Sweet or sour gummies are a must for most kids (and adults) when it comes time for an afternoon snack. Make them without all the usual added sugar, gelatin, preservatives, and artificial colors of the store-bought ones. With just 3 ingredients and ready in 5 minutes, you'll want to pop them like... candy!

Enter homemade fruit snacks! These naturally flavored, sweetened, and colored treats will be your family's new favorite recipe. They’re fun to make, taste delicious, and are actually good for you!

With just three simple ingredients, each one contains antioxidants, vitamins, and a whole host of health benefits! Replace the gelatin with agar powder, artificial flavors with fresh-squeezed fruit juice, and added sugars with more natural alternatives like monk fruit or stevia.

Limiting sugar intake helps reduce inflammation in the body, reducing your risk of chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Both your tastebuds and your bodies will thank you for choosing natural fruit snacks!

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes
Chill time: 20 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes

Cost: $1.92 recipe | $0.19 serving

Natural Fruit Snacks

18 servings (10 pieces per serving)

Ingredients

  • 3 cups 100% pure fruit juice ($1.50)
  • 3 tablespoons monk fruit sweetener ($0.12)
  • 4 ½ teaspoons agar powder ($0.30)

Instructions

  1. In a small saucepan, add 1 cup of fruit juice and 1 tablespoon of monk fruit or sweetener of your choosing. Bring it to a gentle simmer over low-medium heat, then add 1 ½ teaspoon of agar powder.
  2. Continue simmering over low-medium for ~5 minutes while whisking continuously.
  3. Remove the saucepan from heat and let it cool for 3-4 minutes.
  4. Transfer the mixture to a silicone mold or container, then chill the gummies in your fridge for about 20 minutes. Once set, remove them from the mold or container and cut them into small squares. Keep the fruit snacks in an airtight container in your fridge.
  5. Repeat the same process for the other flavors.

Notes

  • Not all monk fruit sweeteners are created equal. Some are a 1:1 ratio to sugar, but other brands require a lot less in comparison. Double-check the ratio on the particular brand you’re using. If you don’t have monk fruit, you can also use stevia, maple syrup, or agave.
  • Yellow color options: orange, pineapple, mango, apple
  • Blue color options: blueberry, pomegranate, cranberry, grape
  • Pink color options: blood orange, grapefruit, pink dragon fruit, watermelon

Nutrition: 1 of 10 servings

Calories 61 | Total Fat 0.2g | Saturated Fat 0g | Cholesterol 0mg | Sodium 0mg | Total Carbohydrates 18.2g | Dietary Fiber 7.9g | Total Sugars 7.3g | Protein 0.9g | Calcium 21.9mg | Iron 0.1mg | Potassium 134.5mg |

For more great recipes just like this one, check out our Vegan Recipes column.

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