Freeze-Dried Fruit Snacks, Ranked Worst To Best
Freeze-dried fruit snacks can be such a great buy. They tend to be easy to store, discreet, healthy, and oh-so-delicious. What's more is that freeze-dried fruits are usually very nutrient-dense since the freeze-drying process works to lock in vitamins and other key nutrients, according to Sarah Schlichter, MPH, RDN of Bucket List Tummy and owner of Nutrition for Running.
Even so, like with anything else in the food world, there are some brands that really shine in the arena of high-quality freeze-dried fruits, and others not so much. In this post, we're giving you all the nitty gritty details about some of the most popular freeze-dried fruit snack brands to give you a better feel for which brands are worth your hard-earned dollar. Spanning from popular brands to generic ones, we're ready to get real about which freeze-dried fruit snacks live up to the hype. Join us as we explore freeze-dried fruit snacks, ranked.
13. Moon Fruit
In case you've never heard of it, Moon Fruit Freeze Dried Fruit Snacks are freeze-dried fruit portions that come in pouches and are marketed towards kids. They contain no added sugar and because of the portioned pouches, they make for a great grab for when kids are in the car, headed to play sports, or simply need something to get them by until dinner. According to the website, Moon Fruit is available in several different flavors including Straw-Bana, Mixed Berry, and Apple Cinnamon. Unfortunately, not all parents are singing the praises of these naturally sweet treats; in fact, some are downright disappointed.
Apparently, these fruit pouches could scarcely be found in stock online at the time of publication. When they are in stock, customers seem to either love the product or hate it with some patrons claiming they've received what seems to be a bad batch, complete with old pieces and an odd texture. Yuck! Still, there are some that love brand -– so which is it?
Ultimately, Moon Fruit Freeze Dried Fruit Snacks seem like a freeze-dried fruit grab that you'll either love or hate. Unfortunately, there are quite a few people who have had negative experiences with this brand, landing it lower on the list than some of the others.
12. Crispy Green
In the mood for air-dried pineapple infused with bold and unique flavors? If so, then Crispy Green is your brand. There's a lot to love about Crispy Green dried fruit, but there's also a reason it's hit the bottom of our list –- despite its promising selection.
Crispy Green offers fun non-traditional freeze-dried fruit snack flavors, but when taking a closer look at the ingredient list, we aren't so sure we like what we see. When it comes to traditional flavors like All Banana, All Strawberry, or All Apple, you get no sugar-added plain fruit. Great! When purchasing the bolder varieties, however, you get ... additives?
Yep, you heard it here. We were surprised to see the likes of maltodextrin and modified food starch pop up in selections like Piña Picante Coco Chili Tamarindo Dried Pineapple. Maltodextrin is known for causing severe spikes in blood sugar. As for the modified food starch, well, we weren't expecting to see any starches used at all, much less "modified" food starch. Sigh. While Crispy Green traditional freeze-dried fruit snacks may leave you feeling pretty good about what you're eating, the same may or may not be true about the more exciting flavors. Bummer!
11. TrüFrü
TrüFrü is a difficult brand to rank on our list of freeze-dried fruit snacks. This well-known label features plenty of yummy options, but there's a sharp contrast between the varieties people love and those that aren't as popular. Grabs like the TrüFrü Dark and White Chocolate Mangoes, for example, are well-loved, with fans declaring them dangerously delicious. Others, like the Dark and White Chocolate Strawberries, leave customers ranting. Apparently, these freeze-dried chocolate-covered strawberries contain little to no fruit inside, sending dried fruit fans into quite a tizzy. As for other flavors, some lament apparent recipe changes, while others second the fact that the snacks are mostly comprised of chocolate rather than fruit. Sigh.
On the flip side, it's important to note that though there are concerns about chocolate-to-fruit ratios and other issues connected to the TrüFrü brand, there are still plenty of people who are absolutely smitten by the company's dried fruit snacks. The banana and chocolate variety is a win amongst most, and folks seem to really dig the coconut flavors as well. Guess it all comes down to expectations and preference for flavor; thus, TrüFrü lands a middle-of-the-road ranking from us.
10. Nutristore
Nutristore Freeze Dried Fruit can be found at Costco online, as well as directly from the Nutristore supplier. This brand sells strawberry, peach, apple, and other types of dried fruit, though reviews seem split as to whether or not buying a canister of this particular dried fruit is worth it. A couple of reviews we've found state that the dried fruit sometimes comes with deep bruising indicating that spoilage may have occurred before the product was freeze-dried. This obviously would cause a noticeable change to the taste of the freeze-dried fruit snacks, and definitely not for the better. In addition, one person claimed the freeze-dried bananas made their stomach hurt, while others state that the sizing, specifically when purchasing the strawberry freeze-dried pieces, are highly inconsistent. From small pieces to pure powder, the freeze-dried strawberries often times vary greatly from canister to canister.
