Q:  What makes Froodles a nutritious fruit snack?

A: Like fresh fruit, Froodles are fat-free, cholesterol free, and sodium free.  Each of our five flavors has been nutritionally analyzed and labeled for your benefit. All our products provide natural sources of vitamins such as A and C as well as essential minerals including calcium and iron.  Unlike other fruit snacks you may have tried, Froodles has no artificial flavors or colors. They are soft and chewy and won't stick to your teeth.

After years of research and development, we take pride in offering you a product that has been carefully prepared to provide you with an all-fruit snack that is both tasty and nutritious. Most of our fruits are collected locally and have not been sprayed; however, we do process some fruits which have been grown under Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved guidelines. All the fruits we use have been vine or tree ripened which gives our products their rich color and taste. Unlike many other fruit snacks on the market, we do not add extra vitamins to our products. Our bodies can only absorb so much of the water soluble vitamins. The excess we take in is excreted as a waste product. Adding fat soluble vitamins is not necessarily beneficial either, since the excess can build up in our bodies and create a toxic situation. With this in mind, we take care to process our fruit in such a way that most of the vitamin and mineral content is retained, as are the antioxidants that naturally occur in carefully cooked fruit.

From the later harvesting of fruit to the regulated cooking, cooling and drying of the purees, we offer a "Healthy, fruitful, noodley snack- Fun to eat and easy to pack!" That is the Froodles Promise from us to you...a potential Froodles Fan

Q: Does Froodles use whole fruit?

A: Yes, and that is what makes our snack so tasty and healthy. Many fruit snacks use only fruit juices thickened with starches, pectin, gums and gelatin. Our snacks have natural fibers and pectin. We use the whole fruit,including skins, when processing Froodles, thus retaining the natural fruit color, vitamins and minerals.

Q: What do people like about Froodles?

A: Before introducing our products to the market, we conducted two years of surveys to be sure a significant number of people responded favorably to our products. To summarize the results:

What people liked the best about the product:

  • Taste, texture, and presentation

What they liked least:

  • That Froodles were not yet available to purchase...at that time

Q: What preservatives are used? Why?

A: Preservatives are used to fight against contamination of fruit by molds, yeast and bacteria, thus preserving the color and the flavor Froodles. They are listed for the benefit of the consumer who may be allergic to them. There are three preservatives which are used in Froodles: potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate and citric acid. Citric acid is considered a natural product of most fruits. It is used in our products as a preservative because it maintains an antimicrobial, acidic condition. Furthermore, it enhances the natural sweet-sour “zing” you taste in Froodles. Both potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate are chemically synthesized, but they are also found in nature. (Potassium sorbate is found in the mountain ash tree and sodium benzoate is found in cranberries and prunes). These two preservatives comprise a total of 0.05% of the weight of the whole fruit which is the lowest acceptable level allowed. They are metabolized by our bodies into harmless compounds. Potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate are FDA approved and are considered SAFE by leading researchers. For additional information, we encourage you to visit the following site: http://www.soybean.com/search3.htm and search for the terms potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate.

Eating an entire 3 oz bag of Froodles is like eating half a pound of fruit!

Q: What does the Nutrition Facts label tell me?

A: We think being an informed consumer is important, especially when it comes to nutrition and your health. Reading the nutrition label on the Froodles label tells you the following:

  • The percentages are all based on 1 serving.
  • One serving size is equal to 1 once or about 1/3 of the bag.
  • There are 3 servings per bag.

Eating one serving of Awesome Apricot, for example, gives you the following nutrition:

  • There are 50 calories
  • 13grams of carbohydrate which is 4% of your daily needs: 10 grams of which are derived from sugars, a combination of natural fructose and added sucrose
  • 6% of your vitamin A needs for the day
  • 4% of your vitamin C requirements for the day
  • 6% of your fiber needs
  • No fat or trans fat*
  • No cholesterol *
  • No sodium. *

* All these percentages are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so if you generally need more calories or fewer in your daily needs, the above percentages will vary.

Q: Do we use fruit that has been sprayed?

A: Ideally, we prefer to use unsprayed fruit which is why are constantly looking for fruit that is grown on a small scale in the local area. If we must use fruit from a large orchard which uses spray, only fruit that has been treated with EPA approved sprays are accepted by our company. No fruit is accepted if it has been sprayed with a pesticide that is on the EPA list of banned chemicals (See www.epa.gov/pesticides) . (See A to Z list and banned pesticides and bio-pesticides.) Organic, or bio-pesticides, are generally preferable, but not all plant-based pesticides are safe, so fruit coming from trees sprayed with pesticides that are unknown or are questionable is not accepted by Azari Fruit Products.

