Monday, August 12, 2013

Sweet (or Sour) Fruit Snacks


Maybe you've heard the buzz going around about artificial food dyes.  They've been linked to hyperactivity, inability to concentrate, aggressiveness, sleep problems, headaches, and allergic reactions, just to name a few.  Red 40, Red 3, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6 are known carcinogens.  They cause cancer. And what does just about every kid friendly food on the market have in it?  You guessed right.  Food dyes!  Even plain ol' white marshmallows have them.  They are in everything!  That's no way to be feeding our future generation.  

What's even more frustrating is that our very own American companies such as Kraft, Coca Cola, and Walmart have eliminated artificial food dyes from their products in the UK but not here in the U.S.  When a study in the UK, known as the Southampton Study, came out linking artificial food dyes and preservatives to hyperactivity in children these American companies in the UK jumped right on board eliminating food dyes from their products. But they did nothing here in the U.S.  So sad.  I have no doubt that change will be coming soon though.  Over that past few years I've seen more and more kid friendly foods from new companies popping up on the shelves without artificial food dyes.  Those are companies I'm willing to support.  I think it's just a matter of time before these big American companies make changes too.

So how about a super simple, super nutritious, homemade treat your kids will love that's free of all the artificial stuff?  These homemade fruit snacks contain freshly squeezed fruit juice, grass fed gelatin (which is great for your skin, aids in digestion and so much more), and honey.



Sweet (or Sour) Fruit Snacks
nourishing-bites.blogspot.com

2/3 cup freshly squeezed citrus juice (orange juice for sweet gummies or lemon for sour gummies)
6 tablespoons honey
4-5 tablespoons grass fed gelatin (I like this kind)
(optional: you can add 3-4 drops food grade orange oil to the sweet gummies for a stronger flavor)

1. Combine juice, honey and gelatin in a pan over low heat. Stir until well combined and all gelatin lumps are dissolved.
  
2.  Stir in orange oil now if adding.

3.  Pour mixture into molds and place in the fridge for about 15 minutes.

4. Once firm remove gummies from molds and store in an air tight container.  They will stay firm at room temperature once chilled and can be stored in the fridge for up to two weeks.  If the weather is warm gummies will keep their texture better if stored in the fridge.

Printable Recipe


-Amy


To learn more about the dangers of artificial food dyes see these great articles:
Why Your Child Is Hyperactive (How ADHD is caused by artificial food flavors and colors)


26 comments:

  1. Thankyou for this recipe...

    Just out of interest, where did you get the molds you used? I have had a hard time finding small enough ones that would work.
    I was wondering whether to try setting the gummies in a big sheet and then using some teeny tiny cutters that I have to cut out the gummies.
    And of course that would mean that I could nom the scraps that were leftover....

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    Replies
    1. I got my molds at Target a few years ago. I think using a little cutter is a great idea.

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  2. yummy!! What an easy and fantastic recipe!!
    Thanks for sharing!
    Greetings from Spain!

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  3. I'm thrilled to find your recipe as I agree with you about food dyes! I moved from UK to US last year and am always looking for healthy snacks for my kids here which don't contain e colours and other non-natural ingredients. I use natural foods to make food colouring here when making cakes/frosting etc..

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  4. I hope to make this with my 3 year old before Christmas! =D Thank you for the recipe!

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  5. Great post and fantastic idea for kiddos now that they are going back to school! thank you for sharing. one question...do you have to grease the molds before pouring the mix or not? Thank you Amy! came to visit you via Happy and Blessed Home's party

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    Replies
    1. No need to grease the molds. The fruit snacks will pop right out.

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  6. Does it have to be citrus juice? I have some homemade grape and cherry juice that I wondered about trying.

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    Replies
    1. You can made the fruit snacks with any kind of juice. I've only tried citrus. If the juice doesn't have a lot of flavor then the fruit snacks won't taste like much since the gelatin mutes the flavor quite a bit. I bet fresh grape and cherry juice would be delicious! If you try it let me know how it goes.

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  7. I'm definitely trying (and pinning) these. My son has ADHD, and he's greatly affected by various food dyes. We avoid them as much as we can, but like you said they're in everything! It's hard. I'm excited to be able to make these as an alternative. Thanks :)

    -Emily @ myloveforwords.com
    (stopping by from the Link Party Palooza)

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  8. These look so yummy! And I love that they use natural ingredients. Thank you for sharing!

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  9. Does the honey do something for the texture, or is it for flavor? We haven't given honey to our toddler yet.. not sure I am ready;)

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    Replies
    1. The honey just makes them sweeter. I've been meaning to try it without but haven't gotten around to it. Let me know how they are if you decide to give it a try.

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  10. My granddaughter is crazy for fruities and every time I give them to her I know they aren't good like they should be. Thanks for this very simple recipe and for sharing at What'd You Do This Weekend.

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  11. Congratulations...this post was featured on Create It Thursday this week! Thanks for sharing such a fabulous post!

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  12. Adorable! I'm pinning to try these for kids. My almost 14 year old likes gummy snacks as much as my 3 year old.

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  13. These are so cute! We eat fruit snacks like crazy around here so this is perfect! If you have any other desserts you love, we'd love for you to come over to our newest link party over at The Inspiration Network: DELISH- a desserts only link party. Bring your desserts and let's party!!
    http://theinspiration-network.com/delish-dessert-link-party-no-1/

    Smiles,
    Melanie {Reasons To Skip The Housework} and Diana {The Girl Creative}
    The Inspiration Network

    ReplyDelete
  14. Thank you for sharing with the Clever Chicks Blog Hop, I will be featuring you this week, so please feel free to grab a featured button!

    Cheers,
    Kathy Shea Mormino
    The Chicken Chick
    http://www.The-Chicken-Chick.com

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  15. Amy, I came here via the Clever Chicks Blog Hop. I loved your article. Not only did you give a great recipe as an alternative to all the commercial crap, but you put out the word about WalMart in the UK versus the USA. I wanted to share it on FB but when I clicked the button at the end of the article, I got the letters instead of the article. I don't have a blog, so I don't know the solution. I hope you do.

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    Replies
    1. Laura - you can just enter the link of this post onto facebook: http://nourishing-bites.blogspot.com/2013/08/sweet-or-sour-fruit-snacks.html

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  16. My kids are grown and gone,so I will just have to try this recipe out for the hubbs and myself :)

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  17. He who doesn't prove to be fruitful will be given out a role as a branch and is wilted; and they assemble them and toss them into the fire, and they are singed. That sounds intense. God is celebrated when we prove to be fruitful so that is something I need to do. I need to praise God. rare exotic fruit

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