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I have been working on this recipe for WEEKS.  My kids have always loved the idea of fruit snacks, but the store bought varieties are so full of artificial colors and sweeteners that I never buy them.  I love portable homemade snacks for kids so when I bought my first can of grass-fed gelatin the other month I couldn’t wait to try my hand at making fruit snack gummies.  Consuming high quality, grass-fed gelatin has a host of associated health benefits including stronger nails, shiny hair, stronger bones and healthier digestion… to name a few.  It’s also a great source of protein which is so important for kids at snack time.  Homemade fruit snacks with added PROTEIN?!   Sign me UP.

There was just ONE problem.

My kids would NOT eat the fruit snacks I made. Even though the can says “unflavored” my kids said they could still taste gelatin. I tried recipe after recipe and all were denied by my miniature recipe testers.

UNTIL NOW.

I have made these three times and my toddler has to be pulled away from them. She keeps screaming “MORE HEARTS!” I think I have found the right balance of gelatin-to-juice ratio so your children will get the gut-healing benefits without noticing the flavor. (Update: I now use a different brand of grass-fed gelatin and it has  NO TASTE so both my kids will eat these–I’ve updated all the links in this post with the brand I use now.  If you’d like to get a deal on this brand of gelatin you can buy it on Thrive Market for a bit cheaper)

These hearts are so cute for a birthday party or Valentine’s Day. Let me know how your kids like them in the comments below!

Homemade Fruit Snacks (makes about 18-20 hearts)

Ingredients:

1 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
1 cup fresh apple juice
3 tablespoons grade b maple syrup or honey (for Paleo version)
3 1/2 tablespoons grass-fed gelatin

Directions:

In a saucepan, over medium low heat, mix the juices and heat until steaming but not boiling. Add the honey or maple syrup and stir to combine. Now add the gelatin with care. The gelatin will clump so make sure you get out your whisk and whisk the gelatin in slowly until melted and fully combined. Keep whisking to get out any clumps while the heat is still on. When gelatin is fully dissolved remove from heat.

Pour warm mixture through a metal strainer into silicone tray (the strainer is to catch any clumps). Place silicone tray the fridge for a few hours until the fruit snacks set. You can also use a glass Pyrex baking dish and cut out your own shapes after it sets if you don’t have silicone molds.

Are you looking for more healthy gummies?  Check out my friend Kate’s Healthy Gummies for Cold, Flu and Sleep!

Would you like a whole list of kid-friendly snacks?  Check out these Healthy Snacks for Kids!

ENJOY!  Do you follow Kula Mama on Facebook yet?  You can here!

homemade fruit snacks by www.kulamama.com

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