How to Preserve Fruits After Cut

Why prep food a week ahead when it only takes moments when you want to eat it? They will go bad and will loose some nutrients. The only thing I would do ahead of time might be slice up banana's and freeze them (they are really good this way). Otherwise, how long does it take to core and slice an apple? Peel a banana? Wash up some strawberries? You are better off, leaving the fruit in it's original form, and letting your toddler choose between two, do you want an apple or a pear? Then cut it up or hand it to him, depending on his age.

Good for you for wanting to feed him healthy snacks!
M.

I think if it's melon you could do a few days prior, but not a week. I suggest if you have the time, cut it on that day, if not try a fruit cup as a substitute. My daughter loved canned pears texture and it's easier than waiting for pears to ripen sometimes.

Good luck!

There really is no way to preserve fruit for that long. Like someone else said, it looses most of it's nutrients, anyway. I would still say stick with fresh, though- canned fruit and fruit cups are nearly devoid of nutrients and most are full of added sugar. I'm not some crazy anti sugar mom, but if I'm gonna give my kids fruit I want them to get the full benefit! Find other ways to make it easier- I use one of those push down apple cutters. It just takes a second. I don't peel anything- the fruits with edible peels have more nutrients peel-on, and the non edibles Izzy can handle herself. Oranges I just cut in half then slices, which is also fast- Izzy's only 18 months but she eats them fine with the peel. Find ways to make the fresh stuff easier for yourself. I think it's worth it.

Advise against this, you can't cut them a week in advance. Cut as you need them, saving them only an hour or so, as many fruits oxidize almost immediately and start loosing nutritional value. Also best to eat them on an empty stomach for the same reason, (they start to ferment in the stomach!) so best to have as a snack or start to the meal, rather than as a desert.

Dear B.,
I've never tried keeping them longer than a day but for my girls' lunches, my friend suggested letting apples slices sit in a cup of Sprite for a few minutes, shaking the excess liquid off and then placing them in plastic baggies. Maybe it's the CO2 from the carbonation? I don't know but it works and the sour lemony taste isn't present!
:)>, S.