Have you ever eaten fruit that crunches like a potato chip?
I recently had the pleasure of sampling Funky Monkey, the newest 100 percent fruit snacks on the market. Geist resident Matt Herzog runs the Funky Monkey company from his Fox Hollow home, where his wife, Jennifer, and their kids -- Jack, 7, and Melanie, 4 -- serve as taste testers for future flavors.
“My son is a big fan of space and astronauts, and the astronauts take freeze-dried fruit. It’s much lighter, and it still has all the nutrients. It’s nutritionally equivalent to fresh,” Herzog explains.
Freeze-dried fruit is not just for astronauts anymore. Funky Monkey’s freeze drying technology improves upon the standard process that tends to make fruit dull-colored with a powdery texture that melts in your mouth. By contrast, Funky Monkey snacks are colorful, flavorful and surprisingly crunchy.
There’s Banamon (bananas with cinnamon), Jivealime (pineapple and lime), Carnaval Mix (banana, pineapple, apple, papaya and raisins) and Purple Funk (banana and acai -- a “superfruit” that contains antioxidants and Omega 3). An apple cinnamon flavor will debut soon.
All of the fruit is grown and freeze dried in Brazil. “We get the premium fruit right from the source,” Herzog explains, adding that all Funky Monkey snacks are pure fruit (mostly organic) and contain no added sugar, preservatives or artificial colors. “For people with food allergies or who need a gluten-free diet, it’s a great thing.”
As a mom, I love the idea of giving my kids a snack of pure, wholesome fruit disguised in a fun package with a catchy name. But would the kids go for it? I took along two of my own “kid testers” to find out.
My 4 year old was too busy crunching on Purple Funk to talk much, but 10-year-old Autumn had this to report:
“These Funky Monkey snacks are delectable, healthy and easy to send in your kids’ lunches, with them still getting the fruit they need. These are wonderful snacks! If your child doesn’t like squishy fruit, these snacks should be perfect for them. They’re crunchy and sort of like chips only much healthier. These snacks are totally kid friendly!”
Funky Monkey snacks are available locally at Super Target, Kroger and, fittingly, at the new Monkey Joe’s play center in Castleton. Each 1-ounce packet contains three servings of fruit and retails for around $2. A smaller size is currently in the works that will sell for 99 cents. Cases are sold through Amazon.com.
My little “monkeys” couldn’t stop munching on these tasty snacks, and, to be honest, neither could I!
