilla yogurt.
3. Dehydrated Cherries
I don’t have a dehydrator of my own, but I reckon most of these dehydrated fruit recipes could be adapted and made in the oven. If not, this could be a perfect excuse to invest in one.
I have tried Dehydrated Cherries a few times in amongst tray bakes or cookies but never by themselves. Fresh cherries are one of my favorite fruits when they’re in season, and I can imagine when dehydrated they will maintain their delicious flavor. They look like the perfect size to grab a little handful to snack on.
4. Dehydrated Peaches
Peaches smell sensational and taste delicious, exactly what you want from a fruit. It’s surprising that I have never tried Dehydrated Peaches considering how much I love the fruit.
Dealing with an abundance of peaches is never a bad thing, but if you’re looking for new things to do with your yield then why not try dehydrating them. It’s incredibly easy to achieve, all you have to do is slice the peaches nice and thin then pop them in the dehydrator. You could use them as healthy snacks in lunch boxes or asa crisp alternative to potato chips.
5. Dehydrated Blueberries
Blueberries are packed full of goodness, both when it comes to flavor and when it comes to vitamins and antioxidants. I’ve gotten into them in the past few years, and I can’t wait to try and incorporate these Dehydrated Blueberries into my diet along with fresh ones.
As well as eating them by themselves I can think of multiple delicious uses for these dried berries. You could sprinkle them on top of your morning porridge, pop them in a pancake mix, make blueberry flapjacks or even use them as an ice cream topping in the summer months.
6. Dehydrated Watermelon
I would never have thought to make Dehydrated Watermelon, mostly because of the contrast in the name. The idea of removing all the water from something that is full of it feels strange to me, but that’s one of the reasons why I can’t wait to try it out.
Artificial watermelon flavorings are always far stronger than watermelon itself, but I reckon this method would strengthen and concentrate the flavor. The fact that they look like tortilla chips have made me think you could arrange them around some type of fruit sauce or yogurt and eat them like chips and dip.
7. Dehydrated Cranberries
I am a big Dehydrated Cranberry fan, but I’ve never tried to make them myself. Now that I have this easy looking recipe all is about to change.
My favorite things to make with cranberries are white chocolate and cranberry cookies. I know this isn’t the healthiest option, but everyone deserves a treat every now and again, right? What I love about dehydrated cranberries is that, along with sweetness, they have a little added sharpness which can bring an entirely different flavor element to whatever you decide to add them to.
8. Dehydrated Pineapple
If you need a little tropical pick-me-up to get you through a rainy day, then look no further than this Dehydrated Pineapple. Its sweet, vibrant flavor is bound to transport you from your sofa or office right to the beach.
It’s difficult to find something more candy-like, without being real candy, than dried pineapple. The sweetness of the fruit is concentrated as it dries out, and the golden yellow rings look beautiful. I have a pineapple in the house right now, and you can bet it’ll be turned into these by tomorrow.
9. Dehydrated Papaya
Papaya is a great fruit to dehydrate as it isn’t too sweet so even when concentrated after drying, the flavor won’t be overwhelmingly sugary.
I must admit that I haven’t eaten much papaya in my lifetime, but this Dehydrated Papaya might make me do so more. My mom would often buy big bags of mixed dried fruit when I was younger, and I remember enjoying the papaya pieces, so I am not sure why I never thought to buy it myself. I love that this recipe has the fruit cut into big chunks, meaning they will be full of flavor and will have the perfect chewy texture.
10. Dehydrated Kiwi
I used to be sent off to school almost every day with a Kiwi and a spoon in my lunchbox. I love them and am a big fan of the idea of turning them into a sweet alternative to chips.
By cutting the fruit exceptionally fine, you make sure your Dehydrated Kiwi cooks as fast as possible and is the perfect balance of crisp and chewy when finished. The only ingredient required is the Kiwis themselves, so if you can be patient and wait for them to dry, they’ll be far more cost efficient than buying ready-made dried Kiwi at a store.
11. Dehydrated Lemon
All citrus fruits look beautiful when dehydrated because of the bright colored waxy skins and bejeweled inside segments. These Dehydrated Lemons are no exception; I love how the inside goes slightly darker once the moisture is removed.
It would be nice to dehydrate different citrus fruits together, like lemons, limes, and oranges, and display them in a tall clear jar. Much like with the oranges, there are many different ways you could enjoy these dehydrated lemons, and they’d be the perfect flavoring for fruit teas.
12. Dehydrated Mango
I love the texture of Dehydrated Mango; it’s almost like a jerky or fruit leather. Because it has some substance to it, you feel like you’re having a decent snack.
