As a kid, my mom frequently packed my lunch with Fruit Roll-ups. I LOVED Fruit Roll-Ups as a kid. They were fruity tasting and “fun” because you could play with your food…like have roll-up fingers. (No judgment please).
Today, the idea of a Fruit Roll-up isn’t nearly as appetizing. First, I’d much rather eat a whole piece of fruit to get the fiber and nutrients. And second, Fruit Roll-Ups, contrary to popular belief, are not all that healthy. Recently, I was sent a snack by the Stretch Island Fruit Company. They sent their line of Fruit Strips which look similar to fruit roll-ups. Of course, I immediately looked at the ingredient list and Nutrition Facts. I rarely will try a food unless I think they are made with quality ingredients. I liked what I saw, so I ripped open the Summer Strawberry flavored strip. I loved it.
If you are currently buying Fruit Roll-Ups for your kids, I highly suggest that you switch immediately. Here’s a comparison:
| Data Point | General Mills / Betty Crocker Fruit Roll-Ups | Stretch Island Fruit Strips/Leathers |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 50 | 45 |
| Ingredients | Pears from Concentrate, Corn Syrup, Dried Corn Syrup, Sugar, Partially Hydrogenated Cottonseed Oil, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Acetylated Monolycerides, Fruit Pectin, Dextrose, alic Acid, Vitamin C, Natural Flavor, Color (Red 40, yellows 5& 6, blue 1) | Apple Puree Concentrate, Pear Puree Concentrate, Strawberry Puree, Natural Strawberry Flavor, Lemon Juice Concentrate |
| Added Sugars | YES | NO |
| Processed Oils | YES | NO |
| Preservatives | YES | NO |
| Dyes | YES | NO |
| Ingredient Quality | Low | High |
| Fiber | 0 | 1 gm |
| Potassium | 0 | 95 mg |
| Sodium | 55 mg | 0 |
| Flavor | Extremely sweet and candy-like | Fruity, sweet and natural |
| Texture | Somewhat artificial and waxy | Somewhat like dried preserves |
Using this chart, it is pretty easy to see that there is no contest when it comes to which product is better for you or your kid. Now granted, I did not try to play with my Stretch Island strip, but I think the benefits outweigh the fun. Stretch Island snacks taste a heck of a lot more like fruit than the traditional Roll-up. And, Fruit Roll-Ups contain added sugars, refined and processed oils, preservatives and dyes, while Stretch Island Fruit Strips don’t. If you are interested in purchasing Stretch Island Fruit Company products, you can easily find them here on Amazon
Have you tried these? What did you think?
