Saltwater beats lemon for keeping apple slices fresh

Sliced apples keep better in a lunchbox if you give them a quick saltwater soak—no lemon needed.

It sounds weird, but salt is actually the best no-lemon trick here. Dissolve about half a teaspoon of salt in a cup of water, soak the slices for a couple minutes, then drain and rinse. That’s it. The salt deactivates the enzyme that causes browning, and the rinse kills the salty taste.

Honey water works too: two tablespoons of honey in a cup of water, same soak. But saltwater is cheaper and you always have it handy. Either way, don’t skip the rinse. Nobody wants pickled apple slices.

I’ve sent literally hundreds of sliced apples to school this way, and they’ve come back eaten. That’s the test that counts.

Your kid won’t taste the salt, but they’ll taste the apple.