Have you ever thought about buying a food dehydrator? In the 1970’s I remember my grandmother buying her first food dehydrator and later bought one for my aunt and mother for Christmas. It was during this time that Californians were just beginning to plan ahead for possible earthquakes and other possible world disasters. And also, came at a time when healthy eating became a priority.
So we dehydrated everything (fruits, raw meat, vegetables, etc.) and found that this was not only a great way to make and preserve nutritious food, but it was also a lot of fun. You don’t need a separate meat dehydrator, fruit dehydrator or dog food dehydrator. All of these foods can be made with the same machine, whether a household brand or a commercial dehydrator. And it’s easier to maintain flavor and freshness because most dehydrated foods can last for years if stored properly.
Even though we had books with food dehydrator recipes, we found it very easy to come up with our own recipes for dehydrating raw food or cooked food leathers. By far my favorites were the fruit peels that we made by blending different ingredients (like pineapple, coconut, apples, bananas, apricots, pears, etc.) with a little spice (maybe nutmeg or cinnamon), and the non-on sections Pour out Toxic plastic cling wrap, placing it on a food dehydrator rack to dehydrate for 10-20 hours (depending on the moisture content of the food). Then we’d peel them off the plastic and pack them for after-school snacks. However sometimes dehydrated foods don’t last that long because it seems like we can eat them just as fast as we can dehydrate them for good tasting finger foods.
Think about it though. In the unfortunate event of an earthquake or other natural disaster that could make obtaining food a challenge, wouldn’t it be nice to know that you have homemade beef jerky, dried apples, banana chips and even homemade beef jerky at the ready? Was that even dehydrated granola? Foods shrink to about ¼ their original size, but retain almost all of their nutrition (yet sweetened without added sugar!!!). And they don’t require refrigeration, just store in a glass jar or plastic bag in a dark cool cupboard. Wouldn’t this help ease your mind?
As an adult, I started dehydrating my own food, and even dehydrating nutritious pet food. And if you buy fresh raw foods in season (when they’re less expensive) and dry them to save for a time when those same fruits and vegetables may cost more, consider dehydrating your own food. It is economical to do. Amazingly, the flavor is just as delicious and in some cases even better than fresh. Dried vegetables are easy to rehydrate and great for adding to soups or stews. Think how much fresh food is wasted because it is not eaten in time. And then think about how much money you can save by dehydrating that food instead of throwing it in the trash. Even leftover mashed potatoes can be spread into ¼-inch-thick rectangles (place non-toxic plastic wrap on a dehydrator drying rack first), and make your own potato chips! In this day and age, we need to do everything possible to save money, and our food dehydrator has been one of the best investments we’ve ever made.
If you love making homemade gifts for the holidays, consider making fresh chicken soup, or perhaps your special spaghetti sauce, dehydrating it until it’s crisp and then grinding it into a powder. Place it in a leftover glass jar with a pretty ribbon and a tag with rehydration instructions (the instructions are basically…just add water) and you have a wonderful homemade gift for your family and friends.
Or buy food dehydrators for someone you love this Christmas to improve your family’s health, help them prepare for a disaster, or just make great snacks or healthy dehydrated pet food . Share with them your favorite food dehydrator recipes for dehydrated food and how they can keep food from going to waste in order to save money.
Please visit our Food Dehydrator website and blog and share your favorite dehydrated food recipe, dehydrating tips and ideas. go for http://www.BuyFoodDehydrators.com TODAY AND ENJOY!!!
Source by Gina M Cox