The artwork on our product bags was painted by our Froodles founder, Paul Azari.

Q: Does Froodles have any cancer-fighting properties?

A: Free radicals, which can damage DNA potentially causing cancer, are stray, highly reactive forms of oxygen and nitrogen that accumulate in the body as byproducts of normal metabolism. Fruits are great sources of antioxidants, and Froodles is about fruit, and lots of it!  In our processing, we use the whole fruit, including the skin which contains most of the cancer fighting ingredients which have been shown to deter cancer-causing free radicals. Not only do fruits supply us with vitamins C and E, but they have many naturally occurring chemicals that serve us well. For example, phytochemicals are responsible for the bright hues of red and yellow in fruits, such as peaches, plums, nectarines, apricots and cherries. These naturally occurring chemicals are all cancer fighting agents. Ellagic acid, found in grapes and cherries, has been shown to prevent carcinogens from transforming normal cells into cancerous ones. Apples, especially the peel, have been shown to help fight a variety of cancers. Pumpkins are especially high in fiber and carotenoids, both of which are know to fight cancer. (See www.nfcr.org for more information from the National Foundation for Cancer Research)

Q: Does Froodles have any known allergens?

A: We are not aware of any commonly known allergen in our products, however, if you are susceptible to food-allergies, we suggest that you check with your health professional before eating Froodles ...especially if you have never consumed the types of fruits used in making our products. Our products do NOT contain oils from peanuts. We DO use small amounts of canola oil on our trays to facilitate the drying process. The fruits we typically use include, but are not limited to: apples (a variety of types), grapes (all varieties) cherries, apricots, peaches, plums (all varieties), and pumpkins.

Froodles helps promote good nutrition.

Q: Why is there a sugar coating on Froodles?

A: The sugar you see on the outside of Froodles is actually a mix of more citric acid (the sour stuff) and a little sugar. The sugar dusting on Froodles helps keep the product from sticking together AND best of all, it means we can put less sugar, over all, in the product. If we kept the sugar OFF the outside, we would have to put much more on the inside to make Froodles more palatable. Sugar also acts as a natural preservative.

Q: Why are there different colors of Froodles in one flavor bag?

A: We use different varieties of the same fruit for many of our flavors, thus resulting in the blend of colors. All of our products have a mix of apple varieties as well. Your taste buds will never tire of these flavors due to the subtle varieties of fruit that we select. The variety also increases the nutritional benefit to you.

Q: Is Froodles available in stores?

Froodles are now available in a variety of Colorado stores- see our list of stores. Larger orders, as well as The Gold Ribbon Gift Box, may be ordered directly through Azari Fruit Products. If you are looking for a certain flavor and cannot find it, we will be more than happy to fill your order, large or small. Because we are not a large scale operation, we do not currently have our products available in large grocery stores. Our product is available, however, year round and we are always happy to try to fill your order!

Q: How do I order Froodles?

A: You may order Froodles one of three ways:

  1. By Telephone. Please call +1 (970) 482-6820. We accept checks at this time, and we can invoice other businesses as well. You will find the price list and shipping charges on this site as well.
  2. A printable order form is available on this site. Complete one form to send in with your check, and keep a copy for your records. (see Order Form )
  3. You may also request a form and product brochure to be sent to you.

www.coloradoproud.org

Q: Can I order gifts to be sent to other people?

A: Absolutely. What better way to put a little sunshine into someone's day ? the Froodles way! We can help you do that. We would need to have the name and the shipping address that you wish your gift order to be sent. You may enter this information on the order form.

Q: How many Froodles can I order at one time?

A: It is generally more economical to order a 5 bag minimum and a 1 box minimum. (See shipping charge sheet) For customers wishing to order Froodles for their weddings, receptions, conferences or other large order events, we ask for as much lead time as possible since our products are all prepared by hand. Larger holiday gift orders should also be placed as far in advance as possible. We will always do our best to fill your order in a timely manner. ALL orders are processed in the order that they are received.

Q: Can I pick up my order?

A: Yes. You can indicate this on your order form, and we will call you to schedule your pick-up date and time.

Froodles is a family-owned small business in Fort Collins, Colorado.