Dehydrated foods can make a healthy and convenient snack that does not require refrigeration. By making your own, you can reduce the sugar, sodium, and fat often added to the dried foods at the store.

• Completely dehydrating foods can prevent spoiling by limiting bacteria and mold growth.

• Typically, vegetables become brittle, and fruits and meats become chewy.

• Foods can be dried in the oven or a food dehydrator. The drying method should include a warm temperature (140 degrees Fahrenheit), low humidity, and air circulation.

• Ovens must be able to reach 140 degrees. It will take most foods twice as long to dehydrate in an oven versus a dehydrator.

• Peeled, thinly-sliced fruits and vegetables dry the quickest. Make sure all pieces are the same size for even drying. Smaller fruits and vegetables, like berries and peas, can be dried whole.

• When puréed, fruits can be spread over parchment paper, dehydrated, and cut into pieces for fruit leather.

• Let dehydrated foods cool completely. Store in airtight containers.

• Fruits that dehydrate well include apples, apricots, bananas, berries, cherries, figs, grapes, peaches, pears, and persimmons.

• Vegetables that dehydrate well include asparagus, green beans, beets, carrots, corn, kale, peas, peppers, and tomatoes.

• Thin strips of lean meat and fish make the best jerky. Excess fat in meats can cause the jerky to spoil.

Additional Reading

• University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service - Drying Fruits and Vegetables

Lori Rice, M.S., is a nutritional scientist and author with a passion for healthy cooking, exercise physiology, and food photography.