How can I cut up apples and keep them from turning brown...?

Question

I want to put apples in my son's lunch as a healthy snack for school, but he won't eat them if they are already turning brown. AND he won't just eat an apple whole, I have to cut it up for him. Is there something I can do or put on them to keep them from doing that so quickly??

Answer 1

Dip them in orange juice so they will be sweet

Answer 2

I always cut them into a bowl of water with a little bit of lemon juice in the water. Or - you could put some pectin in the water as well.

I found this at babycenter.com

Question: How can I keep cut apples from browning?

Answer: Even some of the most agreeable young eaters will turn their noses up at fruit that's turning brown. No matter how fresh the apple, once you slice it oxygen hits the flesh and it starts to oxidize, or turn brown. To keep your culinary critic from sending the fruit course back, all you need to do is give it a hit of acidulated water before bagging it up.

Acidulated water is just a fancy name for H2O spiked with a harmless edible acid such as lemon or lime juice. To make the solution, pour a quart of water into a clean mist bottle and add two tablespoons of lemon or lime juice to it (bottled is fine). After slicing the apples just give them a quick spritz with the mixture and pack them up. Then you can stash the mister in the fridge for another day. It works for peaches, pears, and avocados as well.

Answer 3

There is an item called fruit fresh on the market that you can put on fruits that are notorious for turning brown. You might also try a little lemon juice with water, but that might alter the taste too much for a child. I ran into the same thing with my kids so I eventually just made applesauce with my apples and put them in little tiny rubbermaid dishes with a spoon. They enjoyed that very well because we could give them a twist by adding a little cinnamon, or add in some chopped walnuts, or add some berries in it which turned the color. It was fun and creative on their parts to come up with different ideas. Good luck.

Answer 4

As you're slicing, have a bowl of cold water and the juice of one lemon ready and just put the apple slices in the bowl. If you don't have lemons on hand, crush up a vitamin C pill and stir it into the water and that should help as well. Let the apples sit in the water for a few minutes, then remove from the water (but do not wipe off the water) and put it in a small airtight container for transport.

Answer 5

Yes there is something you can do. After cutting the apple up, put it in a zip lock bag, before you seal it, put just a couple drops of lemon juice in the bag. Seal and Shake. The lemon juice will coat the apple and help stop it from turning brown.

Answer 6

You have 2 options soak them in a solution of lemon juice and water or use a chemical preservative (citric acid) called Fruit Fresh. They won't work 100% but they will be a lot less brown.

I have never measured the lemon juice but I would guess 1 talbespoon to 1 cup of cold water. I used to cook professionally but I cook like a granny. I don't measure anything once I've used it a lot.

Answer 7

You dont have to cut them a certain way, you can cut them how ever u want to. You put lemon juice and a pinch of salt in there and it keeps the apples nice and fresh if you keep them in the refrigerator.. some times you can leave them out of the refrigerator with lemon juice an pinch of salt in room temperature and it would keep them from turning brown.

Answer 8

You can try using a little bit of lemon juice that will help keep the apples from turning. Also, when I was younger, my mom used to make a bunch a pre-cut apple slices for me and she woudl dip them in a chocolate or a peanut butter this way even if they turend I didn't see them brown.
Also, are there any other fruits your son would like, or vegetables and dip?

Answer 9

Pack them with some orange slices as the citric acid will keep the apples from turning brown.

You can also buy something called "Fruit Fresh" and it is a sweet tasting powder that will do the same thing for you.

Answer 10

We let cut up apples sit in orange juice. This keeps them from getting brown and keeps the fruit sweet.

Answer 11

I used to pour orange juice or lemon juice on the cut sides of the apples. I hope it still works.