The ultimate beginner’s guide to freeze-drying food at home.
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If you’ve been thinking about getting a freeze dryer, there’s honestly never been a better time. Every time I load another batch into ours, I’m reminded why it’s become one of the hardest-working tools on our homestead.
We’ve freeze-dried everything from eggs and onions to tomato soup, salsa, fruit, and even leftover meals. It’s one of the easiest ways to preserve food without sacrificing flavor, and it has saved us countless pounds of produce from going to waste.
Whether you’re trying to build a long-term food storage pantry, preserve your garden harvest, reduce food waste, or simply make meal prep easier, a freeze dryer opens up so many possibilities.
August Harvest Right Sale
If you’ve been waiting for the right time to invest in a Harvest Right Freeze Dryer, August is one of the best times to buy. Harvest Right is currently running one of its biggest sales of the year, making it a great opportunity to save on a freeze dryer before preserving your next harvest.
Save Even More!
Use my exclusive coupon code below for an additional $100 OFF your Harvest Right purchase.
Coupon Code: ELIZA100
(Be sure to enter it before checkout.)
What Foods Can You Freeze-Dry?
One of the biggest surprises for new freeze dryer owners is just how many foods work well.
Here are 50 foods that freeze-dry beautifully.
Fruits
- Strawberries
- Blueberries
- Raspberries
- Blackberries
- Bananas
- Apples
- Peaches
- Pears
- Pineapple
- Mango
- Grapes
- Cherries
- Watermelon
- Cantaloupe
- Kiwi
Vegetables
- Corn
- Peas
- Green beans
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Bell peppers
- Mushrooms
- Spinach
- Kale
- Onions
- Garlic
- Zucchini
- Sweet potatoes
- Tomatoes
Protein
- Cooked chicken
- Cooked turkey
- Cooked beef
- Ground beef
- Ham
- Sausage
- Cooked bacon
- Shrimp
- Eggs
- Cheese (shredded works especially well)
Meals
- Chili
- Spaghetti
- Taco meat
- Beef stew
- Chicken noodle soup
- Tomato soup
- Lasagna
- Breakfast casserole
- Cooked rice
- Cooked pasta dishes
Our Favorite Foods to Freeze-Dry
These are the foods we make over and over because we actually use them throughout the year.
Eggs
Our laying hens don’t always produce the same amount year-round, so preserving extra eggs has been a game changer. We powder them after freeze-drying and use them in baking all winter.
Related Post: Freeze-Drying Eggs
Onions
We were gifted a huge pile of onions one year, and instead of letting them spoil, we diced and freeze-dried every last one. The hardest part wasn’t the freeze dryer; it was trying not to cry while chopping!
Related Post: How to Freeze-Dry Onions
Tomato Soup
Garden tomatoes become homemade soup, which gets freeze-dried into easy pantry meals. Just add hot water for an instant homemade lunch.
Related Post: Freeze-Dried Tomato Soup
Salsa
We always joke that salsa deserves its own food group around here. Freeze-dried salsa is one of our favorite pantry staples and makes camping meals so easy.
Related Post: Freeze-Dried Salsa Recipe
Foods You Should NOT Freeze-Dry
While freeze dryers are incredibly versatile, there are a few foods that simply don’t work well.
Foods High in Oil or Fat
These can become rancid because freeze-drying removes water, not fat.
Avoid:
- Peanut butter
- Butter
- Cooking oils
- Olive oil
- Coconut oil
- Bacon grease
- Mayonnaise
- Chocolate by itself
Honey
Honey contains very little moisture, so there isn’t anything for the freeze dryer to remove.
Syrups
Maple syrup, pancake syrup, and similar products don’t freeze-dry well because of their high sugar content.
Jam and Jelly
Most jams contain too much sugar, making freeze drying ineffective.
Soft Cheeses
Cream cheese
Brie
Goat cheese
These contain too much fat and don’t preserve well through freeze drying.
Helpful Freeze-Drying Tips
- Pre-freeze food whenever possible to shorten cycle times.
- Cut food into similar-sized pieces for even drying.
- Avoid overloading trays.
- Store finished food in Mylar bags or airtight jars with oxygen absorbers.
- Label everything with the date.
- Test food for complete dryness before packaging.
Why We Love Freeze Drying
One of my favorite things about freeze drying is opening the pantry months later and finding food that tastes almost exactly like the day we made it.
When the garden is overflowing, we don’t have to scramble to use everything immediately. Instead, we can preserve it for quick meals, camping trips, emergencies, or busy weeknights.
It has honestly changed the way we stock our pantry.
Shop Our Favorite Freeze-Drying Supplies
I’ve put together all of the freeze-drying tools and accessories we actually use here on our homestead.
Some of our favorites include:
- Harvest Right trays
- Mylar bags
- Oxygen absorbers
- Mason jars
- Vacuum sealer
- Permanent labels
- Food storage bins
Ready to Start Freeze-Drying?
Whether you’re just beginning your freeze-drying journey or looking for new ideas to keep your machine running year-round, I hope this list gives you plenty of inspiration.
If you’ve been waiting for the right time to buy a Harvest Right Freeze Dryer, don’t forget to take advantage of the August Sale and stack it with my exclusive $100 OFF coupon code before checkout.
Coupon Code: ELIZA100
Happy freeze-drying, and don’t be surprised if you start looking around your kitchen wondering, “Can I freeze-dry that too?” Around here, that’s become a pretty common question!
From our homestead to yours,
Eliza
