Nutritionist Mathew Soloman recommends dried fruit as easy to take along and a perfect snack for mid morning or mid afternoon. “Healthy dried fruit and yogurt makes a healthy and tasty side dish or dessert,” he said, adding that an important benefit is the nutritional value found in dried fruit.

The soft types of dried fruits offer a high-carbohydrate, low-fat snack. Each type of fruit has its individual health benefit, for example dried banana chips are high in potassium. In general, dried fruits supply some important nutritional needs such as antioxidants iron, folic acid, fibre and assorted vitamins.

Eating fruit reduces the risk of diabetes, heart attack, cancer and strokes. Further, the only vitamin not offered in dried fruit as much as fresh fruit is vitamin C, because it does not hold up through the drying process well. Dried fruits are convenient to take on the run. Sports enthusiasts love them for a quick snack due to the ease of use and the high carbohydrate content which provides energy.

Solomon said dried fruits are also excellent for use in healthy cooking and baking. Sauces with dried fruits can be spooned over almost any dish and a handful of dried fruits thrown into a pot of simmering rice make a delicious dish.

A variety of healthier cookies, breads and bars are made with dried fruits to add flavour without the fat of other desserts. To make your own bar at home, fruits should be cooked down to a spreadable paste-like consistency.

Here are some recipes with dried fruit:

Pineapple Pie

4 cups dried Pineapple Rings

1 egg plus 1 egg yolk, beaten

1 cup packed brown sugar

½ cup finely chopped walnuts

½ cup melted butter, cooled

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

½ teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon salt

Crusts for a double-crust pie

Place pineapple rings in a large saucepan and cover with water to a depth of two inches. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Drain and cool 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 400.

Combine egg and egg yolk, brown sugar, walnuts, butter, vanilla, cinnamon and salt. Chop pineapple rings so they are so larger than ¼ of each ring. Stir into above mixture.

Line pie plate with ½ of the crust and pour in filling. Top with second ½ of the crust. Seal and flute edges. Cut vent holes in top crust.

Bake for one hour. (May cover edges with foil until the last 15 minutes.) Cool at least one hour before serving.

Masterful Compote

½ cup prune

½ cup dried Peach

½ cup dried Apricot

Orange peel/orange juice to taste

1 Tsp cinnamon

Lemon juice pinch/lemon peel

Simmer 10 minutes in shallow water, after bringing to boil. Can be served, chilled or warm. Add raw honey to sweeten if needed.