Bananas so bruised they’ve become mushy. Pita chips and pretzels smashed into smithereens after being tossed into your bag. A melted candy bar that you probably shouldn’t have grabbed from the leftover Halloween candy bowl at the office anyways.

If those things all sound unappetizing to you, you must be in the market for a healthy, on the go snack!

Dried fruit can be the perfect answer for a snacker wanting to boost their daily fruit intake, and the health benefits are still there, even if it’s not fresh fruit you just grabbed from the produce section. The serving size is often smaller with dried fruit too, so you can eat less of it to get the same health benefits.

But arguably one of the best perks of eating dried fruits are that they’re high in antioxidants. For example, prunes aren’t just for the “more experienced in lifers” – they’re high in potassium, iron, magnesium and vitamin K.

Dried fruit is also high in fiber, which promotes good digestion – but you want to eat in moderation, as some fruits can be a little too good at aiding your digestion, if you know what we mean.

Depending on your fruit of choice, the health benefits of dried fruits are that they also are full of vitamin A, vitamin C, protein and more.

Now that you’ve seen all the good that dried fruit can give you, the next step – picking your snack! According to EatRight.org, you should choose dried fruit with little or no added sugar, such as apples, apricots, blueberries or raisins. Those fruits are often dried with their own natural sweetness, and will give you your daily dose of recommended fruit intake without all the extra sugars that come in many juices and canned fruits.

You can also add in these dried fruits to trail mix for a healthy dose of nutrients. At ToYou, we utilize dried fruit in a majority of our bars, so if you’re on a dried fruit kick, but want a little something more substantial, you’ve got the perfect fuel!

If fruit doesn’t fit your fancy, you can also try dried beans or peas, such as crunchy dried soybean, pea and chickpea snacks, and work on your daily dose of veggies instead.

Snack on in your healthy & fit, pursuit of adventure!