Food dehydrator benefits include creating healthy and natural food that is easy to store and great for outdoor adventures. Dehydrating food is cheaper than store-bought dried produce, and a quality food dehydrator is affordable and energy efficient.
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Top 7 Food Dehydrator Benefits
If you’re considering purchasing a food dehydrator, it can be well worth the investment. Not only are food dehydrators inexpensive to purchase, they can help you create a pantry of goodies that can save you from making trips to the grocery store.
Here are the top benefits of food dehydrators:
1. Achieve Concentrated Flavor
A food dehydrator allows you to create concentrated flavor you can’t get with any other method. The dehydration process uniformly condenses the flavors in your fruits, vegetables, meat, and herbs into a smaller package, creating a product with a potent flavor. This is why dried fruits can taste even better than fresh!
2. Easy to Store
Food dehydrators are compact appliances that don’t take up a lot of counter space or storage space. They fit easily into most kitchen cupboards, so you can store them away when not in use.
The dehydrated products they help create are also easily stored in airtight containers and take up less space than fresh ingredients!
3. Energy Efficient
A food dehydrator is an energy efficient kitchen appliance. It allows you to create low temperatures over an extended period of time, and is more efficient than using an oven.
4. Great for Adventures
Dried food is hardy, compact, and low maintenance which makes it the perfect option for backpacking! Campers and hikers can create delicious healthy snacks or dehydrated meals using a food dehydrator quickly and easily.
5. Healthy & Natural
The drying process of a food dehydrator removes water content. It doesn’t remove the health benefits or nutritional value of fruits and veggies. The antioxidants, enzymes, and fiber are still present and having a food dehydrator allows you to make nutritious, healthy food easily at home.
One of the main benefits of dehydrating food is that it gives you complete control over what goes in your products. If you purchase store-bought dehydrated fruits and veggies, there is often added sugars and preservatives such as sulfur dioxide. Use a food dehydrator and eliminate these unhealthy ingredients from your diet.
6. Save Money
Having a dehydrator allows you to make dried fruits and vegetables cheaper than purchasing food at a grocery store. It allows you to take advantage of excess produce while reducing food waste by turning fresh fruits and vegetables into products you can rehydrate or eat later.
7. Simple to Learn
Learning to dehydrate your own food is an awesome skill to have, and using a food dehydrator is easy. You’ll be amazed at how quickly you can learn to make and enjoy dehydrator recipes! There is little chance of burning or otherwise ruining your food.
Are Food Dehydrators Worth It?
Food dehydrators are worth buying and better than ovens for the following reasons:
- Food dehydrators are easier to clean
- It is easier to over dry or burn food in an oven than a dehydrator
- It is easier to regulate and maintain a steady temperature in a food dehydrator
- Most ovens will have less air-flow and less even drying
- They are more energy efficient than using the oven
- Using a food dehydrator leaves your oven free for baking and cooking
What are the Best Foods to Dehydrate?
You can dehydrate many types of food using a food dehydrator. Some of the best foods to dehydrate include:
Fruit
It’s best to dehydrate fruit that is fresh and ripe, so make sure you’re buying good produce or pick it yourself from your home garden. Fruit is great to dehydrate because it requires no blanching or special steps besides rinsing and slicing!
Some excellent fruits to dehydrate include:
Herbs
Herbs tend to grow in abundance and much faster than most people can use them. Dehydrating herbs in a food dehydrator is a simple process that allows you to reap the benefits of your garden without it going to waste. Using a food dehydrator is much faster than air-drying herbs.
Consider dehydrating the following herbs in your food dehydrator:
Meat
Save space in your refrigerator or freezer by dehydrating lean meats using your dehydrator! Dehydrated meat can be enjoyed as a high protein snack or added to meals. Best of all, rehydrating meat can be done in minutes!
Consider the following lean meat options when using your dehydrator:
- Beef jerky
- Chicken
- Fish
- Pork
- Turkey
Vegetables
Food dehydrators are perfect for drying vegetables evenly without worrying about burning or overdrying them.
Ditch the oven and use your dehydrator the next time you want to dry these delicious veggies:
What Are Some Other Uses for Food Dehydrators?
Food dehydrators are often used to preserve food but can also be used in other ways. Consider your food dehydrator the next time you want to do any of the following:
- Create potpourri from dried herbs
- Ferment yogurt
- Re-crisp soft cookies, crackers, and chips
- Increase the shelf life of pre-dried goods such as pasta and rice
- Make fruit leather and granola bars for backpacking
- Make homemade dog treats