Salt water keeps fruit from browning just as well as lemon.

A quick soak in lightly salted water is the easiest lemon-free way to stop fruit slices from browning in a lunch box.

The browning is an enzyme reaction with oxygen. Acid stops it, but so does salt—it interferes with that enzyme’s ability to do its job. Mix about a quarter teaspoon of salt into a cup of water, let the fruit soak for five minutes, then drain it. It won’t taste salty if you don’t go overboard, and you can always give it a quick rinse before packing.

Honey water works too: one tablespoon of honey in a cup of water, same soak. It adds a little sweetness and has antioxidant properties that slow the same reaction. Both are easier than squeezing a lemon and don’t leave that citrus tang.

Your fruit will still taste like fruit, not pickles.