Dried Fruit Decisions

I enjoy dried fruit and often snack on dried fruit as a sweet treat and use dried fruits in recipes. Normally I have a variety of dried fruit on hand. Right now that is not the case as I have worked through quite a bit of what I had around the house.  

Dried fruit is shelf stable so it is something people should be purchasing to have around the house since we have been encouraged to refrain from shopping as much as possible. Dried fruit is a fiber filled addition to a person's diet. We have to be careful to purchase the healthy options and not to have too much of a good thing!

Dried fruits can be helpful for people who are looking to lose weight. High fiber dried fruits include: apricots, dates, prunes, and raisins.

As you plan your next purchase, what are the things you should consider when purchasing dried fruit? Of course, you will take into consideration personal preferences and any dietary restrictions/needs that you have, but are there any other considerations that should be taken? I did a little research and have come to some conclusions.

When to buy organic...

If a fruit is on the Environmental Working Group's Dirty Dozen List, it is a good idea to purchase ORGANIC dried fruit as well as fresh fruit.  Therefore, spend the extra money on organic dried strawberries, nectarines, apples, grapes (raisins), peaches, cherries, and pears.

Watch out for added sugars...

According to Harvard Health, it is suggested that people read labels. Fruits have natural sugars but many manufacturers add sugar when packaging dried fruit.

What about sulfur dioxide added to some dried fruits?

Sulfur dioxide is a preservative used in many dried fruits and other foods. According to Livestrong, people sensitive to the preservative can have asthma or difficulty breathing after consuming sulfur dioxide. Sulfur dioxide is used to prevent rotting and to help the fruit maintain its color. In the 1980s the FDA banned sulfites from fresh fruits and vegetables, but not packaged foods.

Handfulls Snacks ... Enjoy by the Handful or in Your Favorite Recipe

I have fallen in love with Handfulls Snacks! Their Crunch Bites line of products are great to enjoy BY THE HANDFUL or to add to salads for some extra CRUNCH and protein!

Crunch Bites add a rice cracker shell, a crunch, to the California Almond! They come in a variety of flavor profiles for you to enjoy!

Crunch Bites or Fusions can be added to a salad to add flavor and texture. The image below shows adding a HANDFUL of Crunch Bites to a salad! Read my recipe for A Simple Salad With A Crunch.

Handfull Snacks Fusion line of nuts, seeds, and dried fruits are great BY THE HANDFUL as well as used in recipes! They come in a variety of flavors, savory and sweet! I have enjoyed baking Fusions into gluten free breads, sprinkling them on my Greek Yogurt for breakfast, adding them to salads, and adding them to fried rice. The possibilities are endless! The flavors are superior! 

I enjoy adding Fusions to recipes. I made Strawberry Nut Bread using CABO CATAMARAN CRUNCH and created a gluten free bread that was moist, flavorful, and satisfying!

Breakfasts can be made magical with the addition of Handfulls Snacks.  A Gluten Free Breakfast with a Fusion of Flavors includes Denali Mountain Mix with adds great flavor and texture at the start of a HOT day!

A Gluten Free Breakfast with a Fusion of Flavors

When the weather is in the summer is at its peak, I prefer a cool breakfast! I prefer to keep it simple on a hot day. I tend to turn to Greek Yogurt as my breakfast "blank canvas" and I create my masterpiece from there. I purchase PLAIN LOWFAT Greek Yogurt so I can customize the flavor profile and control the sugar that I have each day.

I do not stop using the oven or stove on hot days. If I need to do any baking, I do it after breakfast when the house is still cool! I love to cook and do not let the outside temperature stop me from eating healthy, real food!

I follow a simple formula to create my breakfast, then I add variety based on the format:

1 cup FRUIT + 1 cup GREEK YOGURT + 1 TBSP FLAVOR (or honey) + 1/2 cup SEEDS/NUTS/GRANOLA

I have found that the riper the fruit, the sweeter it is. If I wish my breakfast to be a bit sweeter one day than another, I dice my fruit and warm it in the microwave for 30 seconds.

My favorite flavor to add is cinnamon as it helps reduce blood sugar and diabetes runs in my family. I also enjoy adding ORGANIFI RED JUICE to my yogurt along with red berries for an antioxidant boost!

HandfullsSnacks Fusions are a great addition to yogurt for breakfast. Pictured here is DENALI MOUNTAIN MIX on top of Greek Yogurt and Peaches! I did not add flavor to my yogurt as the Denali Mix provided the flavor (and texture) boost!

NOTE: This could be made into a dessert by adding some honey and/or a few gluten free chocolate chips to the add-in mixture.