It’s hard to eat fresh fruit when it’s simply not growing during the cold winter months in Missouri. But that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy dried fruit and get the same healthful benefits. That’s why this month, we’re featuring dried fruit in all of our dining halls. Dried fruit can really liven up a composed salad or transform a dessert into something completely different. Enjoy our recipe below for Homemade Granola bars and feel free to omit the nuts or change up the dried fruit!
Did you know?
- Dried fruits have many of the same benefits as fresh fruit – including fiber, vitamins, and minerals like potassium which is an electrolyte – a substance that conducts electrical impulses in the body and helps your brain tell your muscles when to move
- We should eat about 1 ½ cups of fruit a day. ¼ cup of dried fruit = ½ cup serving of fruit. You can get your fruit servings in a variety of ways – including fresh, dried, canned, and frozen
- Dried apples or raisins can be toppings in oatmeal and cereal, and added to trail mix as quick and delicious snacks. Diced dried apples, apricots, cranberries, and raisins can be added to muffins, granola, and salads
- All fruits are not dried the same way! Dates are hand-harvested when ripe then mechanically dried with machines. Figs are allowed to fully ripen and partially dry on the tree. Raisins are hand-harvested when they’re vine ripe, and sun-dried
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