Freeze Dried Foods

When I first got the freeze dryer, I would put the foods anywhere I could find a spot. Then I wanted them all together so I cleaned off a shelf in the fabric closet. That filled up and I cleaned off another shelf. Now that one is full

We use this all the time but when you figure what’s in a quart jar, most of it is enough for several meals. I will pop the seal on a jar, pour out what we need, re-seal it and stick it back on the shelf so it takes a while to make a dent in it, especially when I’m adding a couple more loads each day.

Here are some close ups and yes, I’m pretty proud of all this. During the winter when fresh okra or fresh squash is outrageously expensive, we’ll have it in jars.

Starting at the very top row (where I have pint jars stacked):
Cherries, Jackfruit, Pico, Jackfruit, bean sprouts and eggs.

Next row: Cut okra, whole okra, caramelized onions, cantaloup, mushrooms and yogurt.

Next row (top layer of quart jars): Kefir, squash, tomato soup, squash, cut okra.

Bottom row: Squash, cut okra, figs, cantaloup, zucchini.

Mostly more of the same. On the top row I see pizza sauce. Below that I see cheesecake.

Next to bottom row: Raspberries, cheesecake, Hatch Peppers

Bottom row: Eggs, apples, beans. The beans are vacuum sealed but not freeze dried.

A lot of these are repeats. The half pint jars near the far end have chocolate milk and yogurt bites. Some of the things in half pints are snacks we take on road trips. Hatch peppers are also in half pints because that’s more than enough for any given meal.

Not only can I freeze dry individual ingredients but things like meatloaf, mac & cheese – meals that you rehydrate (or not), heat and eat.

This is meatloaf we’re having for dinner. I’ll do another post about that.