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On/off timer: Some dehydrators have a programmable timer that will allow you to automatically shut down the machine after a given amount of time.
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In order to safely dehydrate different types of ingredients, you need to be able to choose the right temperature. Here are some things to consider as well as a few of our top recommendations.Īdjustable temperature settings: In our opinion, this feature is non-negotiable. There are a ton of different models, features, and price points to choose from. Choosing a food dehydratorīuying your first dehydrator can be a bit overwhelming. Plus, dehydrated food packs down to a fraction of its freeze-dried counterpart. Weight and Space Savings: Dehydrating your food will dramatically reduce its weight while retaining its nutritional value. Preserve Perishables: Some foods would be impossible to safely bring backpacking without preserving them through dehydration, such as meat and fresh produce. This is particularly true for grains, legumes, and vegetables. Over time, dehydrating your own meals allows you to dramatically reduce the cost per meal.įaster Cooking Times: By preparing dehydrated food at home you need less time (and fuel) to rehydrate it in the field. Lower Cost: Relying exclusively on store-bought backpacking meals can cost a small fortune. Less salt? More protein? Gluten-free? You decide! Dehydrating your own backpacking meals allows you to control the final product. You can expand your backpacking menu by making your own meals.Ĭontrol Nutritional Profile: Everyone has different nutritional needs. If you’re interested in getting into food dehydrating or want to expand your knowledge about the process, then this guide is for you! We will walk you through everything so you can start dehydrating and storing meals for your next backpacking trip.ĭiversify Your Meal Options: There are only so many store-bought backpacking meal options available, and not all of them sound very tasty. It is also a lot of fun and pretty easy to learn. It has opened up an entirely new world of meal options and has reduced our price per meal. But, after picking up our Nesco dehydrator a few years ago, we realized how wrong we were!ĭehydrating has completely changed the way we approach food in the backcountry.
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We didn’t know anything about dehydrating and we thought it was going to be way too complicated to learn. We resisted buying a food dehydrator for years, relying exclusively on store-bought ingredients for backpacking trips. Everything you need to know to start dehydrating your own backpacking meals: the benefits of dehydrating food, what ingredients dehydrate the best, proper food handling procedures, the best way to store dehydrated food, and much more!
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