Some dried fruit in boxes/canisters, etc. is already quite awful (IMO) when purchased. Raisins are a good example. I fully support the company that sells raisins in the red box since they're a cooperative of family growers all within a 100 miles of each other. (In full disclosure, my family used to be a grower in the cooperative.) But, by the time those raisins make it to your local store...well, they're not so great. So, I buy direct from their packing facility in Kingsburg, CA. The difference is like night/day. Yes, more expensive 'cause of shipping costs but I always get friends/neighbors to share in the bounty & costs. I'd rather pay a bit more & have a good product than eat shriveled up raisins. :)

I've found it's the same with other dried fruits. With dried fruit other than raisins I either dry my own at home or purchase from bulk sellers finding they usually have fresher product.

In answer to your question, yes, commercial granola producers have access to freshly dried fruits & you're probably noticing that difference.

/tricia (we home dehydrate large quantities of fruit every year with our Excaliburs)

I never add dried fruit to granola until just before I plan to eat it. I store granola and dried fruit separately, and so I do not have the problem you are talking about.

I buy dried fruit at Trader Joe's and have been very happy with it. My favorite is the dried blueberries, and I also like the dried cranberries, but those are available everywhere. The other dried fruit I use is dates, but they are quite a bit more expensive. I like them because they add sweetness to the granola, but I have to chop them up before adding them.

I'm starting to buy dried vegetables, but that is a completely different matter, since they have to be reconstituted.

Lars

I don't add dried fruit to granola either. I want granola to stay crispy and the fruit to stay soft. Mixing the two for a period of time means the moisture migrates from the fruit to the dry cereal, which softens the granola and dries the fruit. Not a combination I enjoy.

I also find I have more applications and uses for fruit-free granola than granola with fruit. I add granola to bread recipes, top kefir curd (or yogurt) with it, make a quick pie crust, put peanut butter on a peeled banana and roll it in granola, topping for a quick fruit crisp, homemade protein bars, streusel topping on muffins, one of the layers on a fruit-yogurt parfait....

-Grainlady

I too wait until I am eating it before putting them together.

It also worked out well for me when I wanted to make some "sticky bun" cinnamon rolls and I was too lazy to do anything other than dump in some granola and some butter to the bottom of the tin.

Great minds think alike? If I did think like Grainlady, whoa, I would be happy with myself.

:)

Thanks for the replies; I guess my best option is to add the fruit as I eat. It still makes me jealous, though, to know that the boxed cereals have soft fruit in them . . .

Pixistix, I also add fruit to granola when I'm ready to eat it, mostly because I like different fruit at different times. I get bulk dried fruit at Horrock's when I stop there, the pineapple is my favorite but I agree with Lars' on Trader Joe's blueberries, they're yummy.

I also use yogurt as topping for fruit crisp, I make Kathy's maple granola and it's amazing with apples or pears.

I like homemade yogurt with granola topping, but I add the dried fruit to that too. I've also used homemade granola in place of oatmeal in oatmeal cookie recipes and it works out well, but very sweet.

I've also used yogurt in place of rice krispies in rice krispie treats and in those peanut butter based cereaol treats.

Annie

I use a ripe banana and dates, well blended to the point you can't see the dates, as the sweetener for my granola. I put this in first and mix with the cereal and nuts for the baking process. I add the other dried fruit at the end so it doesn't get hard. The banana and dates make it plenty sweet and no other sweetener is required.

I buy dates at Sam's and they only have them during the holiday season. I buy enough for the entire year, but I normally keep them refrigerated.