So, is Nutristore Freeze Dried Fruit worth your dime? Eh, we're not sure. If it's consistency you're after, you may want to seek elsewhere for quality dried fruit pieces. With that said, there are plenty of people who still like these dried fruits well enough, so this is simply one of those products you'll need to judge for yourself.
9. So Natural
Freeze-dried fruit from Dollar Tree? We were skeptical, too. It's not like Dollar Tree is awful when it comes to finding good buys; actually, you can find some pretty awesome Dollar Tree food deals if you look hard enough. It's more the fact that this dried fruit costs $1.25 per approximate half-ounce that caused us initial suspicion.
Even with the low price point, these So Natural freeze-dried fruit snacks managed to impress with customers raving about how good they are. The So Natural Freeze Dried Mixed Fruit Slices are said to taste amazingly fresh, especially when enjoying them right after cracking open the bag. People state that the pieces are good sizes and are the perfect option to take hiking or to pack in lunches. We've also checked other flavors produced by the brand, including So Natural dried apples and So Natural dried strawberries to see if the reviews stayed consistently positive. To our surprise, the apples still ranked high while the strawberries received a bit of a mixed review due to what seems to be inconsistency in taste and freshness.
Oh, and one more thing. With the exception of the apple flavor, So Natural freeze-dried fruit does contain a bit of cane sugar. For that, we've ranked it a tad lower, but it still seems to be a pretty good grab, according to customers.
8. Good and Gather
Good and Gather is a brand found at Target, and it has quite a few freeze-dried fruit options under its name. There's your typically freeze-dried fruit option, but there's also a yogurt-covered version marketed toward babies. Starting with the original freeze-dried fruit, Good and Gather has a pretty decent reputation for producing high-quality dried fruit snacks. The freeze-dried pineapple has amazing reviews, and most fans can't seem to get enough of the freeze-dried strawberries. With that said, there are some flavors, like the Good and Gather Mango & Strawberry Slices and the Good and Gather Peach Slices that are leaving devotees a little disconcerted. Some claim they're hard and odd tasting, amongst other woes, leading us to believe that Good and Gather can be hit or miss when it comes to picking up a truly great-tasting freeze-dried fruit snack.
In case you're wondering, most people love the Organic Freeze Dried Mixed Berry Yogurt Bites. They're said to be creamy and tasty, though they do contain added sugar, unlike the traditional Good and Gather freeze-dried fruit. Ah, well. All in all, we think that while there are plenty of tasty Good and Gather freeze-dried fruit grabs out there, there are also a few that strikeout, leaving this brand a little lower on our list of freeze-dried fruit snack faves.
7. Happy Baby
Happy Baby Creamies is yet another freeze-dried option marketed towards babies and sold at Target. These freeze-dried fruit snacks are covered in coconut milk and the Strawberry Raspberry & Carrot flavor contains 40% vegetables according to claims on the packaging. Looking over the reviews, there are many parents who exclaim that this is one great-tasting brand. With that said, there are a few that have some qualms against the company, with some pointing out the high price point and others claiming the taste isn't so great.
Either way, most people seem to agree that their babies love these low-sugar treats, and thus, these Happy Baby Creamies freeze-dried fruit snacks might be worth a buy, especially if you're in need of dairy-free and gluten-free snack options for your littles. Just bear in mind that you'll be paying around $4.49 for a single-ounce pack at the time of publication, and also, that the package may appear a bit bigger than the actual amount you get inside, according to some patrons.
6. Member's Mark
If you're a freeze-dried strawberry fan, Sam's Club offers them at a decent price. For $7.98 at the time of publication, you can enjoy 3 ounces of freeze-dried strawberries from the Member's Mark brand. These freeze-dried snacks come in a resealable bag and are perfect for adding to cereal or eating alone as a snack. Customers agree that the freeze-dried strawberries taste quite good, and that kids tend to like them, too. A reviewer found on Sam's Club website states that she loves adding these to water for a lightly essenced drink, all before devouring them at the very end. Genius!
We will say that there are some naysayers when it comes to these Member's Mark Freeze Dried Strawberries, but very few. One says the strawberries are sour while others remark that texture and sizing of the pieces are somewhat inconsistent. Either way, Member's Mark Freeze Dried Strawberries seem to be a good buy for a decent price according to the majority of customer reviews.
5. Simple Truth
Simple Truth is a brand marketed by Kroger and typically features simplistic ingredients, hence the name. The brand is home to several dry fruit flavors including freeze-dried strawberries. You should note that the Simple Truth brand does not sell exclusively organic products, meaning the strawberries and other dried fruits in the line may not be organic despite its wholesomely simplistic appearance.
