5 Reasons to Dehydrate Food
Have you ever thought about drying foods to preserve them? Just about every season has some food you can dry and there are so many different foods that are great dehydrated! From berries in the summer to wild game jerky in the fall. Vegetables like corn and green beans can be dried, and all sorts of fruits. I love making banana and apple chips in the dehydrator.
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I personally prefer the Excalibur Dehydrators. They have several different models depending on your need and budget. They are most definitely worth the price difference.
Excalibur 3926TB Food Dehydrator, Black
Excalibur 2400 4-Tray Economy Dehydrator, BlackExcalibur 2900ECB 9-Tray Economy Dehydrator, BlackExcalibur 3526TB Excalibur 3526TB 5 Tray Dehydrator with Timer Black, 1, BlackExcalibur 2500ECB 5-Tray Economy Dehydrator, BlackExcalibur 3500B Excalibur 3500B 5 Tray Deluxe Dehydrator Black, 1, BlackExcalibur 9-Tray Clear Door Stainless Steel Dehydrator w/Stainless Steel Trays, Model D900CDSHD
But why bother? Are there any benefits to dried foods?
Absolutely! Here are 5 reasons to dehydrate food.
Economical
I am sure you know how high the price of jerky and dried fruits and vegetables in your grocery store are. They are EXPENSIVE! Drying your own wholesome food is much less expensive, especially if you dry foods that are in season and on sale. Yours will also be free of preservatives and artificial colors and flavors.
Also, bringing along some of your own dried foods on car trips and vacations can save you a lot of money on snacks and meals on the road.
Shelf Life
If you like camping, dehydrated food is great to take along – it’s lightweight, doesn’t require refrigeration, and is high in nutrition. You can also store it for use in an emergency, and include it in emergency kits you may have for yourself and your family. If the power goes out during a summer storm or due to some other act of nature, you can still have fruit, vegetables, and meats available for a meal.
Convenience
There’s no doubt that dried foods are convenient. They are especially handy if you have children and need to grab a quick snack on the way out the door. What if one of your kids needs to go to the ER, and you don’t know how long you’ll be sitting there? You and the other kids will need something to eat. Even for running errands, it’s nice to have snacks in the car. In fact, you can have a take-along bag with dried foods that you always take with you in the car.
Dried food is also convenient when you can’t get to the store, such as during a snowstorm. It’s also nice to be able to have dried produce on hand for soups and stews and other recipes.
Healthful
Dried foods retain most nutrients, except those that depend on the presence of water. All of the fiber is intact in dried foods. And it’s chemical free, devoid of preservatives and artificial flavors and colors. Think of being able to reap the nutritional benefits of different foods throughout the seasons! I get sick when I eat meat, but when I eat jerky I do not. When foods are cooked a lot of the natural enzymes that your body needs to break these foods down are lost. For instance, I can eat raw tomatoes all day long, give me a cooked sauce and I get the worst reflux. We need to eat our foods as close to their natural state as possible.
Easy and Inexpensive to Prepare
Dried food is not particularly complicated to make. You don’t need to fuss over sterilizing jars, using a pressure canner, and spending money on added ingredients like sugar and vinegar. You just dry the food – it’s simple, and the food is not too far from its natural state.
Pack of 9 Premium 14Set of 3 – 14 x 14 Inch – Excalibur Food Dehydrator Re-usable Non-stick Sheet – ParaFlexx Premium SheetsSet of 3 – 11 x 11 Inch – Excalibur Food Dehydrator Re-usable Non-stick Sheet – ParaFlexx Premium SheetsExcalibur Food Dehydrator Re-Usable Non-Stick Sheet – Quantity 1 – ParaFlexx 14 Inch X 14 Inch Dryer Squares – Fruit Leather, Rollups, More.
Here are some books on dehydrating to get you started.
The Beginner’s Guide to Making and Using Dried Foods: Preserve Fresh Fruits, Vegetables, Herbs, and Meat with a Dehydrator, a Kitchen Oven, or the SunTrail Food: Drying and Cooking Food for Backpacking and PaddlingThe Food Dehydrating Bible: Grow it. Dry it. Enjoy it!Off Grid Living Box Set: 12 Effective Strategies To Live A Self-Sufficient Life Off The Grid plus 33 Easy to Follow Steps For Canning, Dehydrating and … preserving food, Living Off The Grid)Preserving Food Box Set: 33 Easy to Follow Steps For Canning, Freezing and Dehydrating Your Favorite Fruits and Vegetables plus The Ultimate Guide to Food … food without freezing or canning)Kristen Suzanne’s EASY Raw Vegan Dehydrating: Delicious & Easy Raw Food Recipes for Dehydrating Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts, Seeds, Pancakes, Crackers, Breads, Granola, Bars & Wraps
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