Food storage can be both a daunting and expensive task. Even just putting together a years' worth of storage can be very time consuming and break the wallet. It can also be hard to know where to start. The whole task can be so overwhelming that it’s often easier just to ignore. For anyone that has desired to create an emergency food storage, but just didn’t know the best way to go about it, freeze drying at home may be the answer.
Store-bought food storage options can be expensive and the food full of unwanted preservatives and other additives. Many “freeze-dried” meals sold in stores are often full of dehydrated ingredients. Dehydrated food is often sugary and loses much of its original nutritional value. Along with losing nutrients, dehydrated food has a limited shelf life. Dehydrated food expires typically after ten years, making it so someone is constantly worrying about cycling through foods, or throwing away food storage before it is even used.
Freeze drying your own food, however, can help save money and time when putting together an emergency supply. Freeze-dried food can last up to 25 years when stored correctly and holds up to 97% of the original nutrients from the food. The best part about freeze-drying at home you get to preserve the food that your family actually enjoys eating.
One of the easiest ways to save money and quickly create an emergency food supply is by preserving leftovers that would otherwise just be tossed in the trash. A study funded by the United States Department of Agriculture found that the average American consumer wastes almost one pound of food per day, or 225-290 pounds per year. This means that roughly 20% of all food put on the plates of Americans is trashed every year. The amount of food thrown away could feed 2 billion extra people annually.
Not only are families throwing away thousands of dollars’ worth of food each year, but the waste is also having an environmental impact. Food waste accounts for 19% of landfill waste, which directly contributes to the production of greenhouse gases.
While food waste has increased about 50% since 1974, there is something someone can do in their own home to help eliminate food waste and save money – freeze-drying. A home freeze dryer from Harvest Right allows a person to preserve that extra food and use it at a later date.
Families with gardens can also save money when creating an emergency food supply by preserving their fresh produce. As harvest season ends, many gardeners find themselves with piles of amazing, fresh produce just sitting around until it goes to waste. Garden-fresh produce can stay “garden-fresh” for only so long. Instead of letting it go to waste (or figuring out a way to include zucchini and tomatoes into every meal for the next week), it is possible to freeze-dry that extra produce. Using a freeze dryer provides a way to include surplus produce into long-term food storage. Freeze-dried produce is also great in recipes or as healthy snacks.
There are many benefits to freeze-drying garden produce. Freeze drying the food preserves it for longer and saves money on groceries. Freeze drying fresh produce is also a healthier and longer-lasting option in comparison to canning. Canning can cause nutritional value to be lost from the food. Freeze drying, however, preserves nearly all of the food's original nutrients. Dehydrating food can also cause issues. Flavor and nutritional value are both often lost during the dehydration process and the food can become shriveled and tough. Food that is freeze-dried is not only nutritious, but looks almost exactly like it did before it was preserved.
Compiling a long-term emergency food supply doesn’t have to be difficult and expensive. With the benefit of a home freeze dryer, someone can quickly and easily create an emergency food supply that is full of healthy food that the whole family will actually enjoy eating. You can learn more about the benefits of freeze-drying at home by visiting harvestright.com.