With that out of the way, most reviewers adore Simple Truth freeze-dried strawberries, claiming them to rehydrate beautifully and to be equally delicious when eating them straight out of the package. Other options for freeze-dried fruit from the brand include freeze-dried mangoes, strawberry banana, freeze-dried raspberries in chocolate, and more, all of which have pretty good ratings. There are a few naysayers for a few of them, as some claim certain varieties, like the mango for example, have an unpleasant candy-like flavor and can sometimes be tough to chew. Still, overall, Simple Truth freeze-dried fruit is worth a shot if you're looking for a reliable easy-to-find dried fruit snack brand.
4. Great Value
It's such a great feeling knowing you can mix value and flavor, and not have to compromise one for the other. In the case of Great Value Freeze Dried Fruit Crisps, you can expect to pay a minimal price for really tasty freeze-dried fruit snacks, making this buy a "great value" indeed.
We found Great Value Freeze Dried Fruit Crisps in a variety pack sold for $5.48 in a box containing six packets. Customers claim these are highly addictive, with many citing health goals as the main reason they grab these. These freeze-dried fruit snacks contain no added sugar and provide a nice, sweet crunch without the fat and additives. The variety pack sold by Walmart comes with freeze-dried pears, apples, bananas, and strawberries. Reviewers seem particularly fond of the apple flavor, but pretty much all of the fruits seem to strike the right chord with patrons. These serve as an excellent healthy yet budget-friendly snack for lunches, on-the-go snacks, or salad toppers. Impressive!
3. Trader Joe's
Trader Joe's sells a variety of freeze-dried fruits. When perusing the website, we see at least two varieties: the Trader Joe's Organic Freeze Dried Berry Medley variety going for $3.99 for a 1.2-ounce pack and Trader Joe's Organic Dried Mango Unsulfured & Unsweetened variety going for $4.99 per 6 ounces. We've also scouted Trader Joe's freeze-dried fruit on Amazon in both strawberry and blueberry flavors, and boy, do they have stellar reviews. People seem to love the intensity and aroma of these freeze-dried fruits, as well as their versatility.
It's important to note, however, that while most love the taste of these freeze-dried fruit snacks, there are a select few who are discontented with the amount of fruit that comes in each bag. All things considered, Trader Joe's offers great-tasting freeze-dried fruit snacks, and the organic versions sold by the company only work to make things sweeter.
2. Brother's All Natural
Brother's All Natural freeze-dried fruit is another brand that patrons really seem to love. The company features fresh freeze-dried fruit without a hint of added sugar, meaning the fruit you're tasting is indeed au natural and delicious perfection. Customers rave about it, stating that the fruit is fresh and crunchy, and that kids tend to love them so much that it can be hard to keep them on hand in the house. That's certainly a win if you ask us.
Having said that, most customers seem to trend towards the strawberry flavor, with many singling it out as the favorite flavor amongst the various others that the Brother's All Natural brand offers. In addition to strawberry, expect to also be able to choose from banana, apple, mango, Asian pear, and more. Just know that the pricing may be a bit more than what you're used to since this brand is typically sold in bulk rather than in singular packs.
1. Fresh Bellies
Snagging the No.1 spot, Fresh Bellies freeze-dried snacks is another fun "baby" snack line, although there are plenty of parents who unashamedly admit that they love eating fruit from this brand, too. Fresh Bellies is unique in the sense that it features your typical fruit flavors while infusing them with eclectic ingredients. The Strawberry Feels Forever flavor, for example, contains not only strawberries but coconut oil and balsamic vinegar as well. Almost sounds kinda gross, doesn't it? Actually, parents proclaim that they taste remarkably good, and most importantly, babies love 'em, too.
In addition to the strawberry variety, expect to encounter other flavors from the brand like Two to Mango featuring mango and basil as well as Keep Calm and Cardamom featuring apples and — you guessed it — cardamom. With all these interesting flavors, you'd think little ones would be slightly disoriented by the taste, but from what we can tell, babies seem to really dig them. Because of its creativity, we can't help but rank this brand high on our list — just be sure to note the coconut oil contained in these snacks in the event that you or your little one is allergic or sensitive to the ingredient.
Methodology
Freeze-dried fruit snacks were ranked mostly according to customer reviews, though there were times when ingredients may have caused a brand to rank lower or higher. In general, freeze-dried fruits that received an abundance of positive ratings were ranked higher than those that didn't, especially if those high marks spanned across different flavors. Brands that had flavors that were hit or miss tended to rank somewhere in the middle, and those with mostly negative reviews or that contained unnecessary additives were ranked lowest. We hope that you'll utilize the information given in this post to scout out the best freeze-dried fruit snacks for you. Cheers!