60+ Dehydrator Recipes For Preserving Food, Saving Money & Eating Healthier (2024)

FAQs

Does a food dehydrator save money? ›

Dehydrating your own food can benefit your health and your wallet. You can save money by reducing food waste, replacing expensive store-bought snacks with home-dried foods, and taking advantage of in-season produce to enjoy months later.

Drying or dehydrating is one of the oldest ways to preserve foods. It makes them last longer and keeps them safe to eat. Nutrition-wise, food stays mostly the same, although the drying process can destroy vitamins A and C. And the calorie count can rise as the food shrinks and nutrients become more concentrated.

Storing Dehydrated Food

For long-term preservation, vacuum-sealing with an oxygen absorber is best. Store in a cool, dark place. Meat and seafood can be stored in freezer bags and kept in a cool, dark place if consumed within a month; otherwise vacuum-sealing and freezing is best.

Some fruits and vegetables suitable for drying include apples, pears, peaches, plums, apricots, bananas, cantaloupe, strawberries, blueberries, carrots, celery, corn, green beans, potatoes, and tomatoes. Fruits can also be dried as fruit leathers and rolls.

Oven Drying

If you don't have access to an electric dehydrator, using your oven is a good alternative. Set your oven temperature between 140°F and 170°F (60°C and 77°C) and place your food on a baking sheet in a single layer. Leave the oven door slightly open to let the moisture escape.

Dehydrated foods have a higher calorie content by weight and can be high in sodium and sugars, depending on the food. In excess, these nutrients can cause weight gain and increase your risk of obesity, heart problems, and diabetes.

Some of the healthiest options with the most nutritional value include raisins, apricots, prunes and dates. But note that dried fruit may contain added sugar so opt for ones without as a healthier alternative.

However, do-it-yourself home dehydrators may only remove 80% of the water in food, leaving it with a shorter shelf life. However, most top end dehydrated food will still maintain a shelf life of up to 15 years, and depending on the type of food, in some cases up to 25 years.

What is the best meat to dehydrate? ›

Loin – A cut that's lean and full of flavor, making it perfect for dehydration. It's a prime cut that results in excellent jerky. Roasts – These are larger cuts, like the shoulder or haunch, that can be sliced thin and dehydrated to make jerky. They're lean and flavorful, making them great for dehydration.

If you're an avid gardener who frequently finds themselves with a surplus of fruits and veggies, dehydrating is a great way to preserve your harvest. It requires much less effort and know-how than canning, and unlike freezing that can lower nutritional value, dehydrated foods hold onto their nutrients for a long time.

Hard and crunchy or breakable pieces are done. Yes, items can be over-dried and as a result are more difficult to rehydrate. There is a balance and experience will provide answers. High indoor humidity, air conditioning or breezes may alter the time needed to dehydrate foods.

Most vegetables such as carrots, broccoli, onions, peppers, potatoes and sweet potatoes should be blanched prior to dehydrating and should be dehydrated at 130-140 degrees F. Canned or frozen corn and peas dehydrate nicely, as do canned beans such as black, pinto, garbanzo and red beans.

Consider this: a small domestic dehydrator might use as little as 100 watts per hour, while a larger, commercial-style dehydrator could draw a whopping 1000 watts or more!

Using dehydration as a food preservation method adds very little to the cost of those foods, particularly if you dry in larger quantities, but it is impossible to state an exact power consumption due to the many variables.

An oven is likely to cost significantly more to run because it has a far higher power rating. It also has a larger space to heat and has to maintain that heat with its door ajar while it's dehydrating food.

If you're curious about what you can use your dehydrator for, you'll be happy to find that there are plenty of options. Dehydrators can help you create healthy food that saves you money and time. Since they're easy to use and have a onetime cost, decide which one is right for you, then begin your food-drying journey.