I’m always on the lookout for fun and healthy snack ideas. Whether fruit, smoothies, raisins, or pieces of cheese, I need something that is portable, isn’t too messy, and safe enough for Audrey to feed herself. Enter freeze-dried fruits and vegetables. Freeze dried fruit is like the distant cousin of dried fruit – similar in idea, completely different in execution. The process of freeze-drying leaves the beneficial properties of the fruit/vegetable intact while simultaneously extracting all of the moisture out. What you’re left with…little bits of unique crunchy goodness. Just add water (or any type of liquid) back and you’ll regain the original flavor, aroma, texture and appearance. There are many brands out there, but Nature’s All Foods is our favorite. It’s organic, non-GMO, fair-trade, and just plain delicious. Audrey’s favorites are the blueberries, bananas, strawberries and pineapple. They just came out with 6 new vegetable varieties, including a cinnamon pumpkin one. We both instantly fell in love with it and it’s now our new go-to. It tastes exactly like little bits of fresh pumpkin dusted with cinnamon. If your little one isn’t accustomed to freeze-dried fruit you might want to start off with the more basic fruit varieties as the pumpkin one is definitely less sweet and more “vegetable” tasting. But if you’re feeling adventurous and want to introduce new flavors, this is a great place to start.
* Full disclosure: these may be an acquired taste. My friends 2 year old tried it today and immediately spit it out.