
I don’t know when school starts for you, but for me, we are just one week away and if I were the Pinterest Perfect Mom, I would tell you how sad this makes me but that isn’t me and I would never try to pretend to be 🙂 The last few weeks of summer vacation are nothing short of an extreme test of my patience as a momma to six kiddos. They are DONE with each other. I am DONE with their lack of interest in anything that doesn’t revolve around electronics.
Have I mentioned that I believe our teachers should be some of the highest paid professionals out there?

These will last for 4-5 days in the fridge sealed in a container, so make a big batch for the whole week to save even more time! And to answer the question I know you are thinking, no….they do not taste like salt after they are finished soaking 🙂
Need another great lunchbox hack? How about my DIY Re-usable Ice Packs made from inexpensive sponges? They are simple to make and if one gets lost, not a big deal!

How to Keep Cut Apples from Turning Brown VIDEO
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How to Keep Cut Apples from Turning Brown
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
Description
A simple way to keep apple slices from turning brown in your lunchbox!
Ingredients
- 4–5 apples, cored and sliced
- 4 C cold water
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
Notes
You can do this on a smaller scale with just one apple as well, just reduce the water and salt in half.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 large apple
- Calories: 130
- Sugar: 25 g
- Sodium: 0 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: lunchbox hacks
Patricia @ ButterYum says
Don’t you just love teenager’s logic – not! When my 17 year old starts one of her explanations, I smile and roll my eyes.
Anyway, great tip. I’ve tried lemon juice and fruit fresh (vitamin c), but I’ve never tried salt. I’ll give it a go. Thanks for sharing!
Noel Stamper says
Are you using regular table salt, kosher or sea salt?
Carole says
Any type of salt works
Suzan Wood-Young says
Why can’t your 17 year old make her own lunch?
Carole says
She does Suzan. I still have to provide the food for her to pack however. 🙂
Lainaholo 'Ohana says
This is awesome :). Found this post via Pinterest, Thank you very much! My little kindergardner starts school this Thursday, & I wanted to pack apple slices for school :). Have you noticed the apple slices turning brown at all? If not, totally going to try this out!
Lainaholo 'Ohana says
Scratch that last comment…just read the post again 🙂 Thanks again for the awesome tip!
Charlene says
I use powdered vitamin C powder instead of salt. Works wonderfully! and gives a bit of added vit c boost
Anonymous says
Soak your apple slices in Sierra Mist, they won’t turn brown.
Jacqueline says
Genius!!! You solved a big dilemma for me. I thought about sprinkling lemon juice, but probably not the best taste. This is great!! Now I can send fresh apples not the pre-packaged kind in my grand-daughter`s lunch. Thank you so much!!
Carole says
So glad you love this idea Jacqueline! I use it ALL the time, at least a couple times a week
Wanda says
Worked like a charm! Wonder if it would work for avocado slices as well?
★★★★★
Carole says
Glad it worked for you Wanda! I have no idea about avocado but now I am curious!
Chan says
Avocado slice you can cover with olive oil
Lolita says
Hi there! Such a wonderful article, thanks!
★★★★★
Donald says
I loved this so much! I’ve seen a lot of different versions of this but I love how this only uses salt and water because I definitely always have those two ingredients.
★★★★★
Carole says
I agree! You can soak them in lemon lime soda or lemon juice, but I don’t always have those on hand.
Alesha says
I did lemon juice today and the smell that came back was the worst ever, my poor little grade 1 had quite the lunch aroma going on! I will try the salt though.
Carole says
It works so well!
India says
Thank you! I don’t have kids but I was researching this for myself. I’m a mental health therapist and I see clients back to back for hours with about 10mins in-between. I love slices apples with peanut butter but they turn brown before I can enjoy them. So thank you soooooo much for this tip and keeping me alive and energized for my clients
★★★★★
Carole says
So happy to help out!
Kim says
this may be a silly question, but when you soak the apples in the salty water they’re salty, so do you rinse the salt off the apples when you are ready to eat them?
Carole says
Hey Kim! Not a silly question at all. They actually aren’t salty 🙂 If you are worried about it, you can certainly rinse them but it isn’t necessary.
Terra says
Thank you so much for sharing! The only fruit/vegetable my son will eat is apples and raspberries! Raspberries can be messy, so I stick to apples. I can’t wait to try this- I love that I don’t have to spend extra money!
Carole says
You are very welcome Terra!
KImberley Fredericksen says
Can you make a fruit tray with the apples after soaking them for 5 minutes? How long are they able to stay open to the air before they start browning?
Carole says
Hi Kimberley! Yes, you bet this will work for a fruit tray. Im the fridge, they last for days. Out in the air, about 4-5 hours before they begin to get a tinge of brown to them.
Lisa S says
Can you peel the apples and soak them? I don’t eat the skin and was wondering if it still would work?
★★★★
Carole says
Hi Lisa! Yes, I ‘m sure that would work well.
Rhionan says
This worked like a charm, finally one more lunch option for my fussy eater!
★★★★★
Stacey says
You say you don’t need to rinse them before you put them in the lunchbox but my son came home saying they tasted like nothing but salt. Only used a little bit of salt for 1 apple. It does work but I think I’ll let them soak overnight and rinse right before they go in my sons lunchbox.
★★★★★