If you want to send apple slices in your kids’ lunches or keep them overnight, you need to know how to keep apples from turning brown! Let me show you the best way!
I post my kids’ school lunches on my Instagram stories a lot. Whenever I send apple slices, I always get at least one private message asking:
How to keep apples from turning brown?!
After replying to the message countless times, I realized a lot of people would benefit from a blog post on this topic. It’s so simple, yet such a game changer when you figure out how to keep apples from turning brown!
I know I wouldn’t eat brown apple slices if that’s what I saw when I opened my lunch box. Would you?
I learned the method from a friend about a year ago. Before that, I used lemon juice, but this method is even better!
Instead of lemon juice, I now use salt. The apples stay a good color longer and there’s absolutely no taste! Sometimes I would use too much lemon juice and my kids would complain they could taste it. Problem solved!
How to Keep Apples From Turning Brown
First, slice as many apples as you want. Then fill a big enough bowl that will fit all of your slices with water. Stir in 1 teaspoon of salt per apple that you sliced. Stir until the salt dissolves. Put the apple slices in the bowl and let the apples soak in the salt water for 5-10 minutes.
Drain the apple slices and rinse them well. Allow them to dry and then you are ready to store them or send them in the lunch box!
The apples in this picture have been sliced for over 24 hours. YES, you can keep apples from turning brown overnight! These apples had some very slight browning after this amount of time, but nothing that would stop my kids from eating them. They are even more white when you eat them within 12 hours.
I hope this post helps you! If there’s someone you know who would like to know how to keep apples from turning brown, will you share it? I appreciate you!
Looking for healthy apple recipes? I have a lot of good ones! This recipe for Air Fryer Apples is quick and easy. You also have to try this recipe for Apple Pie Overnight Oats. It’s divine. For a lot of ideas, check out this collection of 20 Apple Recipes that my family loves!
Such a great find! Can finally pack apples for my son for lunch! I am going to try this method on pears.
I’m getting confused with all the different opinions on the salty water method, all I want to know is table salt okay for soaking sliced apples and pears
Yes, sure is.
Worked like a charm! I served a spoonful of chicken salad on a slice of apple. No brown apples!! Thank you!
So happy to hear! Thanks for the feedback.
How long will the apples keep like this after soaking them?
Thanks for sharing! It totally works and has zero salt taste!
Glad to hear that this worked well for you!
I say learn about the benefits of sea salt or mineral salt versus iodinized salt.🤷🏻♀️
Can’t wait to try this tomorrow. My little guy loves apples but only sliced with “no crust” and I have not found a great way to send them with him to pre k! Thank you!
I did this and you can absolutely taste the salt. And yes I followed all the directions and rinsed them well.
Sorry to hear that. We don’t taste the salt at all and love this method.
I could taste salt also.
now I use 7up or diet 7up for my apple slices and banana slices. works for me.
How long do you let the apple sit in the 7 up?
Silly question, but wouldn’t this make the apples taste really “salty”? 🤔😂
That’s not silly–but actually, no, you can’t taste the salt!
Kudos 🙂
Great idea, I’m going to try this!
Would this also work for apples that you’re preparing for baking such as apple pie? I find that once I’ve got all the apples peeled and sliced they are turning brown.
Yes! It definitely would work for that. 🙂
Table salt is bad for everyone, (it’s what gives salt a bad name), but Himalayan pink salt or Redmond’s sea salt would actually add minerals 👍🏼
I use both of these types of salt!
I really need this. Thanks for sharing your idea. It really worked well.
Adding non essential salt to a child’s diet in service of preventing a browned apple slice – do not see how this is a healthy or a good idea.
I’m sure very little salt is added to their diet after rinsing the apples. In addition, my children eat very little processed foods and I’m not particularly worried about their salt intake.
Then don’t use it. Didn’t your mom teach you if you have nothing nice to say then don’t say nothing at all and if it doesn’t apply then let it fly?🤷🏻♀️
Same goes for you 👀 if you don’t like/agree with the recipe keep it moving….she simply stated facts as to why she doesn’t care and also this is a prepping method prob not used all that often🙄
You should be soaking in sea salt or other mineral salt. Don’t use table salt for this, or for anything else for that matter. DYOR