I never fared well during the middle school lunchroom food swap. If only I’d had a stash of homemade Strawberry Mango Fruit Leather, I could have ruled the cafeteria.
At every lunch hour from fourth through seventh grade, my classmates would turn out the contents of their brown bags and fancy Arctic Zone lunch boxes (remember those?) and the bartering would begin.
Plain peanut butter sandwiches, anything on whole grain bread, and members of the fruit/vegetable kingdom were of no value. Fruit snacks only mattered if they were Loony Tunes. Doritos, Dunkeroos, and Hostess meant money in the (food swap) bank.
The most valuable currency of all: fruit roll-ups.
My poor lunch-swap performance stemmed from my mother’s insistence that I buy the cafeteria’s circumspect hot lunch most days. I interpreted her resistance to packing lunch as a reprimand for an unknown crime I had committed as a child.
At some point, I assumed, she would reveal my offense, I would make amends, and then I could pack Cheetos for lunch and be cool for the rest of middle school. In retrospect, she probably just didn’t want to listen to me whine for Frito Lay every time we went to the grocery store.
I don’t foresee an adult lunch-swap situation happening any time soon, but if yes, I’m totally bringing strawberry mango fruit leather to trade.
About this Mango Strawberry Fruit Leather Recipe
Here are a few reasons why this homemade fruit leather is better than store-bought:
- Fruit leather is nothing but a quick puree of fruit that’s spread thinly and slowly baked until it becomes soft, chewy, and wonderful.
- It’s easy to make and only uses a few simple ingredients.
- It’s far healthier than its processed counterparts and tastes like a burst of fruity sunshine.
Fruit Leather Storage Tips
- To Store. Tightly wrap fruit leather, and store it in an airtight storage container at room temperature for up to 1 month.
- To Freeze. Freeze fruit leather in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to one year.
More Lunchbox-Worthy Snacks
- Peanut Butter Protein Bars
- Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
- Peanut Butter Yogurt Fruit Pizzas
- Roasted Red Pepper Parmesan Dip
You heard it here: fruity sunshine. I see your Dunkeroos, and I raise you a roll of strawberry mango fruit leather. Let the games begin.
Strawberry Mango Fruit Leather
Ingredients
- 1 cup strawberries, hulled and quartered
- 1 cup diced ripe mango (about 1 large)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar optional
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Notes
Nutrition
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This is genius! I miss fruit roll up and its cousin, fruit by the foot. Ah the good ‘ol days.
Hahahaha!! My school didn’t allow trading. It still doesn’t… But these look perfect right now!!! Love fruit leather!!!
Hahaha love this post Erin! You made me laugh so hard. I totally remember my days as a master barterer in the cafeteria. Ah, memories. This fruit leather rocks my socks! I’ll trade you 2 yodels and a bag of pretzels??
Fruit roll ups were always my favorite!! You just made me relive those days!
Haha oh my gosh, loved this post and totally made me relive my lunch trading days. This fruit leather would definitely win! Love the strawberry and mango combo :)
This looks like the perfect way to preserve the great flavors of summer!
These fruit leathers definitely do take me back to my childhood! I remember how excited I used to get if Mum packed me one for lunch… thanks for reminding me how awesome they are Erin!
I was one of those kids at school everyone wanted my lunch (thanks to my Mom), but I never did get homemade fruit leathers…… Looks amazing.