Stop Apples From Browning With One Canned Drink

While whole fruits can be convenient to eat on the go, sometimes your recipe or snack requires ingredients to be pre-cut. Whether you're making a sweet caramel charcuterie board and using apple slices for dipping, or you're packing a lunch for the little ones in your life, we all know there's nothing worse than a brown, mushy apple slice. You can't exactly travel around with a knife and cutting board, so how do you keep your slices fresh for more than a few minutes?

The answer is a surprisingly simple and delicious hack: lemon-lime soda. Most sodas contain citric acid, which naturally slows the browning process. So when you soak your apple slices in lemon-lime soda for at least five minutes, you're infusing them with the acid that keeps them from going mealy. Not to mention, you're giving them a flavor bath, as the soda adds a bit of bright freshness. This method is similar to using freshly squeezed lemon juice, which also naturally contains citric acid.

Note that for maximum freshness while using a soda bath, you'll still want to keep the apples covered on a plate or in a sealed, airtight container. While there are a handful of other tips and tricks to keeping your apples fresh, a spare can of lemon-lime soda could be the simple fix you've been looking for.

Naturally, there are other ingredients that will help slow the browning process of your apple slices, each with its own flavor implications. For those who want a sweeter taste than lemon-lime soda, opt for a honey-water mixture to soak your slices in. In short, honey contains peptides that slow the oxidation of the apple, meaning it doesn't brown immediately when exposed to air. This hack is particularly good for storing pre-sliced apples in a sweet bath when prepping an easy apple pie recipe. Also, storing apple slices in the refrigerator will help slow the ripening process, keeping them crisp for longer — especially when paired with other treatments.

Something to keep in mind is that certain types of apples brown faster than others. While browned apples are still typically edible — and even preferable for certain recipes — some varieties are better suited for a nice, crunchy slice. Apples that are known to brown the slowest include Cortland, Pink Lady, and Empire, so be on the lookout for those at the grocery store or farmers market. On the flip side, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, and Fuji apples are known to brown more quickly. The truth is that all apple slices brown eventually due to air exposure, but investing in the right kind — and a small bottle of lemon-lime soda — can be a tasty way to delay the inevitable.