Recipe

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This DIY fruit cup recipe is easy to make and, with a secret ingredient, you'll keep fruit from browning!

Turn your favorite fruits into a healthy sweet addition to your kid’s school lunchbox. A quick, easy, and convenient recipe you can even make ahead!

DIY Fruit Cups for School Lunches

Have you ever wished those store-bought fruit cups were made with fresh fruit? Those cups are convenient but high in sugar. With this homemade fruit cup recipe, kids can enjoy something yummy and sweet with their school lunch. This cup is made with their favorite fruit and no weird ingredients.

Since these cups must be nutritious and appealing, I use lemonade to prevent fruit from browning. You can prep them ahead, and kids will enjoy a colorful, fresh cup of fruit without complaints!

Any in-season fruit, fruit leftovers, and even a little ripe fruit can be used to make this quick and homemade recipe you can pack along with your favorite bento box school lunches!

Ingredients

This easy fruit cup recipe is made with fresh fruit and none of the added sugar you find in the store-bought version. They’re easy to make with:

Fresh fruit: your kid’s favorite fruits, washed, pitted, and diced bite-size.
Lemonade: helps slow down the browning process.

You’ll find the measurements in the recipe card below.

The Best Fruits for Homemade Fruit Cups

The best fruits to make this recipe are the ones you have on hand and your kid enjoys eating. Apples, strawberries, blueberries, peaches, baby oranges, pineapple, watermelon, kiwi, grapefruit, nectarine, just to name a few! I like to keep it colorful to make the fruit cup even more appealing!

How to Make Fruit Cups

This fruit cup recipe is so simple that you won’t purchase the store-bought version ever again! Just mix fruit and lemonade, and this healthy snack is done. Check out the steps:

Prep the fruit
Wash, prep, and dice your child’s favorite fruits.
Fill the cups
Fill each lidded container about ¾ full with fruit. Pour and divide the lemonade inside all 4 cups. You don’t need to fill each cup to the top to cover the fruit.
Shake it!
Close the lid, and give the contents a quick shake to coat all the fruit with the lemonade. The citric acid in the lemonade helps slow down the oxidation (browning) process.
Store
Refrigerate for up to 2 days.

fruit cup in a lunchbox cointainer and a plastic fork on the side.

Packing Homemade Fruit Cups for Lunch

Packing anything liquid may seem a little more challenging, but following these tips, you can add these fruit cups to the lunch bag leak-free!

Use a leak-proof container
Prep this fruit cup recipe in a small, leak-proof, lidded container. This is the best way to pack it and prevent any lemonade spill.

Don’t fill it too much
When pouring the lemonade, don’t fill each cup to the top to cover the fruit. This way, kids can open the container without spilling liquid everywhere.

Prep ahead
The citric acid in lemonade helps keep fruit from browning, so you can pack these fruit cups up to 2 days ahead. Before storing them in the fridge, give each container a quick shake to coat all the fruit with the lemonade and slow the oxidation process.

Best containers

Stainless or plastic leak-proof containers with twist lids are the best to pack these fruit cups for school. They prevent any spill and are easy for kids to open!

How long do homemade fruit cups last in the fridge?

Store these homemade fruit cups in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Homemade Fruit Cups for Lunches

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 5

Total Time: 5

This DIY fruit cup recipe is easy to make and, with a secret ingredient, you'll keep fruit from browning!

4.98 from 35 votes

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Ingredients

2 cups fresh fruit, washed and diced
8 ounces lemonade

Instructions

Wash, prep, and dice your child's favorite fruits. 2 cups diced fruit is the equivalent of 4 large strawberries, 1 medium orange, 1 medium apple or nectarine, for example.
Fill each lidded container about ¾ full with fruit. Pour and divide the lemonade inside all 4 cups. You don't need to fill each cup to the top to cover the fruit.
Close the lid, and give it the contents a quick shake to coat all the fruit with the lemonade. The citric acid in the lemonade helps slow down the oxidation (browning) process.
Refrigerate up to 2 days.