Nutritional Value of Freeze Dried Meals

Ha, freeze drying: cold, like something out of a movie about space travel. Key technique in food preservation – processing allows maintained food convenience without nutrient sacrifice.

Introduction to Freeze Drying

What is freeze drying?

In brief, the basic freeze-drying process consists of two stages: freezing your food and then dehydrating it by removing the moisture in a vacuum. That could mean shrinking down your favourite fruit into a crispy snack that barely tastes different.

How freeze drying works

The next time you see one of those astronauts eating a fruit in the space shuttle, ask them how the hell they eat it, they woulda freeze it to death. When it’s frozen hard, you are at the stage where you can take all the juice out of it just by sucking hard enough to break your lab. You got foods that look like foods, foods that taste like foods, foods that are healthy for you because you’ve sucked all the other stuff out.

Why Freeze Dried Foods?

Convenience factor

A lot of good stuff to be said about those add-water-and-eat foods. And for a guy on the road, or on the ground, freeze dried foods are a god-send. And no refrigeration!

Extended shelf life

Have you ever had to toss out some food because it went bad so soon? Bad, isn’t it?! Never should be worried to throw food away because your food everlast last. Are you ready to start prepping without having the danger of your stockpt to expire?

The Process Behind Food Dehydrators

How dehydrators differ from freeze drying

This is the essence of drying in the sun – only indoors. A food dehydrator is an appliance that’s used to suck moisture out by circulating hot air around it. The difference between a food dehyrdator and, for example, a freeze dryer is that the food is altered in volume and/or taste.

Pros and cons of using a food dehydrator

With a food dehydrator you can extend the shelf life of food, but probably not as long as you could with freeze drying. And the cost will be less. But the nutritional value of your food might be less than what you could get with freeze drying.

Nutritional Preservation in Freeze Dried Foods

Retention of essential nutrients

Remember mom’s universal mantra: ‘Don’t waste food. It has nutrients that your body needs.’ Mom was right. Most vitamins and minerals are there, showing and shouting.

Taste and texture considerations

Vitamin-rich goodness — ugh! But not so with the freeze-dried sort: nearly 100 per cent of the flavour and texture of the original will be recovered, crunchy and fresh like an apple taken from the tree.

Comparing Freeze Dried with Other Preservation Methods

Freeze dried vs. canned foods

To be fair, canned foods are useful whenever you need convenience foods, but they always come with a load of chemicals and salt – and I’m not even referring to possible sneaky nutrient losses. When it comes to nutrient retention and additives, freeze dried foods? Zero and zero.

Freeze dried vs. frozen foods

Frozen foods require a constant source of electrical current. Everything goes haywire in a freezer-burny cloud. With the freeze-dried, there is none of this. The foods don’t need weird environments. Many of them are energy-efficient and more tasty.

Conclusion and Final Thoughts

But, as we have pointed out, in terms of nutritional quality it really does shine. They are easy to obtain, and convenient, and don’t lose the nutrition that you want. Hikers, bees and health nuts: all of you, you should be eating theoretical meals like this. The next time that you have a chance to eat at a freeze dried snack or meal, take a risk! Your body will probably thank you, and maybe your tongue too.

FAQs

How long can freeze dried foods last?

Typically, they can last between 25 to 30 years if stored properly!

Is freeze drying the same as dehydrating?

No, while both remove moisture, freeze drying retains more nutrients and original texture.

Can I freeze dry foods at home?

Yes, with a home freeze dryer, though they can be a bit pricey.

Do freeze dried foods retain their color?

Absolutely! Most foods retain their original color, making them visually appealing.

Are there any foods that shouldn't be freeze dried?

Foods with a high sugar or fat content are somewhat more difficult to freeze-dry, but they are by no means impossible.