Get Fruity with FruitziO Fruit Snacks

Full disclosure: I am not, nor have I ever been, a fan of dried fruit. I have to check my gag reflex when eating fresh bananas. Dry them out? Gag city. Dried apples? Meh. I’d rather have my fruit fresh and juicy. That being said, I put my dried fruit prejudice to the side to try out Crispy Green’s FruitziO products—freeze-dried fruit snacks.

I did the munch-test on Crispy Mangoes, Apples & Strawberries, and Kiwi. I love that the ingredient list is simple: Mangoes only contain its namesake fruit, while the other two contain the fruit and cane sugar. As for the number breakdown, the Apples & Strawberry and Kiwi bags contain 100 calories and a couple of grams of fiber each, while the Mango bag clocks in at 40 calories and 1 gram of fiber.

The taste verdict? Apples & Strawberries was my favorite: The fruit taste was spot on, and the crunchy texture actually reminded me of popchips. The kiwi taste, on the other hand, was so concentrated it made my lips pucker up, and the mangoes tasted just a touch bland to me. Again? I fully admit not being a fan of dried fruits.

So while I may prefer my fruit fresh, dripping down my arm while I’m eating it (it’s not you, FruitziO, it’s me!), there are some serious practical applications for the FruitziO freeze-dried fruits, as the food is super portable, easy to store and won’t spoil. So for a food to have on hand for kid snacks on-the-go at the park or on an airplane where less mess is more, these snacks would be perfection. The dried texture also makes it super easy for kids to handle and eat; even my 11-month-old solids-eating daughter munched the mangoes with no problem and also seemed to enjoy the apples.

Any dried-fruit lovers out there who think I’m crazy? Tell me your favorite dried variety! —Erin