Trail-friendly fruit snacks

hether it’s a tangerine, berries or a crisp apple, fresh fruit is nature’s perfect sweet snack — juicy, naturally sweet and packed with fiber, which sates hunger and delivers energy. But fruit is fragile and perishable, especially when you’re tucking it into a hiking pack or ski jacket pocket. Whether you’re hitting the trails or the slopes, freezedried fruit snacks make a tasty stand-in for the real thing.

Unlike dried fruit that concentrates sugars into chewy, high-calorie bites, freeze-dried fruit is a crispy, airy version of its fresh self. It retains its original shape and size, but loses nearly all the moisture, making it shelf-stable. The process of freeze-drying fruit requires both time and energy, so this pricey treat typically runs $3-$5 per ounce, which makes bad purchases all the more irksome.

The best freeze-dried fruits are made from perfectly ripened fruits that have been evenly sliced and carefully dried into delicate, crisp bites packed with concentrated fruit flavor. The worst are chalky, crumbly, hard and either too sweet or too tart. Sadly, it’s impossible to know what awaits until you open the bag and taste.

Here’s the scoop on brands — with no added sugar, fat or sodium — from local markets. Nutrition details on packages are anything but standard, as serving sizes can vary from ¼ ounce to six times that. For consistency’s sake, the nutritional details below reflect a generous 1-ounce serving, which is about a cup of fruit. Here’s the scoop on the best sweet bites — and the dusty disasters.

365 Freeze Slices

The tender-crisp crunch and bold mango flavor make these pretty slices an awesome pick. The sliced strawberries are not as pretty, due to uneven cuts and broken berries, but they are delicate and sweet. A 1-ounce serving has 108 calories, 18 g sugar. $3.99 for 1.2 ounces at Whole Foods. (4 stars)

Crunchies Freeze-Dried Strawberries Dried Mango

Those who like fruit with a tart kick will enjoy the aroma and flavor of these meticulously cut, decidedly crisp berries. The Strawberry-Banana and Mixed Fruit are also tender with fresh, ripe fruit flavor. 40 calories, 5 g sugar. $4.78 for 1 ounce at Walmart. (4 stars)

Crispy Green Crispy Fruit Mango

These extra-crispy, tangy bites explain why this brand is so successful. The carefully prepared fruit is at the perfect state of ripeness. The tangerine version looks almost exactly like its fresh counterpart, but it’s a bit bitter due to a bit of pith around the segments. 111 calories, 17 g sugar. $1.49 for .36-ounces at Safeway; $7.29 for a 6-pack at Raley’s. (3½ stars)

Karen’s Naturals Just Raspberries

This company does a lot of freeze-dried fruits well, especially these perfect berries with their bright, fresh Organic raspberry flavor. Also good: The tender triangles of pineapple. The brand’s dusty strawberries and dense bananas are less impressive. 50 calories, 8.5 g sugar. $6.29 for 2 ounces at some Whole Foods and online at Amazon. (3 stars, due to inconsistency)

Sunkist Freeze Dried Crunchy Strawberries

The zesty flavor of these berries is fun, but the strawberries seem unripe. They’re unpleasantly tart despite the high sugar content. Note that the mango slices are pleasant, but the mango flavor is lost in the sweetness. 105 calories, 17.5 g sugar. $3.98 for .8 ounces at Walmart. (2½ stars)

Trader Joe’s Freeze Dried Strawberries

These taste like early-season strawberries that need a bit more time in the sun. They taste like authentic, but sour berries. The very thick, chalky, cottony mangoes were a total miss. 108 calories, 17 g sugar. $3.49 for 1.7 ounces. (2 stars)

Nature’s All Freeze-Dried Organic Mangoes

The hard, slightly chewy texture of these thin slices make them difficult to eat, and they have an off-flavor reminiscent of wet paper. 80 calories, 16 g sugar. $5.69 for 1.8 ounces at Whole Foods. (½ a star) Abound Strawberry Crisps If you don’t mind your strawberries in tiny bits, which swiftly turn to strawberry dust, go for it. 30 calories, 4 g sugar. $2.99 on sale at CVS. (½ a star)