Skip the lemon—a salt water dip holds up better

Lemon juice is not your only option—a short soak in salt water or a quick toss in honey syrup will keep fruit from browning long enough for lunch.

Browning is oxidation. The fix is either to neutralize the enzyme (an acid like lemon or a mild salt solution) or to block the fruit from oxygen (a sugar coating or a tight container). Salt water is surprisingly underrated: use about half a teaspoon of salt per cup of water, soak the cut fruit for ten minutes, and rinse it before packing. It won’t taste salty, and it’ll last through lunch.

If you don’t want to fiddle with soaks, use a light honey-water syrup (one part honey to three parts water), or toss the fruit in a few drops of pineapple juice—it’s acidic like lemon, but with a sweeter flavor. The real secret for a lunchbox: make sure the fruit is completely dry before sealing the container, and press a piece of paper towel on top to absorb condensation.

Your kid (or you) won’t taste the salt, just the fruit.