Homemade fruit leather--cost effective?

[Soliloquy]

We use our dehydrator to make apple slices and crispy nuts. I want to expand beyond that after we move to other things. My dehydrator came w/ one fruit leather sheet but I am wondering how cost effective it is to make homemade fruit leather . . . homemade applesauce costs more than buying it in the store . . . I LOVE my homemade applesauce--the taste simply does not compare to store-bought. I make it every fall w/ freshly picked apples. I wouldn't give it up.

But, I'm wondering if it's really worth it to make my own fruit leather. We don't buy it very often, it's a treat when it's on sale. The recipes I've seen call for pureeing fruit (or using applesauce) and pouring it on the sheets, then cutting when dry. I'm guessing that, just like making fresh juice, you'd have to use quite a bit of fruit to make one tray of fruit leather.

Anyone make it? Is it cost effective as a children's snack? My kids love eating fresh fruit, but dehydrated fruit is better for traveling.