Easy Fruit Cups (Better than Store-Bought!)


fruit cups in glass jars on counter

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My kids love store-bought fruit cups, but it’s hard to buy enough (without breaking my food budget)—enter homemade Fruit Cups! These work to make ahead of time and stash in the fridge and you can use them to repurpose leftover fruit. Win!

fruit cups in glass jars on counter

Fruit Cups

We love the convenience of store-bought fruit cups and have them often—but I have found that my toddler LOVES this homemade version and the method is so quick and easy that these have become a snack time staple for us.

This is a great way to use up leftover fruit–especially small amounts left on a plate—or to pack cut fruit for lunch. The juice (or lemonade) in the fruit cup helps prevent the cut fruit from browning.

This is so convenient for daycare and preschool lunches. And big kid meals and snacks too!

fruit for fruit cups on cutting board

Ingredients You Need

To make this recipe you’ll need:

  • Diced fresh fruit
  • Lemonade (such as Honest Kids Berry Lemonade or you can use apple juice)

TIP: I like to use diced apricots, peaches, cherries, strawberries, clementines, grapes, blueberries, and/or apples, depending on what I happen to have on hand.

diced fruit on cutting board for fruit cups

Step-by-Step Instructions

fruit in jars on counter

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of fruit is best in fruit cups?

You can really use what you have on hand or what the kids like and change it up each time. You can use diced apricots, peaches, cherries, strawberries, clementines, grapes, blueberries, and/or apples, depending on what I happen to have on hand.

What kind of juice works best?

I’ve made them with regular lemonade, Honest Kids Berry Lemonade, and apple juice. They all work well.

What age is this best for?

If you skipped the apples and just used soft fruits, you could serve over 12 months. If you include the apples, which are just a little crunchier, I would serve this 16/18+ months.

Which containers are you using?

These are from Wee Sprout. You can take 20% off with my affiliate code YUMMYTODDLER when you shop here.

fruit cups with lids on countertop

Best Tips for Success

  • Store in the fridge for up to 3 days in airtight containers.
  • You can also freeze these into popsicles.
  • Finely dice the fruit so it’s easy to eat with a spoon (just like store-bought fruit cups).
  • To ensure that the apple is easy to chew for younger toddlers, remove the skin and dice it finely.)
  • Remove pits from cherries, apricots, and peaches.
  • Use a mixture of fruit as shown here, or just do 1-2 that the kids like most.
  • You can use lower sugar lemonade such as Honest Kids Berry Lemonade.
  • You may also like Yogurt Melts, Fruit Wands, and my favorite healthy snacks for kids.

I’d love to hear your feedback on this recipe, so please comment below to share!

homemade-fruit-cups-in-glass-jars

Easy Fruit Cups

Amy Palanjian

Transform diced fruit into delicious homemade fruit cups that rival store-bought in terms of flavor and cost. You can make more cups or less, according to your preference.

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 0 mins

Total Time 10 mins

Course Snack

Cuisine American

Servings 4

Calories 62 kcal

Ingredients 

 

  • 2 cups finely diced fresh fruit (such as strawberries, blueberries, apricots, peaches, grapes, cherries and/or apple)
  • 1 cup lemonade (low sugar if possible)

Instructions 

  • Gather a few small storage containers. (The ones I use are 4 ounces.)

  • Fill about ¾ with the diced fruit.

  • Add lemonade just to cover. Stir gently to make sure the fruit is coated.

  • Secure lids and serve or store in the fridge.

Notes

Store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
You can also freeze these into popsicles.
Finely dice the fruit so it’s easy to eat with a spoon (just like store-bought fruit cups).
To ensure that the apple is easy to chew for younger toddlers, remove the skin and dice it finely.)
Remove pits from cherries, apricots, and peaches.
Use a mixture of fruit as shown here, or just do 1-2 that the kids like most.
You can use lower sugar lemonade such as Honest Kids Berry Lemonade.
You can sub in apple juice for lemonade.
This is a great way to use up leftover fruit or to pack cut fruit for lunch since the lemonade helps prevent the cut fruit from browning.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cupCalories: 62kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 4mgPotassium: 67mgFiber: 2gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 34IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 4mgIron: 1mg


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