How a Food Dehydrator Can Transform Your Life
Not Just a Gadget—A Lifestyle Upgrade
It won’t fix your job, the traffic, or politics—and it likely won’t make your kids behave better. But a food dehydrator can positively transform your eating habits and potentially those of picky eaters too. It can refresh your recipe ideas and quickly become an essential piece of equipment, especially for raw food enthusiasts.
Understanding the Investment
A 9-tray dehydrator takes up a fair amount of space and can be a bit pricey. But once you understand what it can do, it becomes clear that it’s a worthwhile investment. Dehydration is one of the oldest food preservation methods, dating back over 12,000 years. It works by drying food using warm air, without additives or added sugar, and it preserves both nutrients and flavor. From fruit chips and mushrooms to herbs, yogurt leathers, flowers, and even meat—almost anything can be dehydrated and stored for up to two years.
Make Your Own Nutritious, 100% Natural Snacks
While steaming and baking are great for healthy eating, only dehydration retains all the fiber, minerals, and nutrients. Homemade dried fruit has no added sugars, preservatives, or trans fats, unlike many store-bought versions. You get full control over ingredients, flavor, and quality, and you’ll save money while avoiding the temptation of less healthy snacks like chocolate.
Fun, Colorful Sheets for Creative and Healthy Treats
Impress kids with fruit roll-ups made from their favorite puréed fruits, spread onto parchment and dehydrated until they form a chewy, colorful, and fun snack. They’re sweet, flavorful, and naturally gummy—perfect for little hands and mouths.
Same Benefits, Less Volume
Dried foods occupy about 1/6 of their original volume and don’t need refrigeration. With airtight containers or bags, they can be stored at room temperature for months. That makes them ideal for hiking, camping, lunchboxes, and travel. Their small size and long shelf life make them extremely convenient for an on-the-go lifestyle.
A Must-Have for Raw Food Diets
Trying to dehydrate in a traditional oven can be frustrating. Most ovens don’t operate well under 70°C, and energy usage becomes a concern. In contrast, dehydrators allow you to set exact temperatures and drying times. For those following a raw food diet, this is a game-changer—it preserves enzymes and nutrients that would otherwise be lost through heat.
What Can You Make With a Home Dehydrator?
- Fruit roll-ups — blended fruits (optionally with yogurt), dried into chewy snack sheets
- Dried fruits — grapes, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, plums, cherries, blackberries
- Sweet healthy chips — mango, banana, apple, pear, pineapple, kiwi, citrus, peach, apricot
- Savory veggie chips — potato, sweet potato, carrot, parsnip, beetroot
- Dried mushrooms and tomatoes
- Homemade granola bars with dried fruit
- Seed and nut crackers or raw breads
- Aromatic herbs and flower petals
- Beef jerky, dried chicken, lamb, or fish snacks
Once you start using a dehydrator, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it. It’s not just a kitchen appliance—it’s a new way of thinking about food.