Fruit Roll-Ups facts for kids
Fruit Roll-Ups are a popular snack that first appeared in stores across America in 1983. They are a flat, fruit-flavored treat made mostly from corn syrup. Each Fruit Roll-Up is rolled up like a tube and comes on a special sheet of cellophane to stop it from sticking to itself.
These fun snacks are made by General Mills. In the United States, they are sold under the Betty Crocker brand. In Australia, you might find them under the Uncle Tobys brand. Many other companies have also made similar snacks over the years.
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How Fruit Roll-Ups Are Advertised
When Fruit Roll-Ups first came out in the early 1980s, they were advertised a lot on TV. Many commercials used the catchy phrase: "Fruit Corners Fruit Roll-Ups: Real fruit and fun, rolled up in one." Later ads showed kids being creative in a make-believe "Fruit Roll-Up Fun Factory."
The main idea behind the advertising was to show parents that these snacks were "fun" for kids but also made with "real fruit". However, some studies found that mothers were surprised by how sweet Fruit Roll-Ups were and how little real fruit they actually contained. For example, the strawberry flavor doesn't have any strawberries in it. The only fruit ingredient often comes from concentrated pear juice.
The History of Fruit Roll-Ups
General Mills started working on the idea for Fruit Roll-Ups way back in 1975.
Before Fruit Roll-Ups, there was a product called Joray Fruit Rolls from New York. These were a round, fruit leather snack. Fruit Roll-Ups have a more chewy texture than these older, natural fruit rolls. While Fruit Roll-Ups were originally round, they are now shaped more like a parallelogram.
Over the years, Fruit Roll-Ups have come in many different versions. Some had shapes you could punch out, and others even had temporary tattoos for your tongue!
Betty Crocker sells Fruit Roll-Ups in boxes with just one flavor or in variety packs that have several different flavors.
What Are Fruit Roll-Ups Made Of?
| Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz) | |
|---|---|
| Energy | 1,562 kJ (373 kcal) |
|
85.2 g
|
|
| Sugars | 38.7 g |
|
3.5 g
|
|
|
Protein
|
0.1 g
|
| Other constituents | Quantity |
| Water | 10.2 g |
| †Percentages estimated using US recommendations for adults. | |
The main ingredient in Fruit Roll-Ups is sugar. They actually contain five different kinds of sugar! These include sugar from pear juice concentrate, corn syrup, dried corn syrup, regular sugar, and a small amount of dextrose. They also have small amounts of other ingredients like cottonseed oil, citric acid, and artificial colors.
Changes to Health Claims
In 2011, a group called the Center for Science in the Public Interest took action against General Mills. They said that the packaging and advertising for Fruit Roll-Ups were misleading. They felt the product was presented as a healthy, fruit-filled snack, even though it had a similar nutritional content to gummy bear candies.
General Mills and the group reached an agreement without going to court. As a result, by 2014, General Mills agreed not to put pictures of fruits on the labels unless that specific fruit was actually in that flavor of Fruit Roll-Up. They also agreed to either stop saying the product is "made with real fruit" or to clearly state the percentage of real fruit in the snack.
Other Similar Snacks
- Fruit by the Foot
- Fruit Gushers
- Sunkist Fun Fruits
