Homemade Healthy Fruit Snacks Recipe (2024)

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Forget the store-bought gummy bears. Make your own Homemade Healthy Fruit Snacks with this easy recipe that your kids will love. They’re so easy and fun to make and are great for a healthy snack or treat.>

Homemade Healthy Fruit Snacks Recipe (1)

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Have you ever used real gelatin? No, I’m not talking about the boxes of store-bought gelatin like Jello-O that’s full of artificial colors and preservatives. I’m talking about real gelatin from grass-fed cows. You can make it easily with just 4 ingredients and you’ll be serving up lots of protein and nourishing collagen and amino acids in every one of these fruit snacks.>

What is Gelatin?

Gelatin is derived from the skin, connective tissue and/or bones of animals. All gelatin is made this way. What makes grass-fed gelatin different is the quality of the gelatin. It’s from grass-fed cows rather than factory farmed animals.

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Generations have been eating gelatin for many years – and yes, even Jello-O is derived the same way. Gelatin is used to thicken or congeal foods and make products such as gelatin or gummy snacks, marshmallows, etc.>

Grass-fed gelatin is high in protein, essential amino acids (such as glycine, proline and lysine) and collagen. These key ingredients help to build connective tissue, provide support with those with collagen loss or cartilage damage, and aid in hair and skin health (such as help with wrinkles and cellulite).1>

So you’re probably thinking – heck, all adults should be taking this. You’re right. Grass-fed gelatin is an excellent nutritional supplement for adults – especially those who aren’t drinking bone broth on a regular basis. But it’s also great for kids.>

It’s high in protein, so it’s fantastic for little bodies and helping to support bone, skin, hair and connective tissue health.>

How to Make These Healthy Fruits Snacks – Step by Step

  1. In asauce pan, heat orange juice, frozen fruit, and raw honey or maple syrup on low heat.

  2. When liquid is hot, add gelatin one tablespoon at a time and use animmersion blenderso that gelatin is well-absorbed (no lumps). The consistency will thicken.
  3. Remove from heat.
  4. Pour intosilicone moldsand refrigerate until the snacks harden – about for 3-4 hours.
  5. When ready, pop out of the molds. They should come out pretty easily. Pop them in the freezer for a few minutes if they gummy snacks don’t come out easily.
  6. Store in the fridge for 3-5 days.
Homemade Healthy Fruit Snacks Recipe (2)

Can I Use a Different Fruit Juice?

Yes, you can use lemonade, grapefruit juice, guava juice, apple juice, or any fruit juice instead of the orange juice in this recipe. >

You could even use NingXia Red, a fruit puree made with wolf berries, also known as goji berries. It’s loaded with antioxidants and tastes so good. Just add 1/2 cup of NingXia Red, keep the 1 cup of orange juice, and increase the gelatin to 5 tbsp. >

Healthy Fruit Snacks for Kids and Adults

These gummy snacks are perfect for adults and kids, great for packing in lunch boxes.One tablespoon of grass-fed gelatin has about 6 grams of protein.2>

I found the original recipe from Great Lakes (I modified the base lemon jelly recipe). I tested this with frozen strawberries but I think any berries, mango or pineapple will work well.>

An Easy Homemade Snack

This recipe is easy to follow. Just add your favorite juice (we like orange juice) and frozen fruit (like frozen strawberries to a saucepan. Add some honey and gelatin, and then use an immersion blender to puree. I used orange juice as the liquid in this recipe, but I think other juices will work well too. If using a non-citrus juice, reduce the amount to 1 cup minus 2-3 tbsp, then use 2-3 tbsp of lemon juice. The citrus helps to naturally preserve these gummy snacks.>

Pour the mixture into silicone molds to form and then put in the fridge to let it set.>

Homemade Healthy Fruit Snacks Recipe (3)

Top Tips for These Healthy Fruit Snacks

  • You can freeze these snacks and pack a few frozen gummy snacks in a lunch box so they’re cold by the time the kids get to school.
  • Any berries, mango or pineapple will work well.
  • I used a smaller mold – which yielded about 28 gummy snacks – so 7 g
  • ummies would be 6 grams of protein (since there are 4 tablespoons of gelatin in this recipe).
  • Use an immersion blender so the gelatin is well absorbed.

More Recipes You Might Like

  • Cold-Busting Elderberry Gummy Fruit Snacks
  • Grain-Free Cheese Crackers Recipe
  • Peanut Butter Protein Bites

Did you try this? Don’t forget torate itand comment below to let me know how it went. You can alsoFOLLOW MEonFacebook,InstagramandPinterest.>

Homemade Healthy Fruit Snacks Recipe (4)

Homemade Healthy Fruit Snacks Recipe

Don’t Mess With Mama

Forget the store-bought gummy bears. Make your own Homemade Healthy Fruit Snacks with this easy recipe that your kids will love.

5 from 37 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

chilling time 4 hours hrs

Total Time 15 minutes mins

Course Snack

Cuisine American

Servings 6 servings

Calories 44 kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a sauce pan, heat orange juice, frozen fruit, and raw honey or maple syrup on low heat.

  • When liquid is hot, add gelatin one tablespoon at a time and use an immersion blender so that gelatin is well-absorbed (no lumps). The consistency will thicken.

  • Remove from heat.

  • Pour into silicone molds and refrigerate until the snacks harden – about for 3-4 hours.

  • When ready, pop out of the molds. They should come out pretty easily. (Pop them in the freezer for a few minutes if they gummy snacks don’t come out easily).

Nutrition

Calories: 44kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 4gSodium: 14mgPotassium: 89mgSugar: 5gVitamin A: 85IUVitamin C: 21mgCalcium: 7mgIron: 0.1mg

Keyword healthy gummy candy, homemade gummy candy

Tried this recipe?Mention @dontmesswithmama on Instagram

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Want More Recipes?

