Freeze Dried Vegetables are a great way to add essential vitamins and minerals to your food storage pantry. You’ll need them to keep you and your family healthy and well during a disaster or emergency. The great thing about freeze–dried vegetables is that they can be prepared by just adding water.

Benefits of Freeze Dried Vegetables

Freeze drying vegetables involves removing all of their water content while they are frozen and then adjusting the pressure of the freeze dryer to completely dry the food. Although not as juicy as fresh vegetables, the freeze-dried versions have several nutritional benefits. Freeze-dried vegetables have a different taste than fresh ones, but they can be a quick and convenient way to eat plenty of produce and get many different vitamins and minerals.

Convenient

Freeze-dried vegetables are very light and are easy to transport. Many backpackers and hikers rely on freeze-dried fruits and vegetables for a quick energy boost. They are easy to eat, and freeze drying makes them smaller than their whole form, which allows travelers to pack several pouches at one time. Freeze-dried vegetables are also convenient ways to supplement meals, and they make healthy snacks for on the go as well.

Long-Lasting

Another benefit to freeze-dried vegetables is that they last for a long period of time without going stale. Hikers and backpackers rely on freeze-dried vegetables when they are on trips that last longer than a day because they provide access to the nutrients in produce without worrying about fresh versions going bad. Freeze-dried vegetables are also a healthy way to get your produce when traveling for several days at a time.

Emergency Food

Freeze-dried vegetables can be stored in your car on long road trips in case you break down without close access to stores or gas stations. Freeze-dried vegetables can also be stored in large amounts in cities or towns that are susceptible to hurricanes, floods or tornadoes to ensure that residents have access to nutritious foods during the recovery phase. They can also be sent to areas devastated by natural disasters as a way to offer assistance.

Nutritious

Fresh vegetables contain a vast array of essential vitamins and minerals, and portions of these nutrients are not lost in the freeze-drying process. Freeze-dried produce is also low in calories. Many freeze-dried versions of your favorite fruits and vegetables are high in vitamin C, such as bell peppers, which contain almost 31 mg of this nutrient. Freeze-dried vegetables also supply a healthy amount of fiber, beta-carotene and potassium.

How to Cook With Freeze-Dried Vegetables?

Familiar to campers and hikers, freeze-dried vegetables are also a boon for busy families who find their fresh vegetables grow moldy because they don’t have time to cook consistently. Just about any vegetable can be freeze-dried, including tomatoes, corn, peas, potatoes, mushrooms, onions, carrots, bell peppers and green beans. The process of freeze drying involves placing the vegetable pieces into a refrigerated vacuum and then dehydrating them without thawing. Rehydrate and cook a variety of dishes with freeze-dried veggies, or eat them right out the bag or can as a snack.

Add freeze-dried vegetables to boost flavor in homemade soups. Increase the amount of water or broth in your recipe to account for the amount the dry vegetables will soak up. For example, you can mix together 3/4 cup of dehydrated navy beans with 2 tablespoons of dehydrated, diced potato, 2 tablespoons of dehydrated onions and 1 tablespoon of dehydrated mixed peppers for a hearty soup. Put in a pot with 4 cups of water and cook for about 20 minutes; season with salt and pepper.