1. Beef jerky. My husband love beef jerky but I absolutely hate the price! With my food dehydrator, I can make a pound of beef jerky for about $5. That includes the meat and seasonings used. That same pound of jerky (with a lot of extra additives and chemicals) would cost at least $20 retail. Now that’s what I call frugal living!
2. Fruit leather. This is a great way to make inexpensive and really healthy fruit rollups at home. My food dehydrator came with liners so that all I have to do is pour applesauce or pureed fruit on the liner and turn on the dehydrator. In a couple hours, I’ve got some great tasting fruit leather.
3. Dried fruits. A food dehydrator is a lifesaver for that fruit that is about to get a little past its prime but you don’t want to waste it. Rather than waiting for it to go bad and then throwing it away, slice it up and dehydrate it. Once it is dry, it will keep indefinitely in a Ziploc bag. You can add dried fruit to quick breads, muffins or scones for a fun change of pace.
4. Camping foods. Do you do a lot of camping? If so, you know that carrying bulky foods into a campsite can be a real pain in the back (both literally and figuratively). Using a food dehydrator can make hauling your foods in much easier. For a simple beef stew, just dry your beef, potato and carrot cubes and toss them all into a Ziploc bag with some beef bouillon cubes. When you’re ready to cook over that campfire, just add your dried mix to a pot of water and voila! Instant beef stew.
5. Easy food storage. Drying food is a great way to store it for long periods of time without having to waste space in your freezer. Just keep it dry, preferably in a Ziploc or vacuum sealed bag and you can save it for months, even years!
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