If your school provided a packed lunch every day, you probably enjoyed unwrapping your favorites. However, if that matches your upbringing, you're probably also familiar with opening your lunchbox to find a sad plastic sandwich bag full of browned apple slices.
But this common disaster has a solution. Soaking apple slices in salt water before packing and letting them sit for hours before eating reduces browning by noon.
Submerging apples in cold water and salt (½ teaspoon per 32 ounces) will preserve them for up to a week without browning. After five minutes in the water bath, dry the slices, wrap them in a plastic bag, and refrigerate. Wash the slices under the tap before packing them for lunch for fresh apple flavor.
Another Way to Keep Apple Slices Fresh Salt water is one of the greatest ways to prevent apple slices from browning, but there are other methods for salt-free eaters. A classic tip is to put apple slices in water with a spoonful of lemon juice instead of salt.
This only keeps apples fresh for a few hours until they brown. Other citric acid drinks like lime or orange juice can replace lemon juice. Beware that this procedure may give your apples a citrus taste.
Putting the apple back together after slicing and wrapping it with a rubber band is another unusual way to prevent browning.
This prevents browning because oxygen turns the apple's polyphenol oxidase enzyme into melanin when chopped. A rubber band will restrict oxygen from reaching the apple slices, delaying browning. These tips will make your lunchtime apple rock.