Fruit leather is one of those snacks that feels like a good decision … until you look at the price tag.

A single supermarket pack of apple and berry fruit leather costs $7.69 for just 8 small strips - only 80 grams total. And while they’re convenient, they often come with concentrates, added sugars, preservatives, or unnecessary packaging.

So we decided to see what would happen if we made our own using a dehydrator.

The result?
A naturally sweet snack made from real fruit that cost less than half the price of the supermarket equivalent.

The Cost Comparison

Store-Bought Fruit Leather

• $7.69 per pack

• 8 fruit leathers

• 10g each

• Total: 80g

Homemade Fruit Leather

We used:

• 1kg apples — $4.69

• 750g frozen mixed berries — $11.49

Total ingredient cost: $16.18

Yield:

• 22 fruit leathers

• 18g each

• Total: 396g

To buy the same amount of fruit leather from the supermarket, you’d need almost 5 packs, costing around $38.

That means homemade fruit leather saved over $20 while giving:

• Larger servings

• Real fruit ingredients

• Less packaging waste

• No unnecessary additives

It’s one of the easiest ways to turn simple fruit into a long-lasting, lunchbox-friendly snack.

Apple Berry Fruit Leather Recipe

Soft, naturally sweet, and packed with real fruit flavour.

Ingredients

• 1kg apples, peeled and chopped

• 750g frozen mixed berries

Method

1. Add the apples and berries to a large saucepan.

2. Cook over medium heat until the fruit softens and breaks down completely, stirring occasionally.

3. Blend until smooth using a stick blender or food processor.

4. Spread the mixture evenly onto dehydrator trays lined with dehydrator sheets. Grease slightly with a little olive oil to ensure a clean removal of the leather.

5. Dehydrate at 55°C for approximately 8–12 hours, or until the fruit leather is dry but still slightly flexible.

6. Peel away from the sheets and cut into strips.

7. Store in an airtight container.

Tips

• Thinner layers create a chewier fruit leather.

• You can mix in cinnamon, vanilla, or lemon juice for extra flavour.

• Roll strips in baking paper for lunchbox-friendly snacks.

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Why Make Your Own?

Homemade fruit leather is:

• More affordable

• Made from whole fruit

• Free from unnecessary additives

• Lower waste than individually wrapped packets

• A great way to use seasonal fruit

And once you make one batch, it’s hard to go back to the supermarket version.