Just Add Fruit Kit Review: Hands-On STEM & Craft Fun

As a parent, I’m constantly searching for that perfect activity: something engaging, educational, screen-free, and—most importantly—genuinely fun for my kids. It’s a tall order! So when we got the chance to try the Just Add Fruit activity kit, I was intrigued. The promise of turning everyday produce into exciting science experiments and art projects sounded like a win-win. Could a simple box of supplies really transform our kitchen into a laboratory of fun? We rolled up our sleeves, grabbed a potato, and put it to the test. Here’s our honest review of the Just Add Fruit kit.

What is the Just Add Fruit Kit?

The concept is brilliantly simple. The kit provides you with a collection of essential tools and materials. You provide the fresh produce from your kitchen. From there, your kids can dive into a wide array of fascinating STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) activities.

The instruction booklet is packed with ideas, including crowd-pleasers like:

• Fizzing Lemon Volcanoes
• Potato-Powered Batteries
• Fruit & Veggie Stamping
• Building a Fruit-Powered LED Light

It’s designed to spark curiosity by showing kids the hidden scientific and creative potential in the food they see every day.

Unboxing the Fun: What’s Inside?

Opening the box felt like preparing for an afternoon of discovery. It’s thoughtfully packed with the reusable, non-perishable items you need, saving you a trip to the craft store.

Inside the Just Add Fruit kit, you’ll find:

• Food Coloring
• Bamboo Skewers
• A Star-Shaped Cookie Cutter
• LED Light
• Rubber Bands
• Black Marker
• Kid-Friendly Paint
• Paint Brush
• Alligator Clip Wire
• A Detailed Instruction Booklet

Having everything organized in one place is a huge plus for busy parents. All we needed to do was head to the pantry.

Our Hands-On Experience: Putting the Kit to the Test

With so many exciting projects to choose from, we decided to start with an ingredient we always have on hand: the humble potato. We chose two activities from the booklet—one focusing on art and the other on science—to see how the kit performed.

Project 1: The Creative World of Veggie Stamping

First up, art! This activity was an instant hit and is perfect for a rainy afternoon or a quiet weekend craft session. It’s wonderfully simple but yields beautiful results.

How to Make Your Potato Stamp:

1. Prep the Potato: We started by cutting a medium-sized potato in half. You only need one half for stamping, so you can save the other for our next experiment!
2. Create the Shape: We firmly pressed the included star-shaped cookie cutter into the flat, cut side of the potato half. Then, using a regular kitchen knife (adult supervision required here!), we carefully cut around the outside of the cookie cutter, leaving a perfect, raised star shape.
3. Get Stamping: We squirted some of the included paint onto a paper plate. My child took the new potato “stamp,” dabbed it into the paint until it was evenly coated, and started creating a masterpiece of colorful stars on paper.

The booklet also had a fantastic seasonal idea: use the other round half of the potato, dip it in white paint, and make a potato-stamped snowman. This is an absolutely perfect winter’s day kids’ craft!

Project 2: A Fascinating Lesson in Osmosis

Next, we put on our scientist hats. I was excited to try the osmosis experiment, as it’s a core biological concept that can be tricky to explain. Seeing it in action makes all the difference.

The Osmosis Experiment Setup:

1. Prepare the Water: We filled two clear glasses with about an inch of water each. In one glass, we added 2-3 tablespoons of salt and stirred until it dissolved. The other glass was just plain tap water.
2. Add the Potatoes: We cut two thin, similar-sized slices from the other potato half. We placed one slice in the saltwater glass and the other in the plain water glass.
3. Observe: The instructions said to let them sit for an hour or even overnight. We noticed immediate differences within the first hour! The potato slice in the saltwater became flimsy and flexible, while the one in the plain water remained firm and crisp.

This was a truly fascinating experiment. It provided a perfect visual demonstration of how water moves across a membrane (the potato cells) from an area of high concentration to low concentration. It was a tangible “aha!” moment that a textbook could never replicate.

Final Verdict: Is the Just Add Fruit Kit Worth It?

Based on our experience, the Just Add Fruit kit is a resounding yes. Here’s what we loved:

• Accessibility: It cleverly uses items you likely already have, making it an easy and low-waste activity.
• Educational Value: It seamlessly blends art, science, and hands-on learning. The osmosis experiment alone was a fantastic, memorable science lesson.
• Engagement: The projects are simple enough for kids to take the lead but interesting enough to keep them focused and excited about the results.
• Versatility: We only explored two projects, but the kit offers so much more. We can’t wait to build a lemon volcano and try to power the LED light with a fruit battery next.

This kit is perfect for curious kids aged 5-10, homeschool families looking for hands-on science curriculum, or any parent wanting to stock their arsenal with creative, educational activities. It turns a simple trip to the grocery store into a shopping spree for your next great discovery.

Have you tried a science kit like Just Add Fruit? Share your favorite at-home experiments for kids in the comments below!