There are so many different ways to rehydrate and refresh your foods, it often depends on the ingredient you are using.

Generally, you can rehydrate freeze-dried foods by soaking them in water (hot or cold, depending on the food and recipe) until they regain their original texture. The time required varies depending on the food and the size of the pieces.

Which is just one more reason why you are going to love THIS freeze dried food conversion chart I have put together for you after years of cooking meals with freeze dried ingredients!

Yes, freeze-dried foods retain most of their nutrients. The process preserves more nutrients than methods like canning or dehydrating.

Plus, when you freeze dry fresh right off the farm ingredients like we do here, they are often MORE nutritious because they are able to retain ALL of their nutrients after harvesting. Because the quicker you can preserve your foods after picking, the more nutritious they are. Here, we flash freeze our products within hours of picking to retain their nutrition and therefore their delicious flavors! 

Yes, many freeze-dried foods can be eaten without rehydrating, like fruits and some vegetables, and are often used as snacks - which are also easy to throw in your diaper bag or grab for a quick snack.

However, some foods, like meats, are better when rehydrated, unless you're like my husband - he just tosses his freeze dried beef in with some freeze dried corn and freeze dried peas and eats it dry - right out of the container! (Weird guy!)

Properly stored freeze-dried foods can last up to 25-30 years. Factors like packaging, temperature, and moisture can affect their shelf life.

I have to admit, my life was changed when I had fresh fruits and vegetables waiting for ME to finally get around to using them, instead of going rotten in my vegetable drawer!

Almost any food can be freeze-dried, including fruits, vegetables, meats, dairy products, and even full meals.

Now, you'll learn if you stick with me that it isn't always a great idea to freeze dry an entire meal (even though you see TONS of people doing it on social, it isn't the best way to get the most from your freeze dried food experience).

Freeze-dried foods are generally healthy, especially if they were healthy before the freeze-drying process. They maintain most of the original nutrients.

Except freeze dried skittles (or freeze dried candy in general), I'm not sure those were ever healthy and unfortunately for those of us who love skittles, it just doesn't add any nutrients when you freeze dry them - darn it!  

Freeze-dried foods are generally healthy, especially if they were healthy before the freeze-drying process. They maintain most of the original nutrients.

Yes, with the right equipment, such as a home freeze dryer, you can freeze-dry many types of foods.

BUT - freeze drying isn't for everyone, for a million reasons, which is why I have never purchased a freeze dryer or done my own freeze drying.

Instead, I like to purchase freeze dried ingredients that are already farm fresh, washed, diced, sliced, cut and prepared for me so I'm only touching the food once (saves me so much more time and money doing it that way!).

Freeze-drying removes about 98-99% of moisture using cold temperatures, while dehydrating uses heat to evaporate moisture, removing about 80-90% of water content.

Plus, anytime you "cook" or "heat" food you lose more nutrition, which makes freeze dried foods more nutritious and longer lasting than dehydrated.

Plus, who doesn't love that dry, crispy texture of freeze dried foods? I know with my own kids (with their texture issues), freeze dried fruits were a life changer for me!

You can substitute freeze-dried foods by rehydrating them first, but I am all about using my freeze dried ingredients to save time and money - which means, I LOVE a good freeze dried food shortcut and I'll take it as often as I can! 

I wish I had time to give them all to you today, but if you hang around with me long enough, I'm going to teach you everything I know. 

But, generally (and I must say VERY GENERALLY -- use 1 part freeze-dried to 2 parts water. Adjustments may be needed based on the recipe.  I mean, you don't want to overdo it with the water and drain off all those nutrients!

They can be more expensive than fresh or traditionally dried foods due to the complex processing required and not using them properly - BUT I save money every single meal by cooking with freeze dried ingredients because I'm only using exactly what I need and I never have to run to the store for a quick shopping trip because I don't have it on hand and end up spending $50 more on stuff I didn't need!

Plus, don't even get me started on how much time I save by using freeze dried foods! We'll have to get into that another day!

Yes, freeze-dried foods like fruits can be used in baking. They can add flavor and texture without additional moisture. 

AND - you might be surprised to know that you have already eaten a TON of freeze dried fruits without even knowing it. Ever whipped up a batch of boxed Blueberry Muffin Mix - those were freeze dried! YUM!

As with ALL FOOD, it's always best to store in a cool, dry place in an airtight container. Some might think you need to consume freeze dried ingredients within a few days to a few weeks after opening, but it really depends!

It depends on the food, how humid it is where you live and how diligent you are to keep the air away from your ingredients.  People die when I tell them that I've eaten freeze dried strawberries YEARS after I first opened the can!

Foods with high fat or high sugar content may not freeze-dry well. Also, some dairy products may not rehydrate to their original texture.

Of course, let's not forget this is fresh food we are talking about here!

So while they have a long shelf life, they can go bad if exposed to moisture or contaminated. Look for changes in color, smell, or texture. And we go more into how you can keep your freeze dried food fresher longer in detail later!

Add directly into the blender with other ingredients. They blend well and add intense flavor and nutrients.

Yes, they can be added directly. They will rehydrate and infuse with the flavors of the soup or stew.  YUMMMM!

There are several popular brands of freeze dried foods and if you aren't spending a few thousand on a freezer dryer and are looking to just get in on ALL THE BENEFITS OF FREEZE DRIED WITHOUT ANY OF THE WORK - then I have only one recommendation for you. Because, I've tried other brands, researched extensively and the one that wins every single time is THIS ONE! Plus, if you have questions, you can always email me at michelle@kitchenbillboards.com and I'll be happy to answer them.

Simple recipes include rehydrated fruit in oatmeal or yogurt, freeze-dried vegetable stir-fry, and instant soups with freeze-dried meats and vegetables.

Plus, I've put together some freeze dried food cookbooks, as well as a Freeze Dried Food Guidebook & Freeze Dried Food Club which helps you learn how to remix all the recipes your family already knows and loves to eat to be quicker and easier than ever with freeze dried foods!

             - Michelle