While dozens aren’t the easiest to carry, apples are definitely tons of fun. The harvest is here, and the apples are ready, so keep reading for fun, food and facts with one of America’s favorite fruits.
Let’s get the ball rolling with a few fun apple games...
For apple bowling, take nine to 10 recycled plastic bottles of any shape, size and color and form a triangle. After you form the triangle, stand on the opposite side of the room and give an apple you don’t mind sparing a nice solid roll toward the bottles. The goal here it to knock over as may “pins” in one roll as you can. Strikes are welcome! This is a do-it-yourself, cheap and fun way for family and friends of all shapes, sizes and ages to come together for some friendly competition. Apple bowling is also enjoyable in teams: girls versus boys, Mom versus Dad—even kids versus parents. As long as we all can agree that the losers do the dishes!
Looking for ideas for some family fun? Or do you just need a reason to cool off? Either way, bobbing for apples is a sure way to do it! All you’ll need is a storage bin filled half-way with water and about 10 to 15 apples. The objective of the game is to retrieve the apples using only your mouth. This is a fun group game, and it’s okay if everyone gets a little wet.
Apple towers! This do-it-yourself build-it tower requires only two things: diced apples and toothpicks. This game is most popular among the little ones and requires just a little parental encouragement. Remind your children that not only is this fun, but the tower also can be a fun snack!
Finally, recruit the mad scientists! This game will not only improve your children’s attention to detail, but it can save money in the long run. You will need six separate bowls, one with lemon juice, one with vinegar, one with baking soda, one with milk, one with nothing and one with water. Dice up a few apple slices, being sure to place the same number of apples in each bowl, and then wait for the magic to happen. The goal here is to see how long the apples last in the bowl before they turn brown. You can even set a timer and have the kids count down. Family-oriented apple fun!
Now for the food...
Nothing works up an appetite more than a night full of games! Here’s a recipe for a quick and healthy snack.
Apple Chips
What you will need:
- 3 apples
- Cinnamon
- Granulated sugar
- Baking spray
- Cookie sheet
Preheat your oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit and spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray to avoid sticking. You will need to chop your three apples into ¼-inch slices (or your preferred chip thickness), mix the ground cinnamon and granulated sugar in a small bowl, then sprinkle the mixture over the sliced apples. Bake the apples for 1 ½ hours on each side. When baking is complete, the chips should be nice and crispy and still quite healthy.
Fun with facts…
Did you know?
- Apples are grown in all 50 states.
- Apples range in size from as small as a cherry to as big as a grapefruit.
- Apples even make you smart! Did you know apples contain boron, a mineral that increases mental alertness?
- Apples also contain an acid that whitens your teeth and dissolves stains.
- Lastly, more than 7,500 varieties of apples are grown around the world.
Now that you know a little more about apples, take advantage of that bushel!
Jessica Samuel is a St. Louis native that now lives in Kansas City. She’s a photographer, freelance writer and graduate student.