Once dehydrated, the deliciously sweet and exotic flavor of mango is concentrated, so every bite is sensational. I can imagine myself not only munching on these as they go but also cutting them up small and baking them into cookies to add a chewy element, or sprinkling them on top of a summertime pavlova.
13. Dehydrated Apple
These Dehydrated Apple Rings are like little apple pies in chip form. That being said they’re almost better as they’re far healthier than a big slice of applepie would be, and you can eat them on the go.
I’ve never really gotten into apple chips but I definitely should considering how much I enjoy a bag of regular chips. Although the flavor of the apple itself will be concentrated after dehydrating, I like that this recipe adds lemon juice and a sprinkle of cinnamon to make sure those flavors pop.
14. Dehydrated Bananas
When I was at school we used to do expedition style camping trips every now and again. I remember one time someone in my group got out a packet of Dehydrated Banana, offered me some and I was hooked immediately.
Over the years I bought them less and less and now I think about it I am not sure why. Now that I know how simple it is to make my own I will be doing so. One of my favorite guilty pleasures used to be dipping the banana chips in melted chocolate and letting them cool before beginning to nibble.
15. Dehydrated Raspberries
I luckily don’t have the same problem as the author of this recipe, we grow hundreds of raspberries in our garden, and they always come out sweet and delicious. This does mean however that we are constantly on the lookout for ways to use them, as never-ending pots of jam can get a little tiresome.
I have never tasted Dehydrated Raspberries but they look delicious and simple to make, exactly what I look for in any recipe. You could crush them and use them to decorate cakes or other baking or grab a handful as you run out the house in the morning and munch them on the go.
16. Dehydrated Grapefruit
I would never have thought to use this Dehydrated Grapefruit as a garnish for a savory dish, but this recipe recommends precisely that. My lack of dehydrator makes this recipe well suited to me, as you can bake the fruit in the oven. Although grapefruit can be a tad sour, I reckon this method will transform it into a sweet snack.
It’s described as chewy which I love as it reminds me of candy and would fulfill the sweet cravings I often get.You could cut your slices to different thicknesses to achieve pieces with varying textures.
17. Dehydrated Pears
I can imagine these Dehydrated Pears would have a similar texture to the apple chips, based on the fact that the fresh fruits are close in moisture levels.
Almost all these dehydrated fruit recipes contain only one ingredient, the fruit itself, and this one is no exception. Pear is an underrated fruit in my opinion and one I don’t buy often enough. I’d love to slice these up and pop them in amongst my morning porridge to give it a little punch of fruity flavor.
18. Dehydrated Apricots
Dehydrated Apricots are probably the dried fruit I buy the most frequently. The beauty of making your own is that you get to control what goes into them. You might think you’re buying a healthy snack at the store when in fact your bag of dehydrated fruit could be full of added sugars and preservatives.
You don’t have to worry about that with this recipe, which only includes apricots and optional vitamin C tablets. If you would instead enjoy a sweeter option, they explain how letting the apricots sit in syrup before you dry them out, will give that added sweetness.
19. Dehydrated Blackberries
It’s a genius idea to use these Dehydrated Blackberries to make a blackberry powder. It doesn’t require too much extra work, all you need to do is crush them up finely and sieve out the seeds.
You could use this powder in smoothies or mixed into natural yogurt to give it a lovely blackberry flavor. If you’re someone who’s into latte art, this could be a great alternative to regular cocoa powder too. These berries would be just as delicious eaten whole or added to granola.
20. Dehydrated Cantaloupe Melon
I mistook this Dehydrated Cantaloupe Melon for sweet potato fries at first as they look pretty similar. Cantaloupe is my favorite type of melon, and I find it most flavourful and deliciously sweet.
The recipe likens this to dried mango which I love the texture of, so I am bound to fall in love with this too. You could, of course, slice them up to be any size you want but I love that this example has left them in long, thin strips, perfect for both storage and eating on the go.
Conclusion
Discovering just how many of my favorite fruits I can dehydrate at home and convertinto fun, sweet snacks has made me think I can say goodbye to unhealthy snacks. Not forever of course, but mostly. They’re easy to transport so I could munch on them whether I’m off to work or on a little stroll.
I already love Dehydrated Pineapple, so I am excited to be able to make it myself and am intrigued by the idea of Dehydrated Cantaloupe Melon. I’ve got to make a big batch of Dehydrated Strawberries to share with my friends and family, so everyone can see just how delicious they are.
Do you often snack on dehydrated fruit? Which of these recipes can you see yourself making time and time again?
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