Foods that are easy to dehydrate

Dehydrated food is simple to make, tasty and a great way to make your food go that extra mile.

At Grundig, we have created the Respect Food campaign because we believe that your food deserves a better place than the waste bin. Food waste is a huge problem that affects all of us. From landfills inching higher and creating harmful greenhouse gases, to the hole in our pockets getting deeper, it’s a problem that we need to fix.

Whether you have a dehydrator, or even if you’re using an oven, these ideas are an easy way to cut down on your food waste. Our innovative Respect Food technologies make reducing waste easier. The Fast&Healthy oven is specially made to dehydrate your food whilst still maintaining its essential nutrients. You can find out more about more of our Respect Food technologies here.

Stuck for ideas? Check out our list of foods that you can dehydrate in your kitchen.

1. Meat
Make your own beef jerky! It’s as simple as boiling your beef, mixing sauce of your choice (garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, salt and honey work well), and coating the beef. Then, all you have to do is bake it at a low temperature (about 80°C) for 3 to 4 hours, and you have your own homemade tasty beef jerky.

2. Bananas
Ever wondered how they make those tasty banana chips you get at stores? You don’t have to splash out to buy them anymore; just make your own from your leftover overripe bananas! Slice the bananas, coat in lemon juice and bake for around 3 hours at the lowest temperature.

3. Vegetable Crisps
Add a healthy twist to your favourite snack by using your leftover vegetables. Everyone loves crisps, but these are crisps with a cause. Not only do they stop your veggies from ending up in the bin, but they’re also low in fat because they’re dehydrated, and not fried. Cut into uniform slices, season and dehydrate at the lowest temperature for around 4 hours. You can use any vegetables such as potatoes, turnips, mushrooms, kale, and even tomatoes.

4. Apples
Apples get a special mention on this list because of how versatile they are. Make your dehydrated apples a sweet winter treat by seasoning them with some honey, cinnamon and nutmeg, or give them a spicy kick with some chilli powder and salt. Cut them into slices, soak in water mixed with lemon juice (to prevent browning), season, and dehydrate for about 4 hours at 90°C.

5. Make some fruit leather
If your favourite fruit smoothie ingredients are going off, add some lemon juice and honey, blend them up, and then dehydrate them. It’s a tasty, healthy snack to keep you going through the day, made by saving your fruit from ending up in the landfill. Spread the blended fruit on a lined baking sheet and dehydrate at the lowest temperature for around 6 hours.

6. Seasonal fruits
Keep the summer with you long after it’s gone by dehydrating fruits such as melons and mangoes. Just like the other foods on this list, the method is simple: slice, season and dehydrate at a low temperature.

Dehydrated foods can last you for a month or more (depending on the food) when stored in an airtight container in a cool, dark place. Perfect for snacking, lunchboxes and for on the go; dehydrated foods are the versatile way to reduce your food waste. Dehydrate your food healthily and easily with Grundig’s Fast&Healthy technology, and store your food for longer with our HerbFresh, VitaminCare Zone and FullFresh+ refrigeration technologies, which carefully control air and temperature conditions in your fridge.

Sources:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/241555/homemade-beef-jerky/
http://www.wikihow.com/Dehydrate-Bananas
https://www.thespruce.com/dehydrate-vegetables-in-your-oven-1327581
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/252668/dried-apples/
https://www.diynatural.com/how-to-make-fruit-leathers/
http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/yummy-foods-dehydrate-1782.html