Check out my new book,Gluten-Free, Real Food Recipes for Kids. >

I wrote this book with YOUin mind. Parents who want to provide kids with wholesome meals without artificial colors, preservatives and other additives. >

All the recipes are gluten-free – with many options for grain free or Paleo, dairy free, egg free and vegetarian.>

What’s Included In This Book

It’s filled with130+ pages of content and recipes, including:>

  • Real food nutrition 101
  • Detailed information onhow to properly soak and sproutnuts, beans, grains and seeds
  • A guide onhow to spot chemical additivesand what to avoid
  • Kitchen essentials and cooking tools
  • Tips onhow to get kids to become better eatersand help in the kitchen
  • 70+ gluten-free recipes– such as snacks and appetizers, beverages, condiments and dressings, main meals, desserts and more

Take a peek what’s inside Gluten-Free, Real Food Recipes for Kids.

Source: 1, 2>

Homemade Healthy Fruit Snacks Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What are the ingredients in fruit snacks? ›

Fruit puree (grape, peach, orange, strawberry and raspberry), corn syrup, sugar, modified corn starch, modified tapioca starch, gelatin, concord grape juice from concentrate, pectin, citric acid (acidulant), lactic acid, natural and artificial flavors, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), alpha tocopherol acetate (vitamin E), ...

Is there such thing as a healthy fruit snack? ›

The next time you're packing lunch for your kid or reaching for a healthy afternoon bite, consider this: only three types of fruit snacks – dried fruit, fruit puree and canned fruit with juice – meet the latest recommendations for high-nutrition snacks set by federal dietary guidelines, according to research by ...

What makes fruit snacks gummy? ›

A fruit snack is a type of gummy snack made with fruit flavoring and natural gelatin.

What are the ingredients in fruit gummies? ›

FRUIT PUREE (GRAPE, PEACH, PEAR, BANANA, MANGO, KIWI, PASSION FRUIT, STRAWBERRY, GRAPEFRUIT AND PINEAPPLE), CORN SYRUP, SUGAR, MODIFIED CORN STARCH, GELATIN, CITRIC ACID, LACTIC ACID, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS, ASCORBIC ACID (VITAMIN C), ALPHA TOCOPHEROL ACETATE (VITAMINE), VITAMIN A PALMITATE, SODIUM CITRATE, ...

What are the ingredients in mixed fruit fruit snacks? ›

(grape, peach, orange, strawberry and raspberry), added sugars (corn syrup, sugar, concord grape juice from concentrate), modified starch, gelatin, lactic acid, citric acid, natural and artificial flavors, sodium citrate, coconut oil, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), alpha tocopherol acetate (vitamin E), vitamin A palmitate, ...

What is the healthiest fruit? ›

Blueberries take the title of healthiest fruit. Blueberries' stunning hue comes from their anthocyanins — an antioxidant believed to be responsible for their numerous health benefits. Long-term studies suggest that including blueberries in your regular lineup may lower the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

What is the best fruit to snack on to lose weight? ›

Watermelon

Because 90% of a watermelon's weight is water, it's one of the best fruits to eat if you're trying to lose weight. A 100-gram serving contains only 30 calories. It's also a great source of an amino acid called arginine, which has been shown to help burn fat quickly.

Which two fruits make a great snack? ›

Pineapples and blueberries are awesome, but when you add some lime zest, lime juice, honey, and Greek yogurt on top, you get a next-level treat that's creamy, zingy, and healthy in equal measure.

What is the easiest fruit to snack on? ›

Blueberries are easy to snack on, and so healthy to eat. “A one-cup serving of blueberries provides four grams of beneficial fiber, alongside essential nutrients like manganese, vitamin C, and vitamin K, as well as anthocyanins—a type of phytonutrient,” says Burgess.

Are gummy bears healthier than fruit snacks? ›

It is important to understand that fruit snacks are not a fruit substitute and have been classified by nutritionists as being slightly better than gummies. Many fruit snacks are artificially flavored and packed with added sugars and artificial colors and have little to no vitamin content.

Why do I crave fruit snacks? ›

Fruits are full of important vitamins, nutrients, and fibre, but craving fruit can be a symptom of dehydration, low blood-sugar levels, or even a change in hormones, such as pregnancy.

What makes fruit snacks shiny? ›

Carnauba wax

This wax is made from the leaves of the palm tree. Carnauba wax is used to provide a glossy waxen sheen to these fruit chews, just like it does for cars (in automobile waxes), shoes (in the polish), dental floss, surf boards and floors.

Do Welch's gummies have red 40? ›

The reality: Welch's Fruit Snacks do contain real fruit puree, but it's blended with corn syrup, sugar and artificial food dyes Red 40 and Blue 1. You'll also see carnauba wax in Welch's Fruit Snacks. Deemed safe by the FDA, this ingredient is added to give a glossy sheen to the gummies.

Are fruit snacks full of sugar? ›

Many of the processed fruit snacks are designed to appeal to very young children, where the amount of sugars they contain can easily exceed the amount recommended daily for good health.

Do fruit snacks have pig gelatin? ›

What is the source of gelatin in Welch's® Fruit Snacks? We use both pork and beef gelatin in the production of Welch's® Fruit Snacks.

Does Mott's fruit snacks have red 40? ›

Mott's Fruit Flavored Snacks in Berry flavor are a total hit with my kids, earning a well-deserved 5 stars! They're obsessed with the taste, and as a parent, what's most important to me is that these snacks contain no red 40 dye. A delicious and worry-free treat for the whole family!

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