10 Reasons to buy a food dehydrator

Apple chips, dried mango and beef jerky are all foods that you can make in a food dehydrator, which dries food at a low temperature for a long time. The lack of moisture enhances the flavor of the food, making fruit taste sweeter and spices sharper; it also ensures that it can be stored well for a long time.

In addition to being more flavorful and shelf-stable, homemade dehydrated snacks are usually healthier than store-bought ones; they usually contain one whole ingredient that is simply dried with no additives, preservatives, or high-calorie ingredients, such as oil or sugar. They can also be adjusted exactly the way you want them (for example, you can add extra salt or no salt at all).

Dehydrating also helps retain nutrients in food better than some cooking methods. When an ingredient like kale, which is loaded with water-soluble and heat-sensitive vitamin C, is cooked, it loses some of its immune-boosting potency. By dehydrating it at a low temperature, the nutrients and vitamins are better preserved.

Here are our tips for great affordable food dehydrators:

• TIP: Ziva Zephyr food dryer
• Steba ED5 food dryer
• Wartmann WM-1902 DH (10 trays) food dryer
• Espresses ED5600 food dryer
• Hendi Profi Line food dryer

And here are our 10 reasons why you should get a food dehydrator at home:

1. Dehydrated foods taste great

Using a food dehydrator to remove moisture from food items such as fruits, vegetables and meat creates naturally concentrated, rich and great tasting food.

Not only that, but when you make your own food, you know the quality and freshness of the produce you use - unlike eating dehydrated foods bought at the supermarket.

2. Reduce food waste and extend shelf life

Never waste food again with a food dehydrator. Using your leftover fruits and vegetables in a food dehydrator extends their shelf life by up to 2 years! Yes, that's right - 2 years!

Below are just a few ways you can reduce food waste by preserving food with a dehydrator and keeping your pantry stocked all year round, while saving some money at the same time;

Manage a larger vegetable or herb garden without worrying about food waste - just use the dehydrator to dry your herbs or make vegetable chips. Some vegetables that work great in the dehydrator are kale, beetroot, turnips, carrots, sweet potatoes, and even green beans.

Buy bulk in season to save your family money. For example; buy a tray of mangoes in the middle of summer, dehydrate them and enjoy fresh mango smoothies in the middle of winter!

Store foods that would otherwise spoil, such as the forgotten fruit in the back of your fridge, and turn them into delicious healthy treats and snacks such as fruit leather. Dehydrated foods can also be "rehydrated" simply with water or by adding it to soups, stews, casseroles or pasta sauces.

3. Create healthy and 100% natural food

Dehydrating food only requires one ingredient, the food you dehydrate, so not only is it 100% natural, but you also benefit from all the minerals and fiber of the whole fruit, and unlike cooking and steaming, you don't lose any of it. the nutritional value of the food you are dehydrating.

Dehydration changes the way you look at food. Simple fruits and vegetables can be turned into delicious, healthy snacks and treats. Healthy alternatives to junk food can be made in a dehydrator and the possibilities are literally endless! You will probably be surprised at the amount of food you consume that is actually dried and that you can make your own - sultanas, dried herbs, dates, etc.

If we dried upThinking about fruit, we tend to associate it with a “healthy snack” and when people are on a diet, they often consume large amounts of dried fruit thinking it is a healthy alternative to candy or lollipops. However, this is not the case when it comes to store-bought dried fruit. Many store-bought dried fruits contain added sugars, sulfur dioxide and trans fat - all of which can be harmful to you and your family!

Sulfur dioxide is sometimes added to store-bought dried fruit to prevent discoloration. Sulfur dioxide can cause asthma, skin rashes and stomach pain. Sulfur dioxide is mainly present in dried apricots, giving them the bright orange color.

By making your own dried fruits, there are no additives or preservatives - you are in control of what goes into your food! If you're tired of not being able to feed your kids and family healthy snacks, a food dehydrator is your answer.

4. Cost Savings

Processed, store-bought snacks can be expensive, and organically dehydrated foods are often way too expensive. You can save a lot of money by using your own dehydrator and by buying fresh food in bulk in season or by harvesting your own produce.

Not only that, but food dehydrators are extremely cost effective to use. For example, the 6 Tray BioChef Arizona Dehydrator costs just $0.84 in an 8-hour period — the average drying time required for fruit or vegetable chips.

So take advantage of those offers from your local grocery store or farmers market and don't forget to dehydrate and store your food for later.

5. Efficient Storage

Dried foods take up less than a sixth of their original storage space and don't require the constant electrical drain from a refrigerator or freezer. Simply pack the food in clean, dry, insect-proof containers or canning jars, plastic freezer containers with tight-fitting lids, plastic freezer bags, or vacuum bags (in serving sizes) and store them in your pantry for the perfect snack.

This significant size reduction means you can fit a lot of canned goods in a small area - which is especially ideal for camping, hiking and large families.

6. Portability

Dehydrated foods are compact, lightweight and they travel well.

As noted earlier, healthy foods and snacks can be expensive and you can't always find them or access them on the go. By dehydrating food at home, you can make the perfect snack for your kids' school lunch boxes, or an afternoon hunger buster on the go or at work.

7. Precision drying

If you've ever tried to dry food in your oven, you understand the frustration this can sometimes cause - not just because of the higher electricity costs you have to pay, but because most household ovens don't even start their temperature gauges below 90 degrees. (Celsius)! By using a food dehydrator, on the other hand, you have full control when drying food at lower temperatures. For example; the BioChef Arizona Dehydrator offers an adjustable thermostat range of 35 - 70 degrees Celsius - significantly lower than your average household oven.

Because of these low temperatures, food made with a dehydrator is often considered "raw food." A raw food diet has many benefits and is said to preserve the living nutrients and enzymes in fruits and vegetables as opposed to the heating process that would eliminate or deplete them from food.

If you then follow a raw food diet, or are simply trying to eat more raw food, a dehydrator offers a good alternative to cooking food at temperatures below 46 degrees Celsius - the threshold temperature at which enzymes and nutrients are considered to be maintained - than any other kitchen appliance on the market.

8. Use it for more than just food

When trying to decide whether a food dehydrator is worth it, consider its overall versatility. Dehydrators have many uses that have nothing to do with preserving or drying food. You can use them to dry craft projects like flour molds or to make your own potpourris. You can even make your own raw materials, such as recycled paper and other fun projects you can do with your kids.

9. Prepare for emergencies

The long shelf life of dehydrated food makes it ideal for emergencies. You don't have to prepare, cook or work with dishes that have to be cleanedto become. This means that it is always ready for use under all conditions. It's also lightweight, so you can take a lot with you when you need to go without weighing yourself down.

Extending the life of your food will reduce the amount of waste you throw in the bin. Less waste means lower monthly waste bills and weekly shopping, which contributes to a sustainable life. Whether you have an outdoor garden or tend to over-buy at the grocery store for good intentions of eating healthily, a dehydrator can help you store excess food that you don't eat right away. More food in your belly and less food in your trash is another added benefit.

10. It's a fun activity!

One of the best reasons to buy a dehydrator is because it's fun. It's an easy activity to do with kids or adults and produces edible results that everyone can enjoy. With the little effort required and the fact that it is not very time consuming, children can be fascinated by how food changes in the process. You can even run creative experiments to see what you can and cannot dry out just for fun.

If you're curious about what you can use your dehydrator for, you'll be happy to discover that there are plenty of options . Dehydrators can help you create healthy foods that save you money and time. Since they are easy to use and cost one time, you need to decide which one is best for you and then start drying food.