It’s January, and a lot of hikers & backpackers are dreaming and planning their “big” trips. I often think how much in common hikers and gardeners are in how they plan. They sit inside, while it dumps rain or snow outside, and dream of the sunny days that are coming in a few months. I do both. Sometimes at the same time. Just like I am buying seeds and going through the seeds I preserved last fall, my mind is already thinking up new recipes to create for our readers (I constantly am jotting down ideas that may or may not make it TrailCooking). This is the time of year to plan for those trips, and to be able to make your meals they can be the best ever. The time to build a hiker’s pantry of ingredients so you can make meals quickly if you are planning a trip on the fly come next July.
At home freeze-dryer units can be a significant investment for outdoor enthusiasts. They are not cheap, and would fall under buying a major appliance (similar to buying a new stove for example), but they can be so worth the investment. A medium size unit, which for most hikers, is more than enough to produce through the year. The retail will be around $3,000 for this size. Harvest Right runs sales often (and is currently $300 off) and Blue Alpine offers 1% off with our link (which is about $30 off a medium machine).
The two main players the in the freeze-dryer industry currently are:
Which brand one goes for comes down to personal likes. Each has pros and cons. Harvest Right has been around the longest, and basically built how freeze-dryers are now. Blue Alpine is attempting to go fully US made of all parts, and is an upcoming brand with a very personal nature to their business – the CEO will happily talk to you and answer questions. In the end each brand will work and get the job done. Freeze-dryers have been on the market for quite some now, and the technology in them continues to get better by the year. There is of course a learning curve, but that is half the fun learning how to do new things.
Here are ten reasons why getting a freeze-dryer could enhance your outdoor adventure experiences:
- Longevity of Food: Freeze-dried foods can last up to 25 years without losing taste or nutritional value when stored properly. This means you can prepare meals well in advance of your adventures. All it takes is freezer-drying leftovers you thought were tasty, and come the next year, you can eat some great meals on the trail. Just add boiling water and let sit to rehydrate. Some don’t even need water, such as freeze-dried fruit and berries, which you can snack on.
- Nutritional Retention: Freeze-drying preserves nearly all the nutrients in food, unlike other preservation methods like dehydrating or canning, ensuring you have nutritious meals while on your treks. Being able to freeze-dry at the peak of ripeness goes far.
- Lightweight and Portable: By removing moisture, the food becomes incredibly light, making it easy to pack and carry, a crucial benefit for activities like backpacking or mountaineering. Carry less, go farther.
- Variety and Personalization: You can freeze-dry almost any food, from fruits, vegetables, grains and meat, to complete meals like stews and pastas. This allows for a wide variety of meal plans tailored to personal tastes and dietary restrictions. Need gluten-free? It becomes so easy. No added thickeners and gums, and you can control the sodium in your food. A big part for us is we can preserve foods we cannot buy commercially. It’s opened up a whole new world for us.
- Taste Preservation: The freeze-drying process maintains the flavor profile of the food better than other preservation methods, providing you with meals that are enjoyable rather than just sustenance. Often people say they don’t like freeze-dried food because they had a bad tasting meal back in 2003, but in reality it was just lame tasting food that wasn’t high-quality. With you in control, you eat what you like! What you dry matters – good tasting food becomes good tasting freeze-dried meals.
- Convenience: Freeze-dried foods only require the addition of water to rehydrate, making meal preparation quick and straightforward, which is ideal when you need to conserve fuel or when time is of the essence. Especially handy in cold weather trips or long-distance hiking.
- Minimal Waste: You can freeze-dry leftover food, reducing waste at home. It also means you can take the exact amount of food needed, portioned out for each day of adventure. No more buying commercial meals where 1 serving is too little, but 2 servings is too much. And then you have to haul the leftovers out as wet (heavy) garbage.
- Economical in the Long Run: While the initial cost is high to buy a machine, being able to buy in bulk, and preserve seasonal food can save money over time compared to purchasing commercially available freeze-dried meals and or commercially freeze-dried ingredients.
- Food Safety: Freeze-drying removes about 98-99% of the moisture in food, drastically reducing the risk of bacterial growth and food-borne illnesses, which is especially important in remote outdoor settings where getting food poisoning would be a very bad thing.
- Self-Sufficiency: For those who grow their own food, such as a gardening or farming hobby, a home freeze-dryer allows you to take your harvest on your adventures, enhancing the self-sufficient and rewarding aspect of your outdoor experiences. You know you grew the food you are eating. It’s just that much better!
For those who are serious about their outdoor activities and are looking for ways to enhance their food storage and meal planning, a home freeze dryer could be a worthy investment. It provides benefits in terms of food quality, convenience, and safety that can greatly improve the outdoor adventure experience.
~Sarah
FTC Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links.