Salt water keeps apples from browning

A quick salt water soak is the best way to keep sliced apples from browning until lunch.

Mix about half a teaspoon of salt into a cup of water, drop your apple slices in for 2–3 minutes, then drain and rinse them. That’s it. They’ll stay fresh-looking for 4–6 hours, which is more than enough for a lunch box. The rinse matters — it washes the salt off so the apples don’t taste like pretzels.

Why it works: browning happens when an enzyme in the apple hits oxygen. Salt messes with that enzyme. Lemon juice works too but can leave a sour taste. Honey water works but is less reliable. The salt soak is the one that actually holds up for hours.

One caveat: don’t skip the rinse, and don’t oversoak. Ten minutes in salt water and the apples start picking up a briny flavor that no amount of rinsing fully fixes. Two to three minutes is the sweet spot.

If you’re in a rush, the rubber band trick — slicing the apple back together and wrapping it with a band — works OK, but it’s more gimmick than guarantee. The soak is the real answer.